Monday, January 21, 2008

Krista Erickson a victim of Ottawa Politics

Inside the CBC is reporting that Krista Erickson has been reassinged as a result of providing questions to Liberal MPs related to the Mulroney-Schreiber-Airbus affair.
"Following an investigation by senior management of CBC News, we have determined that our reporter Krista Erickson did, in fact, provide questions to a Member of Parliament in the lead up to the Ethics Committee meeting in December. Those actions, while in pursuit of a journalistically legitimate
story, were inappropriate and inconsistent with CBC News policies and procedures, specifically under our Principles, Sec. 3":


However the press release states that
"Our investigation determined there was no bias in related news coverage."
It seems to me that that should be the centeral issue. If elected representatives choose to seek the advice of a journalist prior to a hearing I do not see an ethical breach unless it affects the press coverage of the affair. Our elected officials should be able to seek information in any way they choose, so long as it does not violate the law. Make no mistake, the CBC is not anti-Conservative, but the Conservatives are very anti-cbc. Disciplining Krista Erickson for giving information to an MP who asked smacks of politics and an attempt to appease the Conservative government to me.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fire the hussy!

Dwight Williams said...

I think not. At least, not at this point. A track record of foul-ups, and one that's confirmed to be the truth rather than a "justification for doing what we want" paper trail, is necessary before that decision is ever made.

Brad in Waterloo said...

I love that you simply issue an unqualified "the CBC is not anti-conservative" as though the rest of us were simply waiting for you to proclaim it. No evidence needed here, just pass the rubber stamp!

This post should be used as a case study in Moonbat Rhetoric 101. Don't engage the facts in context, just cherry pick what you want to emphasize and ignore the rest of the story. Also, use smear words like 'appease' as often as possible.

Classic.

Justin Beach said...

If, Brad, you were a regular reader of the blog you'd know that I've talked in depth about these issues before. You'd also know that I find the rhetoric used by CBC bashers (like yourself) so ridiculous as to be comply worthy of ignoring it completely (the same way I tend to shrug and ignore the 'flat earth society'.) So, please carry on with your life - I don't really care whether you think the CBC is biased or not.

Am I being completely dismissive of your opinions? Yes, yes I am.

Anonymous said...

Stephen from Winnipeg
Krista Erickson is a very good reporter just doing her job! The only reason she got punished was because she was able to find dirt on the Conservative Government which made them look bad. So the CBC WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO Choice but to take action against Ms. Erickson or the CBC would have been heavily sanctioned and the plug would have been pulled. I am glad they kept Krista Erickson because she is a very good reporter.

Anonymous said...

Hurray for Krista Erickson for pursuing the truth come hell or high water or sreassignment within CBC.At least her fate was not so horrible as mine, Eric R Biddle, was in October 1986. During my mostly psychological torture in my own Toronto apartment by Toronto police, one Sgt John Cullen at one point suggested that Brian Mulroney might still be able to use me. Read Eric R Biddle blog including TV Ontario documentary and see if you agree with a Spanish banking official that Mulrony was behind my wrongful, arrest, torture, conviction and imprisonment. Safe but in much measure battlescarred in a free country almost corruption free.