Letting Conservative leader off the hook

It seems Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's strategy of refusing to speak to the mainstream news media is working.

Exhibit 'A' is a recent column by Toronto Star journalist Andrew Phillips.

Poilievre seized on a comment made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a sit-down interview with Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt, taking to YouTube to falsely state that Trudeau called Canadians "racist."

Philips failed to remind readers that Poilievre is refusing to speak to journalists such as Delacourt, who would otherwise surely be counted on to challenge him for saying a falsehood.

Philips in his column amplifies Poilievre's false statement, compliments him for his "expert" use of YouTube, then wags his finger at Trudeau for, if not calling people racist, for going up to the line and “insulting” them.

Poilievre is no doubt laughing. He has been rewarded for not speaking to journalists twice over, first by getting his falsehood-laiden message out unfiltered and then by having it blow back on his opponent as criticism. Trudeau is meanwhile punished by Philips for sitting down and talking to his own colleague.

As it is, an unchallenged false statement made on YouTube is given the same currency as one given directly to a journalist in an interview. At a minimum, Poilievre needs to be called out by each and every time he takes to social media to avoid speaking to journalists.