Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley claimed on Monday that the Western Standard (WS) is engaging in "very active homophobic, discriminatory, hateful editorial positioning" as it relates to some of her NDP caucus members.. NotleyNotley ."Your publication recently has been engaging in very active homophobic, discriminatory, hateful editorial positioning as it relates to some of our caucus members," Notley told the Western Standard when being questioned why the publication was removed from her media list.."And until such time as that is retracted and apology offered. We will not be answering questions. I am happy to reconsider that issue should a retraction and apology be offered. But between now and then I simply cannot engage in any sort of normalization, that kind of conversation. It is a breach of our Human Rights Code. It's a breach of our charter. It's a breach of basic standards. And so I look forward to hearing from your editors in the future.".READ MORE: Notley NDP ban WS from receiving media releases.On Monday, Notley said: "I want to make it very clear that I'm happy to take any questions from the media and any follow-up questions.".However, she dodged the Western Standard's follow-up question of how come the Alberta NDP has banned the Western Standard from the media list, while other NDP parties in Canada answer its questions and send media advisories.."I'm happy to take other questions from folks," Notley said avoiding the Western Standard question..Western Standard publisher Derek Fildebrandt said Notley was off base.."Rachel Notley is entitled to decide who she will take question from and how many, however hypocritical. She is not entitled to decide who is media and who is not. The Western Standard will never retract a story that contains no errors, other than offending her sensitivities," said Fildebrandt..However, the explanation offered on Monday was not the same explanation offered to WS back in March..READ MORE: Notley says real leaders don't run from the media, but does run from WS.In March, using a line culled from every Mafia movie, the Alberta NDP said it's "nothing personal" before it cut off electronic communications with the Western Standard for writing "hit pieces" — despite the fact WS in an accredited member of the press gallery..Benjamin Alldritt, from the Official Opposition Caucus, said the WS — which he claims is "not a news source" — put his people at risk when writing about the NDP.."I take the safety of my people very seriously and your employer is compromising that," Alldritt said via text after the Western Standard contacted him to apologize for its part in a heated hallway discussion where a WS reporter and Alldritt went toe-to-toe..According to Alldritt, Western Standard "hit piece" stories caused the Alberta NDP to receive death threats via email..The Western Standard asked him to produce the emails but then entered into a conversation where Alldritt offered unsolicited career advice to a WS reporter..According to Alldritt, the Western Standard's Alberta Legislature reporter should take a "good look" at the company he works for.."You're not a news source," Alldritt said..The reporter explained journalists need to show both sides of a story, but Alldritt will make it difficult to do if reporters no longer receive correspondence..The last press release received from Alldritt was February 5. His last email to the WS was February 28..Alldritt explained via a text the snub is "nothing personal," before he then stated he can send media email releases from the NDP to whomever he likes.."I have control issues," Alldritt admitted at a previous media conference..The WS asked if press conferences were off-limits and Alldritt said no, the WS can still attend. However, without the dial-in numbers and passcodes, that will be extraordinarily difficult to accomplish because the times of the press conferences are within those emails..The Western Standard is currently a press gallery member at the Alberta Legislature, but Alldritt also refuses to let its reporters hold the mic while in press conferences with Notley after a WS reporter asked if the former premier was a doctor, and why she continued to promote COVID-19 vaccines to children.
