Shola Agboola, a Victim of Opinion Disguised as News
Let’s get this straight from the start—news is supposed to be news. Opinion belongs on the opinion page. This is an opinion, and I invite you to comment and share your thoughts; a respectable, open dialogue is critical. And yet, here we are again, watching another Manitoba media organization blur the line for the sake of scoring political points.
A recent piece took aim at Shola Agboola, a Conservative candidate in Saint Boniface-Saint Vital, not for his platform, experience, or policies—but for announcing that former MP Candice Bergen would be helping at a fundraising event. That’s it. That was the story.
Not because Bergen announced a major policy. Not because Agboola made a controversial statement. No, the focus was on Bergen—because years ago, she was photographed wearing a MAGA hat. That was the supposed smoking gun. That’s what led to a full news article in a media outlet.
Come on.
Wearing a hat—regardless of your opinion of it—is not a newsworthy scandal. It’s not tied to public policy. It doesn’t determine whether a candidate will fight for economic growth, safer streets, or better fiscal management. Yet somehow, this was framed as a major red flag by the media outlet.
Let’s be honest about what’s going on here. This isn’t covering the news—it’s narrative control, it’s creating the news. A selective attempt to discredit a Conservative campaign by dragging in the ghost of Donald Trump, a man who has nothing to do with Canadian politics and certainly isn’t on the ballot in Manitoba. The obsession with Trump from certain media outlets across Canada is tiresome. Voters are concerned about inflation, housing, food prices, crime—not American campaign slogans from half a decade ago.
Even political science professor and Winnipeg Sun columnist Royce Koop hit the nail on the head when he told the Winnipeg Sun during an episode of Inside Politics that this election is “going to be about affordability” and “Trump won’t be that big of a factor.” I agree. But Trump will become a factor if the media continues to insist on shoving his name into every story that involves any candidate running for office.
Let’s look at what the “news piece” actually delivered: a rundown of Bergen’s past, unrelated to Agboola’s platform. It brought up the 2023 provincial campaign and her honorary role in it, criticizing decisions she didn’t make. It even quoted Bergen’s own statement about opposing the January 6 Capitol riot—yet still framed her as toxic by association. Guilt by headline.
It also leaned into the reactions from Liberal and NDP candidates, who did what political opponents do—dismiss their competition. The story gave them space to throw stones without offering anything of substance about what Agboola actually stands for.
If this had been an opinion piece, fine. Opinions are welcome in a democracy. But it was dressed up as news. That’s the problem. It wasn't presented as “Here’s what I think.” It was presented as, “Here’s what you should think,” in my opinion.
We’ve told our reporters at the Winnipeg Sun: if it’s news, write the facts. Don’t editorialize in the guise of objectivity. Don’t cherry-pick moments to paint someone as dangerous because of a hat or who shows up to cut a ribbon. Readers deserve better than that.
And here’s the kicker: if someone from another party had been joined by a former MP—even a controversial one—it would be treated as a show of strength or experience. The double standard is obvious. When Conservatives gather support, it’s “troubling.” When Liberals or NDP do, it’s “momentum.”
The real issue here is that voters see through this. They’re frustrated with the media filtering what’s important through their own political preferences. They’re not buying the recycled outrage. They want leaders who will get their groceries and heating bills under control, not ones who will hold press conferences about Twitter photos from 2021.
Suppose candidates are focused on affordability, safety, and economic responsibility. Let's debate the actual policies if someone has a problem with that. But dragging in Trump references, MAGA hats, and rehashing old talking points from past elections—it’s a distraction.
The media should trust Canadians to decide what matters. We don't need gatekeepers telling us who to like based on associations from years ago. We need facts, transparency, and fairness. This could be the most important federal election of our time, we need people to be informed about the issues and policies and encouraged to vote.
If this industry wants to keep its credibility, it’s time to start respecting people’s intelligence and stop playing referee. The media shouldn’t pick winners. It should report the score.