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Like most politicians, Wab Kinew likes to deliver good news. And sure enough, there was the premier and his thousand-watt smile delivering the good news that a temporary emergency department will open in flood-ravaged Dauphin by Labour Day.
But… that good news wasn’t delivered directly to any Manitoba media outlet. In fact, the province still hasn’t issued an official news release documenting the premier’s pledge.
Instead, Kinew took to Facebook and Instagram to make that announcement – even though Meta, which owns both platforms, still blocks Canadian news organizations’ content on its platforms.
To make matters more problematic, Kinew’s decision to bypass Manitoba media in favour of social media properties owned by a tech tycoon who sits at Trump’s elbow came as Canada was facing a deadline on trade talks with the United States, its former friend and trading partner.
A week after breaking news about Dauphin’s emergency department on Meta, Kinew is helping lead a “Buy Canadian” push as Canada finds itself in an all-out trade war with the U.S.
“Whether you look at it as an affordability initiative, or you look at it as a way to support our economy here, buying local always makes sense,” Kinew said Tuesday at a press conference in Winkler as Canada announced counter tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of American products.
“It makes even more sense right now.”
Premier Wab Kinew speaks to media in his office at the Manitoba legislature. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)
Hmm.
Let’s set aside Meta’s $18-billion settlement over teen social media addiction and that Kinew himself wants to ban kids from even accessing the platforms where he’s announcing his government’s plans.
In the matter at hand, I’m having a hard time making sense of a premier who argues Canadians should leave U.S. booze on the shelves if the Liquor Mart boycott ever ends, but continues to order doubles from Mark Zuckerberg’s Silicon Valley-based distillery.
Facebook and Instagram aren’t investing in reporters to cover Kinew’s announcements, flooding in Dauphin or the premier’s next shot in this trade war. Facebook and Instagram have no stake in what happens in Manitoba. And because it bears repeating in Trumpian all-caps, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AREN’T CANADIAN!
Why not give a scoop to the Dauphin Herald, which has been covering that community for more than 120 years?
Part of Kinew’s success stems from how well he performs in the so-called attention economy that is increasingly controlled by algorithms dictated from afar.
But in this trade war, I’d like to think Manitoba’s premier would spend a lot less time and attention on Meta and more supporting the media that are part of his province’s economy.
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