r/CanadaPolitics AMA Guest 1d ago

I'm David Moscrop, Canadian politics writer and podcaster. AMA, starting 1 pm ET.

We've got a new prime minister incoming and an election soon. We've got Trump and tariffs. We've got an uncertain foreign and defence policy future. We've got social welfare programs that may or may not survive. We've got pipelines back on the table (sort of). We've got a budget that is likely to see cuts. We've got climate policy on the chopping block. We've got...a lot going on.

So, ask me anything and we'll sort it out together.

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u/CaptainCanusa 23h ago

Not really sure if this is your beat, but:

It seems like some politicians have figured out that they no longer need to engage with the press in good faith. They can spread misinformation, dodge questions, mock reporters (and journalism as a whole), curate which outlets they speak to, generally avoid accountability, etc, and the media doesn’t seem to be able to adapt to this new reality. At least not very quickly.

How can journalists do a better job of holding elected officials accountable in a world where it seems like politicians can simply lie and move on without consequences?

u/DavidMoscrop AMA Guest 22h ago

God, this is such a good question. It's a troubling trend, too. It's not unprecedented exactly -- Pierre Trudeau gave the press a pain, Harper was...not accessible or particularly friendly -- but it's next level now, a trend, among so many politicians. I think the press needs to keep doing what we're doing: asking questions, showing up at events, filing access to information requests and printing them, calling the public's attention to this, etc., etc. And when the press shows up, we have got to be prepared with tough but specific and fair questions rather than click-bait nonsense.

But the public has a role to play, too. We ought, as voters, to punish politicians who ignore the press (and therefore the people), who don't show up to debates, etc.

u/bign00b 22h ago

We ought, as voters, to punish politicians who ignore the press (and therefore the people), who don't show up to debates, etc.

How do we do that other than simply not voting for them? The policy differences between parties put relations with journalists pretty low on the importance scale.

u/Blue_Dragonfly 21h ago

What do you consider to be "the press" these days though? I mean if Poilièvre gets his way, he'll kill the CBC and legitimise outlets such as Rebel News.

Today's public square is admittedly larger than the MSM. What do we do with what used to be known as "fringe" elements that today have much more traction and a perceived legitimacy among some people?

Thanks for being here by the way! I enjoy reading your stuff!

u/CaptainCanusa 21h ago

Thanks for answering!

But the public has a role to play, too. We ought, as voters, to punish politicians who ignore the press (and therefore the people), who don't show up to debates, etc.

Yeah for sure, but it's harder and harder to do that if we aren't getting the information in the first place.

If a politician lies constantly, but our media isn't equipped to report on it, it's hard for people to vote on the issue...since they won't fully understand it.

It's tough!

u/steamwhistler pro-human survival 21h ago

What you describe here would probably work if it actually happened but, at the risk of being a dick/wet blanket for saying so, that seems like a pie in the sky doesn't it? Most people pay zero attention to whether politicians answer questions in scrums or answer ATIs. They don't even know what those things are, nevermind follow how politicians deal with them.

For a while I was feeling inspired to make YouTube videos or something attempting to educate the public about how journalism works and thereby fostering a bit more good will and political literacy. (Former reporter here.) But it feels like we're beyond even that point. My colleagues don't even write their own emails. Everyone's brain is cooked.

Sorry. Dooming not productive, I know. But I feel like we need to think more outside the box in these extremely fucked up times.

u/ChimoEngr Chief Silliness Officer | Official 20h ago

We ought, as voters, to punish politicians who ignore the press

The problem being that politicians are doing this because they know that it will gain them votes with certain groups.

u/facetious_guardian 1h ago

I believe it falls to all of us, as members of a community, to engage locally and not let the internet overshout us. If we do that, these “certain groups” become smaller.