Gaétan Barrette and the media : air disturbing Donald Trump

Photo Simon Clark

Josée Legault

Tuesday, 27-feb-2018 10:26

UPDATE
Tuesday, 27-feb-2018 10:38

Look at this article

You already know probably what I think and what I write since the first months of his mandate in 2014. The minister of Health, Gaétan Barrette, is a showoff on the form and a parent of a mess of its reforms, ultra-centralist and failed in health and social services.

Not to mention the open bar which, under the doctors Barrette and Couillard, has moved from the era Charest for the benefit of medical specialists to public funds. (Recall that at the time Charest, Philippe Couillard was already minister of Health until 2008, and Gaétan Barrette, the powerful president of the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec.)

At the beginning, many thought I was too harsh towards the minister Barrette. It was necessary “to give the chance to the runner”, etc…

However, a few months from the elections, this first diagnosis now seems to be consensus. And this, as many in the population who suffer the negative effects of his “reforms” that among academic researchers who are increasingly documenting.

In the “method” Module, there is also a double personality in front of the media.

On one hand, it refuses almost never an interview. On the other, it is hard for reporters or columnists whose analyses appear to be too critical for his taste.

In this same perspective, let me reiterate here the analysis that I have signed recently for the Newsletter of the Fédération professionnelle des journalists du Québec (FPJQ).

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The minister who chirps faster than his shadow

The media called social, we know, are formidable tools to fight partisan political parties, each in their own way, are way more systematic and organized.

For the past few years, we are already seeing the noticeable presence on social media to those that I call the “mercenary supporters”, whether they are paid or volunteers. They are involved in social media to advertise positions of their political party, but also to vilify anyone who dares oppose it. For the most part, they are rife with obviously under pseudonyms.

In Quebec, the wave of these mercenaries, partisans, was particularly virulent on two occasions that are very specific. The first being the student strike of 2012 under the Charest government. The second being the long-running saga of the charter of values under the government Marois.

To the extent that these two political incidents were highly polarized, the hyperactivity of mercenary supporters on social media was also the perfect reflection.

For journalists of business, which are often the targets, these mercenaries anonymous are easily detectable. On the plan for the exercise of democracy, the problem is that, for other citizens, they are much less so.

In Quebec, 2018 is an election year. We should therefore expect to see this same use of partisan social media redouble their intensity. All the more that the classic theme of “change” floats heavily in the air.

In the government of Philippe Couillard, minister, by contrast, has taken the lead on the game. A lot of advance. The minister of Health and social Services, Gaétan Barrette, is used in the effect-of social media for a long time.

Like other elected officials, he made to advertise his political party – the liberal Party of Quebec, its government, or its own policies. Where the shoe pinches, if it is the fact also to take it out to journalists that it “deems” too critical of his auguste taste. The problem, more specifically, resides in the way it does.

Instead of”inform” its subscribers, as he claims, the minister shall give mostly the impression of seeking to discredit the work of the media and journalists. An approach that, in fact, gives off a scent of bullying. Which, it goes without saying, does not work. Fortunately for the freedom of the press and the integrity of the journalistic profession.

In this, “Dr. Barrette” – as he identifies himself on his own twitter feed that the minister of Health, differs greatly from his colleagues, but to the negative.

Published in the December 2017 in The Press, a solid track record of the journalist Isabelle Hachey was already state-of-disturbing methods to bully Mr. Barrette. Not surprisingly, his approach to social media is sometimes the addendum. In the name of freedom of the press, it is important to shine the spotlight.

Take only two examples of more recent.

First example : the 2 of February last, the minister Barrette was posting the tweet following on his twitter account :

“I’ve been clear several times on parliament hill and @PQFSL [NOTE: the issuance of 98.5 FM “Since it is necessary to stand up” hosted by Paul Arcand]: I will meet with Ms. Bédard [NOTE : the president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec]. On the other hand, the things are clear, I don’t have to manage the scoops of @DrainvillePM [NOTE : Bernard Drainville, animator at 98.5 FM]. What bad faith! A columnist who makes the policy.“

Without going back to the circumstances of the said tweet, the important thing to remember is that, when accompanying the minister added the copy of an exchange but off the record between the journalist Bernard Drainville and what would have been a political attaché for the minister.

The response on Twitter to Bernard Drainville was quick : “I take note that my trades off the record with your entourage. In 20 years of business, I’ve never [sic] seen it.”

Therefore, we see here a minister who, quite deliberately, would have broken the off-the-record one of his employees for the sole purpose to discredit a journalist by accusing him of “doing politics”. The off-the-record is, however, a privileged tool for the exchange of information between the elected officials, their support teams and journalists, be they reporters or columnists.

Second example : on the 27th of January last, together with my colleague Antoine Robitaille, I was about to make my regular attendance at the segment of the “Exchange news” issue of Saturday, and nothing else, hosted by Joël Le Bigot and broadcasted on Radio-Canada First.

Earlier in the program, Mr. Le Bigot was announced that one of the topics of the Exchange would be the “premium” offered to doctors for some of the actions that they take. “Bonuses” that had been featured in the pages of the Journal de Montréal.

My colleague and I were already on the air when the facilitator has noticed – and we were informed in direct, that the minister Barrette had tweeted this : “In a few moments about the words inaccurate will still be required. There are no prices-jacquettes [sic] but [sic] well for the extra complexity clinical”.

Here’s an elected official, a minister, is allowed to “predict” that “statements to be inaccurate” would be required. The apparent aim being again to try to discredit, this time even in advance, of the statements made by the two journalists. At least, according to the crystal ball fogged by the minister.

To Bernard Drainville, the breaking public of the off-the-record by the minister Barrette was of the “never seen”. For me, this discrediting in advance by a minister on two journalists is just as important.

To quote the observation of one of the many people who have themselves reacted strongly to this tweet of Mr. Barrette : “The minister Barrette responds to the comments of @JoséeLegault before it could even open his mouth. He is entitled to a bonus to speed for that?”

This shot “preventive” of the minister on Twitter is not without recalling some of the bad habits are similar to the american president Donald Trump. This other politician who, too, tweeting on Twitter faster than his shadow, as soon as a medium or a journalist shows even the slightest bit of criticism towards him or his administration. Leaves sometimes even to shout to the “Fake News” even before a journalist has opened the mouth.

These same behaviors on the part of a powerful minister, are not only attempts at childish disdain towards journalists and their profession, in the face of the citizens, they also constitute an attempt of disinformation.

In this, they challenge us all and all. It is democracy in québec, and the quality of the information on which the Québécois have reason to exercise their right to vote in complete freedom.

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