iPolitics.ca and ‘Mr. Sunshine’

Thursday’s “morning brief” from iPolitics.ca led with a puff piece about a Prime Minister Harper’s visit to flooded areas of Manitoba. I’m sure there were stupider things written in Canadian journalism this week, I just cant think of any offhand:

Mr. Sunshine brings better weather to soggy Prairies

Just call him Mr. Sunshine. Stephen Harper came, saw and left behind some improving weather for the drenched people of Manitoba. The prime minister toured flooded areas to the west of Winnipeg yesterday, promising federal help to build better infrastructure for future floods. And while his trip was short on promises of greater relief funds, it did bring a change in the weather. Although it is expected to be cloudy today, only a small amount of rain is predicted for the province. After that, Environment Canada is forecasting five straight days of sunshine and moderate temperatures. And with the better weather comes a delay in the plans for a controlled flood by breaching the levee at the so-called Hoop and Holler Bend.

Mr Sunshine? His trip brought a change in the weather? Are there no editors at iPolitics? Was there no actual news to report in this Prime Ministerial tour? This online journal’s mission statement promises “independent, non-partisan” content “in a spirit of neutral inquiry.” In story selection and slant, it is showing a disturbing starboard list.