As long as we're asking quis custodiet ipsos custodes ...

I know, I know, it's Sunday night and people just want to wind down the weekend and fall asleep in front of the Golden Globes and for chrissakes, can't you just give it a rest already?

Yeah, well. Michael Geist flagged this last week, and pogge and Jymn have picked up on it, but it bears more than a little emphasis. The Star and the Globe seem to think it's important too.

You'd think a public agency charged with safeguarding the public interest in keeping public discourse civil and, er, um, truthful might want to keep broadcast standards and regulatory definitions reasonably stringent, wouldn't you? But apparently the CRTC seems quietly poised to relax them so that it's easier for broadcasters to lie, smear and distort – and get away with it.

Can't help but note the timing, just as some of our southern brethren are drawing a connection between the Tucson shootings and the loud noise and bloodthirsty grunting coming from the teabaggers and right-wing screamers – and amplified 24/7 in the Fox echo chamber. Just as we're taking a deep breath and enjoying a little relief in the knowledge that Canadian society and public discourse haven't been infected, the CRTC's proposing to relax some of the safeguards.

Stock up on the Advil, folks, because if this goes through, it's going to get a lot louder and more obnoxious up here.

Mind you, as Jymn points out:

The CRTC is accepting comments from the public until February 9. You can reach the organization here. No guarantee they will listen to you, but it's worth a shot. The fix may already be in but we have to try.