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Political Science Canadian

Scrum Wars

The Prime Ministers and the Media

by (author) Allan Levine

Publisher
Dundurn Press
Initial publish date
Aug 1996
Category
Canadian, Post-Confederation (1867-), Media & Internet
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781550022070
    Publish Date
    Aug 1996
    List Price
    $19.99
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781550021912
    Publish Date
    Aug 1996
    List Price
    $29.99
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781459718593
    Publish Date
    Aug 1996
    List Price
    $7.99

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Description

The image of the scrum – a beleaguered politican surrounded by jockeying reporters – is central to our perception of Ottawa. The modern scrum began with the arrival of television, but even in Sir John A. Macdonald’s day, a century earlier, reporters in the parliamentary press gallery had waited outside the prime minister’s office, pen in hand, hoping for a quote for the next edition.

The scrum represents the test of wills, the contest of wits, and the battle for control that have characterized the relationship between Canadian prime ministers and journalists for more than 125 years. Scrum Wars chronicles this relationship. It is an anecdotal as well as analytical account, showing how earlier prime ministers like Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Wilfrid Laurier were able to exercise control over what was written about their administrators, while more recent leaders like John Diefenbaker, Joe Clark, John Turner, and Brian Mulroney often found themselves at the mercy of intense media scrutiny and comment.

About the author

Allan Levine is an award-winning author and historian who has written thirteen books, including King (Douglas & McIntyre, 2011), the critically acclaimed biography of Mackenzie King that won the Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction. He is a historical consultant on the documentary Jewish Partisans, currently under production by Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Julia Mintz. A versatile author who moves easily between popular non-fiction and fiction, Levine has written four historical mysteries. His first mystery, The Blood Libel, won the Margaret McWilliams Award for historical fiction and was nominated for the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel. He lives in Winnipeg, MB.

Allan Levine's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"Allan Levine's Scrum Wars documents our long history of slanted, manipulated political views. If journalism is 'the first rough draft of history,' it sort of makes you want to take another look at the final draft."

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