CanPolitics: How can a letter to the editor be a "product"?

[dewline]

Something I read in today's Globe and Mail's paperware edition -- since confirmed elsewhere -- that really vexed me today. Here's the main article if you're interested, but I'm going to cut to the chase by quoting the e-mail that triggered the story:

"PMO will have final approval for all communications products — even Notes to Editors or Letters to the Editor."

What the Devil?!?

How can a letter to the editor by an individual MP be a "communications product"?

It strikes me that the idea of running a nation as if it were a run-of-the-mill corporation has some flaws in its logic. How about the rest of you?

Comments

[chipzdarsky.livejournal.com]

If I were Harper I would have done the same thing. A "letter to the editor" isn't just a letter to an editor, it's a letter to a nation in most cases. If I were PM, I'd want to see what my fuckwit MPs were writing as representatives of my ruling party before the nation did.

[jcoville.livejournal.com]

Simply put, the former Reform party has a number of guys who have no qualms saying politically incorrect stuff to the press. Hell, it used to be *planned* that every 3-4 months, somebody would say something nasty to help solidify the racist/bigot vote. The party would poo-poo them publicly and kick them out. 3 months later they'd be allowed back in and given a promotion. I imagine with that type of history it wouldn't take much for those that *really* have some bigoted opinions to mouth them off unplanned in hopes of getting a promotion somewhere down the road.

Harper put the clamp down on that stuff during the campaign and now he wants to keep it down so they don't become a one term wonder. I suspect he already knows his time as PM is somewhat limited. Once the Liberals get a new leader, they'll be trying to bring down the minority and they probably won't have a hard time getting the NDP or Block to join them on this.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Well, according to this CBC report (http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/03/19/sliberals-race060319.html), it's going to be a while before that leader's chosen.

I wonder how long the country can or should wait, really?