If you were tuned into the news networks March 25 you were subjected to wall-to-wall panda-mania. China, as you must know by now, rented Canada two pandas for five years (for $5 million, no less) and our mainstream media decided this was the top news story of the day. Canadians got to see an empty runway and endless filler while reporters waited for the late plane carrying the two bears to Toronto. It was exhaustively covered by Canada’s laziest reporters.
Meanwhile, there was something else going on that day. But you’d be hard-pressed to find much coverage of it. The Cree Nishiyuu walkers, who had trekked over 1600 kilometres from Whapmagoostui, arrived in the nation’s capital to scant, and grudging, attention for their efforts. The image of Canada’s youth walking 1000 miles through harsh conditions and temperatures as low as minus 40 apparently lacked importance and human interest for the newsroom decision-makers who filter our information. The walkers were briefly mentioned in between spasms of breathless excitement over two pandas rented to a Canadian zoo.
The walkers would have liked to meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but he had convenient panda fever. The PM’s priority was to host a “special ceremony” to welcome the furry foreigners to their new Toronto animal prison for the next five years. Aboriginals will be around longer than five years after all.
Bernard Valcourt, the recently appointed Aboriginal Affairs Minister, did meet them, but not publicly. In the House of Commons, he generously acknowledged the determination and commitment of those who made the journey. Later in the day, far away from the news cameras, Valcourt indicated he would accept an invitation to visit Whapmagoustui Cree Nation and learn more about the motivations for the epic journey.
Even given the proven abilities of Conservative spin doctors, I was flabbergasted. Valcourt could have shown up to welcome them and point out how strong, determined and willing these Canadian were to take on such a challenge. He could even have distanced himself (and his party) from the Idle No More movement by simply recognizing their strength of character in completing this walk through such challenging conditions. It would have gone a long way to repairing some ties with First Nations.
In any case, the true problem is even larger than the fact that the government’s lies and fluff diversion tactics are being swallowed without question by the mainstream media. All you have to do is look how folks here and in other countries avidly followed the epic journey of the Nishiyuu walkers. Japanese schoolchildren tracked their progress on a daily basis. Australians joined in, as did people across Quebec.
The potential for journalists to develop dramatic stories of human endurance and commitment was enormous. But the mainstream media instead showed how irrelevant they have become. Imagine if it had been a group of white youth who had made this incredible journey. The press would have had a field day with hours of coverage and pride in our nation. Instead, two rented pandas took the spotlight on our TV screens and news pages. Meanwhile, social media was buzzing with stories and commentary on the Nishiyuu walkers and their cause. The contrast is telling.
CBC’s comedy show, This Hour has 22 Minutes, ironically noted that the walkers might have gotten more coverage if they were as cute as the pandas. But this is too important for satire.
I am proud of the youth who made this journey. I know how hard it was and the strength of purpose that allowed you to overcome these hardships in order to complete your journey. It was an expression of belief in yourself, your people, and your nation – and in doing what is right. You have shown yourselves to be dab iyiyuu.
