Steve Paikin on politicians, journalists and the G20

The G20 is back in the news this week because of a number of recent hearings and inquiries. It’s as hot a topic as ever, and people on all sides of the issues are weighing in with their ideas and opinions – lots of them helpful, some of them harmful, and a few of them plainly irrelevant. It’s hard to know where to turn for some perspective, and it’s hard not to turn to someone who’s just going to confirm what you want to believe.

Today, much as I did at the time, I’d like to refer you to Steve Paikin, whose chronicling of the G20 has been tough but objective. Yesterday on his blog, Paikin posted an account of his own appearance before a Parliamentary committee on public safety in Ottawa on Monday. It’s illuminating reading, and rather balanced to boot.

“What’s my conclusion?” Paikin asks reflectively. “Well, clearly the way MPs ask questions is different from the way in which I ask them. Their questions were definitely designed to make a point, rather than neutrally seek information. And that’s to be expected. They’re not journalists. They’re politicians trying to advance an agenda, which is fine.”

So far, the post has drawn a few comments from people questioning Paikin’s assertion that he doesn’t ask questions that are “designed to make a point,” and challenging the implication that no journalist should. Which is fair, because we’re well past the point of arguing that no journalist ever does. But it’s clear that Paikin holds himself to a higher standard than most, and we’re all the better for it.

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