In Mississauga, Conservatives blocked tough but fair questions from reporters:
A Conservative staffer near the reporter prompted the crowd of about 500 into sustained, aggressive applause that lasted more than a minute, drowning out the reporter’s repeated efforts to get a response from Harper.
The crowd eventually surged to its feet to shield the prime minister from the line of inquiry, while staffers led cheers of “Harper!”
So if you’re a Conservative supporter, you’re supporting the party that constantly sabotages press freedom and Canadians’ right to know the truth.
Congratulations.
The story in more detail: The Conservatives are ducking questions on a pair of new campaign controversies in the form of two candidates with connections to terrorism.
First and worst: in the Vancouver South riding, the CBC reports that Conservative candidate Wai Young has been “personally endorsed” by businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik, who went to trial over the Air India bombing and has admitted giving money to the family of the convicted bomb-maker who committed perjury testifying on Malik’s behalf.
Second: Gavan Paranchothy, the Conservative candidate in Scarborough Southwest, referred to the terrorist-designated Tamil Tigers as “heroes”, drawing criticism from his own party.
If you’re a reporter, don’t bother asking Conservative candidates about either of these stories. They’ll get their little mob of brownshirts to drown you out. Because that’s the Conservative philosophy: shut up and get out of our way.
