A Media Opportunity

Here's a copy of a letter to the editor I submitted to the Irving big-three papers and the Kings County Record. It is a reply to a seemingly innocuous Telegraph (a friend calls it the Tele-graft) Journal piece. Keep up the struggle.

Saturday’s Telegraph Journal mentions that the NDP’s polling numbers have increased significantly despite the fact that “most people could neither name nor recognize” party leader Roger Duguay (‘Poll has Liberal party trailing Tory rivals’; A2).

The print media in this province could easily rectify this democratic deficiency.

First, provide a profile of Mr. Duguay as he has received minimal media coverage. Second, provide Mr. Duguay and each of the party leaders with a monthly column in which they can explore issues they feel should be important to the public.

If we, as citizens of New Brunswick, are to perform our civic duty and participate in choosing good governments, we need to know where all the parties stand on a variety of issues. Moreover, we need to know our potential leaders. Print media can go a long way to strengthening our democracy by enhancing the public’s ability to make informed choices.

I hope the big three provincial English-language dailies see fit to contribute positively to the democratic process by giving all party leaders a forum for discussion.