Ibbitson, whose new book, The Big Shift takes a sweeping look at the new power centers of Canada, argues that the CBC “is genetically incapable of presenting anything other than the Laurentian view of the country.” Although he admits that the mainstream media is attempting to reflect Western Canada's more prominent role in the country's political landscape, any Westerners featured are often presented as being “exotic creatures.” This is a fairly humourous and outdated portrayal, given that the most recent federal election put an end to the reign of the Laurentian Consensus, pushing Eastern Canada into a minority.
In new keynotes based on The Big Shift, Ibbitson further unpacks this Eastern-centrism and explores how a wildly different demographic make-up in Canada affects everything from specific industries, to government, to, yes, the media.