Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the matter with CBC News doing an incorrect story over her contacting prosecutors over the Coutts blockade is now closed..On Wednesday evening, Smith tweeted "Journalism is an integral part of our society."."All I've ever asked for is fair, accurate and balanced coverage. After months of the CBC reporting interference between my office and Crown prosecutors, today CBC News removed references to direct contact between my office and prosecutors and "regrets" reporting direct contact by email," Smith said.."I've been vindicated, as has my office.".READ MORE: CBC 'regrets' story claiming Smith sent emails to Crown over Coutts blockade.Smith said now that CBC has expressed "regret for its inaccurate reporting" and Albertans know the truth, she considers the matter with the CBC closed.."Additionally, I'm asking the Alberta NDP to acknowledge their error also, and retract and apologize for spreading this misinformation," Smith said..CBC News 'regrets' publishing a report that claimed someone in Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office had contacted the Crown's office to interfere with the case of people charged at the Coutts border blockade..However, the CBC didn't apologize.."An earlier version of this story, published on January 19, referred to emails allegedly sent by a staffer in Danielle Smith's office to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service. Based on testimonies by confidential sources, CBC News at the time described those emails as challenging prosecutors' assessment and direction on cases stemming from the Coutts border blockades and protests," CBC News posted in an editor's note on Wednesday.."An editor's note was added the following day to specify that CBC News had not seen the emails. On May 18, Alberta's Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler released a report that included an investigation of an allegation published by CBC that a member of the premier's staff emailed a Crown prosecutor about a case before the courts.".The editor's note claimed Trussler reported that she found "no evidence of such an email."."Adding she can only come to the conclusion, based on the evidence that she has, that 'no Crown prosecutor was emailed directly about any of the cases.' At the same time, Trussler found that Danielle Smith had contravened the Conflicts of Interest Act in an interaction with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General in relation to Coutts charges, for which Smith has since apologized," the editor's note reads..READ MORE: Notley says there must be a judicial review of Smith's "interference" in ongoing criminal cases.In May, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley called for a judicial review after she claimed Smith interfered in the justice system.."The premier does not have unfettered control of our justice system. Not in a Canadian democracy," Notley said on Twitter.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the matter with CBC News doing an incorrect story over her contacting prosecutors over the Coutts blockade is now closed..On Wednesday evening, Smith tweeted "Journalism is an integral part of our society."."All I've ever asked for is fair, accurate and balanced coverage. After months of the CBC reporting interference between my office and Crown prosecutors, today CBC News removed references to direct contact between my office and prosecutors and "regrets" reporting direct contact by email," Smith said.."I've been vindicated, as has my office.".READ MORE: CBC 'regrets' story claiming Smith sent emails to Crown over Coutts blockade.Smith said now that CBC has expressed "regret for its inaccurate reporting" and Albertans know the truth, she considers the matter with the CBC closed.."Additionally, I'm asking the Alberta NDP to acknowledge their error also, and retract and apologize for spreading this misinformation," Smith said..CBC News 'regrets' publishing a report that claimed someone in Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office had contacted the Crown's office to interfere with the case of people charged at the Coutts border blockade..However, the CBC didn't apologize.."An earlier version of this story, published on January 19, referred to emails allegedly sent by a staffer in Danielle Smith's office to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service. Based on testimonies by confidential sources, CBC News at the time described those emails as challenging prosecutors' assessment and direction on cases stemming from the Coutts border blockades and protests," CBC News posted in an editor's note on Wednesday.."An editor's note was added the following day to specify that CBC News had not seen the emails. On May 18, Alberta's Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler released a report that included an investigation of an allegation published by CBC that a member of the premier's staff emailed a Crown prosecutor about a case before the courts.".The editor's note claimed Trussler reported that she found "no evidence of such an email."."Adding she can only come to the conclusion, based on the evidence that she has, that 'no Crown prosecutor was emailed directly about any of the cases.' At the same time, Trussler found that Danielle Smith had contravened the Conflicts of Interest Act in an interaction with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General in relation to Coutts charges, for which Smith has since apologized," the editor's note reads..READ MORE: Notley says there must be a judicial review of Smith's "interference" in ongoing criminal cases.In May, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley called for a judicial review after she claimed Smith interfered in the justice system.."The premier does not have unfettered control of our justice system. Not in a Canadian democracy," Notley said on Twitter.
