Re: Harper finds a new role for the RCMP in this year's election

RCMP block media access to PM Harper: Report

Robert Fife - CTV Newsnet - Closed captioning: Well I'm telling you the prime minister's office is not letting us talk to the prime minister. And they've used the R.C.M.P. To keep us away.


>>> We have robert fife now who is traveling with the prime minister. I
understand you may actually be at a vineyard. Bob are you there?

>> I am, yep.

>> Kate: You're at the vineyard. Is that distracting you?

>> Yep. And the pmo is refusing to let us get near the prime minister.

>> Kate: Why?

>> We're live now?

>> Kate: Yes, I'm talking to you live on the air, bob.

>> Okay. Well I'm telling you the prime minister's office is not letting
us talk to the prime minister. And they've used the R.C.M.P. To keep us
away. They actually asked -- they said let us do our photo op. We've
already responded to this issue. And we went with the cameras to the
vineyard, then they got the R.C.M.P. To push the media away. Not allow
us to ask the prime minister about why -- his reaction to the suspension
of ryan sparrow for what he said about suggesting that jim davis was
only raising the issue of the death of his son in afghanistan because
he's a liberal supporter and was trying to embarrass the prime minister.
Earlier, a few moments ago, as i reported, senator marjory lebreton
whose the campaign co-chair had said that it's -- this was an
unspeakable tragedy and it was wrong for mr. Sparrow to use it for
political purposes. Of course we're trying to get the prime minister to
comment on that. But his political aides absolutely refusing to let us
get near the prime minister. And then instructing the R.C.M.P. To pull
us away, to push us away so that we couldn't ask the prime minister any
questions.

>> Kate: Well, i mean, you're going to be seeing him at some point today
getting close i would think.

>> Well we're going to try again before the rally. But -- anyway, for
some reason they do not want the prime minister to comment on this
controversy. And as i said, the political aides to the prime minister
refusing to let us nearby. Ordering the R.C.M.P. To keep me and --
particularly me and the camera crew away from the prime minister.

>> Kate: Is that because you broke the story, bob?

>> No. Because I'm insisting that we get a reaction from the prime
minister. This is an election campaign. An election campaign -- in
election campaigns we don't go soft on any political party. And the
prime minister's office seems to think that we should just forget this
issue. Well, we have an obligation as journalists to get reaction from
the prime minister, given the fact that their campaign worker made a
serious allegation and was suspended for it. And that's -- i don't know
if there's much more you can say. I'm going to go into the roo right
now, kate, and try to -- again try to get a reaction from the prime
minister. We'll see if the R.C.M.P. Is against us again.

>> Kate: All right and we will come to that rally live and see how
everyone does when we get there. Thanks, bob good luck. >> You're
welcome.