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Hurtig Lauds Striker's Courage
Mel Hurtig
No other developed country that I know of would consider allowing one man to own and control so many of its daily newspapers as Conrad Black controls in Canada - the highest percentage of daily-newspaper control in the western world. Such a heavy degree of control by any one person is against all the best interests of a democratic society, it's against the very fundamentals of high-quality journalism and it's against the best interests of the community and of a civic society.
What is happening at the Calgary Herald is about much more than a legally binding contract. It's about democracy, it's about the fundamental democratic idea that high-quality, balanced journalism is essential in any fair and just society. It's also about Conrad Black making an example of Calgary Herald journalists and other workers in an attempt to scare off other union members all across the country. It's about Alberta's pathetically weak labour laws allowing scab workers to undermine the contractual efforts of longtime, qualified journalists and other employees, and it's about a declining quality of journalism in newspapers. As well, it's about an employer who seems to care little about his workers but cares a great deal about how well his newspapers reflect his own political, social and economic philosophy... I would object to such excessive media control if anywhere near as many newspapers were controlled by Bob White, Buzz Hargrove and Maude Barlow.
While I abhor Conrad Black's extremism, a similar degree of control of the media by the left would be equally unacceptable.... Surely the principle is or should be self-evident In a democratic country, vitally important media must be owned by the many, not by the few, to properly reflect a broad range of news and opinion in a fair and an even-handed manner....
Let's be sure that local newspapers such as the Calgary Herald are not published and edited by people who must be constantly terrified of their employers.... And let's be sure that local newspaper profits are not sucked out of the community to support a pompous superego in his quest for dominance of not only the world of daily newspapers but even more importantly, dominance of the public and political debate about the key issues that affect the lives of every Canadian.
Conrad Black is making an example of Calgary Herald workers. And to them I say: You are very courageous. I admire you for your courage. You deserve the strong support of millions of Canadians. Wherever I go in my trips across Canada, I will speak of your courage and the vitally important principles that are involved in this dispute.
We all know that the best solution for Herald employees would be a successful return to the bargaining table.... By far the best of all solutions will come if the people of Calgary and people from all across our country come strongly to your support. Let's not allow this man to smash a union and to crush democracy and the freedom of ideas.
Mel Hurtig is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and a former Edmonton based publisher who created the Canadian Encyclopedia.