Open Letter To Peter Mansbridge and The National

[ed_rex]

Stop the presses!

Snowpocalypse Now

Dear Peter,

I am a Canadian, and so I understand, I really do. Toronto is the most important city in Canada, arguably in the world. And most of those of you who produce The National live in the city or in its environs and commute in to your fabulous Broadcasting Centre on Front Street. What happens in Hogtown matters to Canadians. I get it.

But still ...

I tuned in to your venerable program for the first time in a while last night. (I don't usually get my news via television; I prefer the printed word or radio. Forgive me.)

I am very sorry to say, I quickly switched it off again — and would have (I swear it!) even did I not currently reside in that sorry provincial backwater, Ottawa.

Please, let me explain.

Comments

[silverflight8]

I am continually amazed at Canadian cities who go: "It snowed! OMG SNOW." The news does it here, but usually only after there's something like almost-whiteout conditions. Or if there are a great deal of collisions that day (I'm not sure why the first snow always brings so many crashes - surely they have seen snow before? It comes every year?).

that sorry provincial backwater, Ottawa.
o.O and then where does that leave the Prairie provinces?

Ah! Sweet backwaters!

[ed_rex]

Almost white-out conditions are (sort of) news-worthy. As you said, there have presumably been some fender-benders &cetera.

I'm not sure where "here" is (other than that it's on the prairies), but I don't really object to local news carrying stories about local weather. It's this bloody national newscast treating Toronto's local weather as some kind of vital story of national interest — it was the lede, after all! — that angries up my blood.

(Pause, to shake shake fist at clouds.)

(I'm not sure why the first snow always brings so many crashes - surely they have seen snow before? It comes every year?).

People are stupid forgetful, and so get out of practice in dealing with slippery conditions. (Every time I get behind the wheel in winter, the first thing I do is find a quiet street and do a little breaking, to re-familiarize myself with those conditions.)

Re: Ah! Sweet backwaters!

[ed_rex]

Curses. This isn't a paid account and I can't fix the bollocksed HTML. Ah well.

o.O and then where does that leave the Prairie provinces?

With all of the other non-Toronto parts of Canada. So you're as good as the rest of us.

Re: Ah! Sweet backwaters!

[silverflight8]

Oh wow national news. I guess...Ontario is very, very important? (Says Western Canada: No.)

Prairie province, anyway ;)

See, that's called being sensible. Perhaps arrogance factors into this - I've been driving for x years, I don't need any practice! *fenderbender*