Global Courant
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she feels “justified” after CBC News added an editor’s note to stories that reported earlier, citing sources. Her office emailed prosecutors directly about criminal cases against participants in the 2022 Coutts, Alta protests that blockaded Canada. -US border.
The editor’s note says that after reviewing the journalism, sources could not confirm the existence of the alleged emails between her agency and prosecutors. CBC News said sources still insist prosecutors are feeling political pressure regarding the cases.
“Journalism is an integral part of our society and all I have ever asked for is fair, accurate and balanced reporting,” Smith said in a tweet on Wednesday.
“I’ve won, as has my office,” she said.
In a story published in January, CBC News reported that prosecutors were feeling political pressure from the Prime Minister’s office regarding their review and prosecution of cases related to the blockades at Coutts. The story referred to emails allegedly sent to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service from the Prime Minister’s office.
After a investigation into the caseMarguerite Trussler, Alberta’s ethics commissioner, said she found “no evidence of any such email” and concluded that no one from the prime minister’s office emailed prosecutors directly about any of the cases.
However, Trussler concluded that Smith had violated conflicts of interest law by talking to then Attorney General Tyler Shandro about one of the cases – an action for which Smith apologized.
After Trussler’s report, CBC News went back and interviewed sources again. Those sources could not confirm the existence of direct emails, but insisted prosecutors felt political pressure.
Anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate protesters gather as a truck convoy blocks the highway at the busy US border crossing in Coutts, Alta, on Jan. 31, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
CBC News removed references to direct email contact in the original story and added an editor’s note to indicate that change.
“CBC News regrets reporting direct contact by email,” the message reads.
An earlier editorial added the day after the original story was published specified that CBC News had not seen any copies of the alleged emails.
Since the story was published in January, Smith has denied the existence of the alleged emails. She threatened to sue CBC if it didn’t retract the story and apologize.
“I have made it clear that neither I nor anyone on my staff have contacted prosecutors as alleged,” Smith said at a news conference in April.
In Wednesday’s tweet, Smith said she now considers the case “closed.”
In an interview with Rebel News in December, Smith questioned whether continuing the Coutts cases was in the public interest and whether there was a reasonable chance of conviction.
“I put it to prosecutors and I asked them to review the cases with those two things in mind. And I’m hopeful that we will see a real turnaround,” she said.
In a leaked January phone call between Smith and Artur Pawlowski — a controversial Calgary street pastor indicted in connection with the Coutts protests — Smith said she had been in contact with Justice Department officials “almost weekly.”
During the call, Smith also said the rules limit her to asking those officials questions about only two things: the reasonable likelihood of convictions and whether a proceeding would be in the public interest.
Preacher Artur Pawlowski addresses media and supporters outside the Lethbridge courthouse on May 2, 2023 after pleading guilty to three charges in connection with inciting the Coutts border blockade. (Ose Irete/CBC)
In the recording, Smith assured Pawlowski that she would continue to promote his cause internally.
Smith denied that she or her office engaged in any inappropriate behavior after the recording was leaked.
“As I’ve said before, I had my staff work with the Department of Justice to determine if anything could be done to grant amnesty to those charged with non-violent, non-firearm related COVID-related charges,” said Smith a tweet citing CBC’s reporting on the leaked phone call.
“As also previously stated in several interviews, I received a legal letter from the Justice Department recommending that amnesty not proceed as several cases related to this issue were and still are before the courts. I followed that advice .”
In May, Pawlowski was found guilty of mischief for encouraging truckers to continue blocking the Canada-US border crossing at Coutts during the 2022 protest.
