Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Quebec Premier Jean Charest defends use of attack ad in attempt to undermine PQ chief Pauline Marois

MONTREAL – Premier Jean Charest is defending his party’s use of negative advertising to discredit Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois.

But Guy Séguin, the man who shot the video used in the campaign, wants the Quebec Liberal Party to withdraw the ads because he never gave his permission for the video to be used in such a manner.

The ad was taken down from YouTube Tuesday night.

In its place is a message informing potential viewers that the video has been removed “due to a copyright claim by (the copyright protection service) Police du Net /Guy Séguin.”

But the Liberals said they were continuing to order the ad to be broadcast.

“What we did was air images that Pauline Marois and her own party aired themselves,” Charest told reporters in Quebec City following a government funding announcement.

“I am very intrigued with the reaction of the péquistes. Are they embarrassed by their own images?”

The 15-second video was the talk of the town Tuesday and fuelled speculation the Liberals have an election in the works for this fall.

So did the numerous other government announcements made the same day by Liberal ministers around Quebec.

To be aired all week, the Liberal ad features Marois banging pot lids, in slow motion, in a demonstration June 2 in the riding of Argenteuil during the lead up to the June 11 byelection there that the PQ won.

There is no music or voice-over whatsoever, just the Liberal Party logo at the end.

It can be seen on the Liberal Party website (plq.org) and has sparked doctored copycats, including a Blair Witch Project version.

But on his own Facebook site Séguin says he never gave the Liberals permission to use it for partisan reasons.

“I’m stupefied and outraged,” Séguin said Tuesday, adding he is not a member of any political party.

“What belongs to someone, belongs to someone. If we ask permission, that’s another matter. I want these images to be withdrawn from public media.

“I am counting on the Liberals to use good judgment and recognize their error.”

Original Article
Source: montreal gazette
Author: Philip Authier

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