In the interests of continuity and showing colleagues themselves on the web, I present here some nearly year-old images taken while sequestered in the media lockup in Ottawa during the budget hand-down in the House of Commons. I posted some images from the 2006 hand-down here, and was asked about last year’s images by a colleague and present them, rather hastily, forthwith.
I didn’t take nearly as many as the year before, 2006.
I go up to the 2008 hand-down this coming Monday, taking the train. The paper sends us first class on the train, which works out to be cheaper than cattle class on the plane, and the train terminal is closer to Ottawa’s downtown than the airport anyway.
This is what the government in Canada thinks of you: You have to aspire to the greatness of yourself, instead of respecting who you are right now.
The lockup is a big room for 200-plus journalists. once you go in, you can’t come out until the embargo is lifted because you are presented with the full text and graphics of the government’s budget plan hours in advance of its tabling in the House of Commons to allow journalists to write their stories and make graphics about the data. This allows a even keel for all journalists to file their stories and graphics at a single, common moment – 4pm.
I could enlarge that type for you, if you like…
Bad idea to interrupt your boss when he’s reading the house organ.
IT tech Kathy working out the byzantine network model for PCs.
IT tech Susan waiting out the 6 hours of jaw-dropping boredom, but mentally tense for the 10 minutes of panic right at the end as the information embargo is lifted.
Never, ever, interrupt a Flash artist at work on budget stuff while in the throes. He might bite.
Crib notes from a journalist to a graphics editor.
The RCMP using binoculars to keep an eye on all us journalists – the great unwashed. Fuckers.
Parliament buildings, as seen from the window of the Globe and Mail’s Ottawa bureau.
