Western Standard apologizes to Kenney, retracts secret dinners stories
A week after it received a cease-and-desist letter, the Western Standard has apologized to Jason Kenney and retracted the stories that alleged the premier and two ministers went to secret dinners in contravention of COVID-19 restrictions.
Published on June 9, the story cites unnamed elected representatives and senior staffers alleging Kenney took part in dinners at a downtown restaurant while indoor dining was banned by public health order. It alleged Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon had been there, too.
A day later, Kenney called the Western Standard's story "a fabrication from beginning to end." His lawyers said it was "unsubstantiated gossip." They demanded the Western Standard remove the article and related tweets, and issue a written retraction and apology.
Derek Fildebrandt, publisher and former leader of the Freedom Conservative Party, told CTV News Edmonton in an emailed statement on June 9, "The Western Standard stands by its story. Our reporters did their due diligence in cross-verifying sources."
However, he fully retracted the stories on Thursday and apologized to Kenney, Nixon and Shandro.
"For our story, the Western Standard depended on multiple unnamed sources," Fildebrandt said. "While those sources are known to the Western Standard, we were unable to appropriately corroborate our sources' claims. What's more, we did not provide the subjects of our story a proper opportunity to respond to serious allegations. Our story should not have been published under these circumstances. We take sole responsibility for this," Fildebrandt said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.