Earlier, we reported the Manning Centre for Building Democracy would be holding a three-day seminar next month in Vancouver to teach religious activists how to "communicate your values and faith wisely in a political setting." Among those scheduled to speak at that conference: Vancouver Sun national affairs columnist Barbara Yaffe, who will be part of a session called "practising effective communications with and through the media." Or perhaps not. In an interview this morning, Ms. Yaffe explained she agreed to speak at the seminar "out of total respect for (former federal Reform leader Preston) Manning. He was a superb man of integrity." But when we told her media wouldn't be allowed to cover seminar workshops, she said "That I had no idea. I don't like that. This is something new to me." She then added, "I won't do closed sessions. Everything I stand for is openness. And I'm asking people all the time to answer for things. So how can I do something like this? It's inconsistent. And I'm going to have to call and tell them that if it's closed I can't do it."