Comments on: Stephane Dion: Canada’s Palin

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:08:12 +0000

Does he speak English! What the f###!!

By: Ravi J

Ravi J — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:49:25 +0000

I think it’s the interviewer who’s not understanding what Dion is asking. Dion asks a very simple question : “At what point did you want him to start as a PM?” so as to be able to answer his question

By: bugman

bugman — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:27:52 +0000

Epic Fail Oliver!

I’m disappointed in you Oliver. This is the sort of ‘gotcha’ crap we ridicule the right wing for. A few minutes of research would show (as a number of posters pointed out), that Dion is an intelligent and decent man (although an exceedingly uncharismatic politician). He was asked a poorly phrased question with mixed tenses in a language that is not his first, and he apparently also has a hearing impediment. One can say many unkind things about the Liberal party under his leadership but I don’t think this interview was at all fair. You really should update this post.

By: Quaker in a Basement

Quaker in a Basement — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:43:13 +0000

We agreed not to show it, but we changed our minds?

There’s some journalistic integrity for you. Either keep your agreements or don’t make them.

By: David

David — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:33:46 +0000

Dion is clearly in the right here – his only failing is trying to make sense of the poor English used by the interviewer.

“If you were Prime Minister NOW, what would you have done?”

It’s a nonsensical question that mixes past and present tenses. Send that reporter back to language school, and CTV to ethics classes for trying to spin an issue out of their own employee’s weak language skills.

By: canadian bacon

canadian bacon — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:11:20 +0000

Like I said earlier, he’s not a very good politician, but he’s no Palin.

By: somejackass

somejackass — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:09:52 +0000

It’s not a language problem — he just makes a bad political move. If you’re unsure what the interviewer is asking, you assume one or the other and answer that. If the interviewer corrects you, then you skip over to that interpretation. To try for a restart that many times means you weren’t prepared for the question. The BQ and New Democrats need to put aside their differences and provide a real alternative to the Conservatives, and yes, the Liberals too.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:29:49 +0000

I dobut Palin can spell “Clarity Act” let alone devise it. For all of Dion’s weaknesses as a politician (and he has many), he is nothing like Palin. Think of him as Al Gore, but smarter, without Al’s mad political skills and blinding charisma.

By: James E. Powell

James E. Powell — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:05:16 +0000

This is a language barrier problem, not a desire to change his answer.

The question is very poorly worded, but that might not be obvious to some one who is not a native speaker.

Comparing him to Palin is, sadly, Oliver, inappropriate and unfair.

By: canadian bacon

canadian bacon — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:39:56 +0000

CTV promised Dion not to show the error. It happens all the time in interviews, but it’s always edited out. CTV did to Dion what Hannity and Limbaugh do with Obama everyday when they loop all his normal stutterings into one colossal political slant. You know the routine, make people look stupid when they are not. Harper’s the sleaze ball with a hidden agenda “under his sweater.”

By: Jack H.

Jack H. — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:01:42 +0000

For the record, some of Dion’s bio-

Education:
* BA in political science – Université Laval
* MA in political science – Université Laval
* PhD in sociology – Institut d’études politiques de Paris
Profession:
Professor of political science and author

Comparing Dion to Palin because his english is bad is somthing I would expect to find on a far right Canadian blog. Epic Fail. FAIL, Oliver.

By: Mylegacy

Mylegacy — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:30:40 +0000

Stephane Dion (as is obvious is a French Canadian) was a former Minister of the Environment in the Liberal government that had led Canada for years. He’s a STRONG supporter of Kyoto and his policy this election is to introduce a massive realignment of how taxes are paid towards a “Carbon Tax.” He’s in favor of massive increase in wind and solar power for Canada.

Mostly because of his commitment to the environment the Liberal Party (a centrist party) elected him as their leader – despite the fact he is almost illiterate in English. The guy is brilliant, a progressive and wonderfully honourable. However, unfortunately – his weakness in English is killing him. Not because he’s French – just because his English is SO borderline.

By the way in Canada this election the Conservatives are expected to from a Minority government with the Liberals second and the NDP (Social Democrats), Greens (self evident) and the BLOC ( a Quebec separatist part) expected to between them hold the majority of seats.

Canada presently has a Conservative minority government and Canadians find that generally speaking minority governments seem to produce the best legislation.

By the way – I come from a Canadian family.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:22:31 +0000

I’m a Canadian (and also an American) and I gotta say, this isn’t so bad. He wants to think about his answer and say exactly what he means. This isn’t a live interview, so I think asking to start again is fair. He hasn’t changed his answer.

It isn’t an “epic fail.”

By: Jack H.

Jack H. — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:33:09 +0000

Way off base on this one Oliver. He’s French Canadian and his english is a little suspect just as many english speaking Canadian politicians have dubious french skills. Palin in operating in her FIRST language. Huge distinction.

By: Derek

Derek — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:20:58 +0000

I heard about this, wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Dion was a professor of law, I guess he gets frustrated when people ask questions that are imprecise.

By: Cecily

Cecily — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:09:23 +0000

This is an unfair (and insulting) characterization. Dion’s first language isn’t English, and he often says he doesn’t always understand when people ask him questions in English. This is the first time since he entered the political arena that I’ve seen him behave like this, and who knows what the reasons for it were. I’m not even voting for the Liberals next Tuesday, but I’m going to defend Dion against any comparison to that asshat moose killing hick.

By: Robert McClelland

Robert McClelland — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:18:48 +0000

Why is it that on rare occasion when you Democrats pull your head out of your ass to have a look around at the world it’s always to kick Canadian Progressives in the balls.

By: Nimrod Gently

Nimrod Gently — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:47:03 +0000

Goddamit Canada, is this the best you can do against that Tory prick?

By: xp

xp — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:22:36 +0000

But the question kept changing. “If you were prime minister NOW” followed by the past tense “what WOULD you have done?” I think he just tried to be too precise. He wanted to know if his answer should be WOULD have done during the past two years or would do NOW. It’s not THAT ridiculous of him. IMHO

By: ahhhhh

ahhhhh — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:18:47 +0000

by the way…NOTHING compares to Moose-o-lini