**UPDATED Tues. Dec 13 2005 (below)**
(Hat tip to our columnist John Martin)
I have no doubt the Toronto Star will correct this oversight. As will the Canadian Press.
In their story about today’s goings on politically, they wrote that Liberal Paul Martin pressed Conservative leader Stephen Harper today to clarify his gay ‘marriage’ stand. That’s true. Martin did indeed try to deflect attention away from the horrible blunder two of his top aids and advisors made yesterday when they revealed that they don’t trust Canadians (et al). He did that by bringing up the words “hidden agenda” and such, notwithstanding the fact that it’s the world’s most unhidden agenda.
The newspaper didn’t say anything about Team Martin’s embarrassing effort at “deflection”, of course, being the fair and balanced Star, but they did manage to include this paragraph to end their short seven-paragraph story. It sounds “fairly” opinionated, and wrong.
Harper has been fairly quiet about his plans to repeal the same-sex marriage legislation since he was asked about it at the beginning of the campaign for the Jan. 23 election, and said a Conservative government would put an end to the practice.
I’m sorry—is that what he said?
As the object of my hat tip said, “I could have swore I heard Harper say he would hold a free vote. Guess I misheard him with all that popcorn popping away in the background; besides, I was probably drunk at the time.”
I can’t find that quote from the beginning of the campaign of Stephen Harper saying that he “would put an end to that practice”. Or even anything like that. I honestly wish he felt that way and would say things like that, but that’s just my personal opinion. See how that works?
**UPDATE Tues Dec 12 2005**
A reader, Dave L, took action—and said this to me in an email yesterday:
I just called the Ottawa office of Canadian Press. The person answering the phone told me the story has been rewritten.
I pressed on about not understanding how this had happened in the first place and she committed to notifying her supervisor and took my phone and email address.
Let’s see if they follow up.
OK Dave L., in the meantime, let’s see if your good work has resulted in anything from the liberal-left Toronto Star so far.
Here’s what the Toronto Star’s Corrections section contained this morning regarding that accidental misprint/opinion/lie from yesterday:
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
Contact Mr. Johannesen about this article using this form. Please refer to article's title.
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