The Fifth Estate

Throughout our short history in Canada the Fifth Estate has always been our safety net or watchdog when needed.Our political system is designed to make mistakes and to fool people in power that they have entitlements that the ordinary citizen does not have.To this end powerful people or people with power begin to think that they are entitled to perks, have immunity to the laws of the land, make shady deals and act in their own interests without the danger of being caught in their unholy behaviour.

At the present time our papers and TV stations are lambasting several levels of government. For a change the news media see a danger in what is happening at the federal level with the Senate scandal, the environmental push back and the caving in to international companies who wish for concessions in order to make millions at the expense of weak oversight to protect the interests of Canadians.

During the years at university I studied philosophy and one of the big issues was the value of the Fifth Estate. It was always made clear that when the press is silent or silenced that bad things happen. We in Canada have a riled up press at this time because they were completely controlled by the policies of our controlling Prime Minister.

It seems childish to watch question period and to se senior ministers of the crown reading a scripted answer to questions when any simple minded person could freely answer. With these controls the press are not able to report the workings of the government. The press is rebelling now and are sending their very best people to seek answers and holding the government accountable.

The pressure is on and for the next few years we will be treated to solid scrutiny of our government and it's agencies. The balance will surely bring about change and the Fifth Estate will once again play its role of being on the side of justice and truth and the people of Canada.