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The issue of what Harper is doing in one part of his mandate and what he is doing with the press are really seperate issues.
Ultimately, his stance with the Ottawa press corps is one where he wants to control the message. This is Harper's leadership style in a nutshell. He wants to hold all the cards. He does not trust his ministers and backbenchers to stay on message. He does not trust the media to buy his particular flavour of spin.
I do not buy the idea that the media is "leftist". It just doesn't hold water. Examine the stance of CTV talking heads, Mike Duffy and Tom Clark... these guys are decidedly centrist/right leaning (it is no surprise that Clark was the only Canadian journalist to interview Bush in a one to one situation).
The thing is, Harper is going to do things differently from the previous Liberal governments (one hopes anyway). People have questions about change. It really is his job to answer the tough questions. The media is there to ask the tough questions.
When I say he is taking a decidedly more US approach to his PR I do not mean that he is making Canada equal America. I mean that he is taking a page out of the US idea about what a press conference should be. They are pseudo events (this goes back much further than the 60s). There are few hard questions. Those who do ask hard questions are not invited back. The press conference is ultimately about spinning your message.
Traditionally our press has been free to ask whatever they like. The PM (or the minister on the hot seat) answers. Of course, they are also free to answer, "no comment."
Harper, in silencing his ministers and snubbing the press corps is trying to control the message and stage "press conferences" that conform to his message.
I suppose Herman Goodden (the writer above) has a taste for this but I know I don't. Harper can continue to alter policy, etc. I may not agree with everything he does, but as PM that is his perogrative (as long as he has the support of the House). The only thing I truly take exception to is his attempt to control the message with an iron fist.
As I said above, it runs counter to his own pledge of accountability and more importantly it runs counter to our constitutions pledge of "responsible government". A big part of responsible govenment is accountability. Part of this is achieve during question period and the other part is by the press...
This is especially important during a time like this when the opposition is quiet (the Liberals do not have a leader and no one else wants to rock the boat at present and risk an election). At times like this we need to press asking the tough questions.
If Harper is as good as he says he is, then he should have not difficulty answering the difficult questions.
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
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