A refreshing change on the campaign trail — crystal clear answers from a politician

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Erin O'Toole is selling a plan he seems to understand back to front. And that is distressingly rare in Canadian politics: http://nationalpost.com/news/politi...trail-crystal-clear-answers-from-a-politician


Conservative leader Erin O’Toole used an interesting word this week, at least twice, while answering questions from reporters. The word was “yes.” It’s a simple word, but Canadian politicians will often turn rhetorical cartwheels to avoid using it (or its cousin, “no”). When a reporter concludes a question with “yes or no?” it’s a near-guarantee the response won’t contain either, let alone begin with it.


O’Toole has been asked repeatedly this week whether his support for a woman’s right to choose an abortion conflicts with his platform pledge to “protect the conscience rights of healthcare professionals.” His reasonable response: a “balanced approach” can accommodate both at the same time. Canadian society balances all kinds of competing rights every day.


On Friday in a very wet Winnipeg, though, he was asked directly whether a doctor with a conscientious objection to abortion would have to refer a woman to someone else willing to consult or perform it. “Yes,” O’Toole said, “they will have to refer, because the right to those services exists across the country.” Crystal clear.


Twice earlier in the week, O’Toole was asked if he would be willing as prime minister to accept more than the 20,000 Afghan refugees the government has committed to resettling. Twice O’Toole said he really didn’t care about the number, but rather the people and their plights. It was a good answer. If Canada were as generous and welcoming to refugees as it likes to claim, it might not set quotas in the first place. But journalists like to nail down numbers, and on the third try O’Toole obliged: “Yes,” he would admit more than the 20,000....The rest at the above LINK...

 

Hoof Hearted

House Member
Jul 23, 2016
4,249
987
113
Not every question has a definitive Yes or No answer.

But everything seems to be black or white these days. There's no room for subtlety, nuance, degrees, patience, thoughtful critical analysis,..etc.

We're living in this f*cked up Twitterverse where every question must be answered immediately with a Yes or No response.
 

Hoof Hearted

House Member
Jul 23, 2016
4,249
987
113
We can all play this game though, can't we?

Yes or No, Ron In Regina...

Have you stopped beating your wife?

Yes or No. Answer me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Not every question has a definitive Yes or No answer.

But everything seems to be black or white these days. There's no room for subtlety, nuance, degrees, patience, thoughtful critical analysis,..etc.

We're living in this f*cked up Twitterverse where every question must be answered immediately with a Yes or No response.
I hear you, & some questions can be answered with a Yes or No...& follow with a qualifier if needed.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
We can all play this game though, can't we?

Yes or No, Ron In Regina...

Have you stopped beating your wife?

Yes or No. Answer me.
"No Sir, I have not stopped, nor have ever started beating my wife." I'm not married, nor have I ever been, & have lived commonlaw with my girl for the last nine years now. Next question please?
 

Jinentonix

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 6, 2015
10,607
5,250
113
Olympus Mons
Not every question has a definitive Yes or No answer.

But everything seems to be black or white these days. There's no room for subtlety, nuance, degrees, patience, thoughtful critical analysis,..etc.

We're living in this f*cked up Twitterverse where every question must be answered immediately with a Yes or No response.
Oh please. Politicians have been dodging simple yes/no questions for decades. Got fuck all to do with Twitter. You're right though, not every question can be answered with a definitive yes or no. But not every question requires a detailed answer either. Yes and no are perfectly valid stand-alone responses.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,591
2,334
113
Toronto, ON
How about, "How many times have you met with the Ethics Commissioner?" followed by "I have met with the Ethics Commissioner _X__ times &..." for an answer in a situation like this? It would have been a straight up done deal.
Obviously more than 10. Once he got past 10, he had no more fingers to count with.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
you don't really expect a politician to answer a question without adding a qualifier
Just nice to hear of a politician actually answering a question that they're asked instead of avoiding the question & providing a soundbite that makes you go, "What the hell was that (?) & what did that even have to do with the question asked?"
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,591
2,334
113
Toronto, ON
Just nice to hear of a politician actually answering a question that they're asked instead of avoiding the question & providing a soundbite that makes you go, "What the hell was that (?) & what did that even have to do with the question asked?"
What bothers me is how some news outlets (won't mention any names CBC) will play the soundbite as a real answer.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,827
7,779
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
The Liberals, entirely coincidentally we’re told, announced just before the election they would be mandating vaccination for federal employees and federally regulated travel. They seemed to have trapped the Conservatives, but the Conservatives came out with a defined policy of vaccination or submit to rapid testing. This also appeared to be the position of the federal government in an online memo that suggested unvaccinated federal workers could submit to testing and screening instead. But this document soon mysteriously disappeared.
1629809232939.jpeg
The Conservatives then asked the interim clerk of the Privy Council to investigate how this happened, suggesting it represents a serious breach of the caretaker convention. The Liberals have also run into trouble with some of the largest federal public sector unions over their plan, one the unions say they were not properly consulted over.

Now you see it…. now you don’t… & now you can see it again.