Media Distortions of Tory Spending Cuts

On Monday, the Tories announced a budget surplus of $13.2 billion dollars, all of which will go to paying down the national debt as mandated by law. At the same time, Finance minister Jim Flaherty and Treasury Board president (and obnoxious blowhard) John Baird also notifed Canadians that spending cuts are on the way.

That seems like a simple enough story for the press to report, right?

Wrong.

Take a look at how these cuts have been reported so far in the press:

Canada.com/Canadian Press is carrying this headline: Tories announce $2 billion in cuts, streamlining and only mentions cuts to the medical marijuana program and administrative costs at the Status of Women.

The Toronto Star's headline: Tories slash spending by $1B is followed by a story outlining cuts 'Everything from medical marijuana to pine beetles' and also mentions the Status of Women.

The Globe and Mail ran with this headline: Canada posts $13.2-billion surplus and includes these cuts:

--$42.2-million dollars from Industry Canada programs including Technology Partnerships Canada, the country's most controversial business subsidy program.
--$5-million in administrative cuts to the Status of Women department.
--$5.6-million from medical marijuana research

The CBC reports: Tories find small cuts to reduce spending by $1B mentions the medical marijuana program and this:

The single largest saving, at nearly $380 million, will be made by reclaiming unspent money. Eliminating the visitor rebate program, under which Revenue Canada refunds GST to foreign visitors, is the single largest program cut, saving $78.8 million.

And, CTV ran with this headline: Tories announce $13.2B surplus, spending cuts only includes cuts to the medical marijuana program and Status of Women.

None of these news agencies reported on what CBC TV mentioned about this story - that money has also been completely cut from a fund that had been set up to allow citizens and groups to mount constitutional challenges against the government which will affect advocacy agencies such as Egale which John Baird confirmed to CBC's Don Newman.

Is it too much to expect that at least one of our major news agencies covers all of the cuts involved? Apparently so.

Update: Here are the government's details on the spending cuts.
(h/t to My Blahg for the link.)