Peter Munk

It’s convenient but incorrect to simply blame the USA for Ottawa’s nefarious role in the slow motion attempted coup currently underway in Venezuela.

How close is too close when it comes to media outlets working with institutions set up by wealthy individuals to influence the news?
The question becomes important to ask when Canada’s “national newspaper” promotes a worldview paid for by one of the planet’s most controversial mining magnates. The Globe and Mail’s close ties to the Munk Debates and University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs should worry journalists and everyone who cares about foreign policy discussion in this country.

Next week the Fraser Institute’s newly established Peter Munk Centre for Free Enterprise will offer a day long “Introduction to Economic Reasoning” seminar for Grade 10-12 students in Scarborough. Launched in June with $5 million from the founder of Barrick Gold, the Centre for Free Enterprise cements Munk’s position as leading contributor to right-wing ideas. But, the ideologue’s biggest contribution has been to a venerable public institution.

We’ve all heard many times that “money talks” in politics but it was unclear how loudly. Now we know — one billionaire is heard over 50,000 ordinary Canadians.
While about 50,000 people and 175 organizations supported Up for Debate’s call for an election debate focused on women’s issues, it won’t happen because Stephen Harper refused to participate and NDP leader Tom Mulcair is unwilling to appear if the prime minister is not there to bash.