Ottawa

Idle No More fades behind more traditional headlines

Tease the day: Presidential inaugurals, leadership debates and foreign wars are reporters’ bread and butter.

AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Did Idle No More peak? This morning, the biggest headlines and splashiest photos were reserved for U.S. President Barack Obama’s second inauguration (predictably), continuing efforts to fight rebels in Mali (predictably), and yesterday’s federal Liberal leadership debate (predictably, even for the Commons’ third party). The only references to Idle No More had very little to do, directly, with the Idle No More movement. Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence told CTV’s Question Period yesterday that she still won’t eat until the prime minister and governor general agree to a joint meeting. Roger Augustine, commenting on behalf the Assembly of First Nations executive, said Spence is no longer contributing positively to the Aboriginal dialogue with the federal government.

Everything that Idle No More, the AFN, and Spence accomplished to dominate the Canadian news agenda in recent weeks could disappear in a flash. Presidential inaugurals, leadership debates and foreign wars are reporters’ bread and butter. Aboriginal issues are traditionally much more complex, and not so natural. Maintaining any momentum will be a struggle for Aboriginal activists.


What’s above the fold this morning?

The Globe and Mail leads with U.S. President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. The National Post also fronts the inaugural. The Toronto Star goes above the fold with the province’s air ambulance service paying a hospital’s top doctor for advisory services that might never have been carried out. The Ottawa Citizen leads with a fast-tracked vote for a new casino in Ottawa that could have allowed for more public consultation. iPolitics fronts a Canadian Press story about the federal government covering costs of CEO’s during a trade mission to China. CBC.ca leads with Obama’s inauguration. National Newswatch showcases CEO expenses in China.


Stories that will be (mostly) missed

1. Mercury bulbs. After the feds outlaw standard incandescent light bulbs and they’re trashed by Canadians, municipalities won’t be able to safely store the mercury-lined bulbs. 2. Gadhafi smuggling. A Canadian woman has lived in a Mexican prison since being accused in November 2011 of trying to smuggle members of the Gadhafi family into the country.
3. Veterans’ care. An independent auditor will assess the situation at Canada’s largest veterans facility, which has come under fire for allegations of poor living conditions and neglect. 4. Sex abuse. A former city councillor in Saint John, N.B., Donnie Snook, faces eight charges related to sexual abuse, including possession and making of child pornography

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