CBC News “crossed the line” by reporting opinions as if they were facts in a closely contested political race, according to the CBC Ombudsman..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the ruling criticized how CBC covered former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray's unsuccessful attempt to return to municipal office on October 26..“It is worth noting here that Mr. Murray, who had been leading in the polls taken in the weeks leading up to the election, ended up losing the race,” wrote Ombudsman Jack Nagler. .Nagler did not attribute the loss to negative coverage but added “There is one particular detail of CBC’s story that I felt crossed the line and was unfair.”.Murray used to be the mayor of Winnipeg and later became the environment minister for the Liberal Party in Ontario. In 2017, he was chosen to be the executive director of the Pembina Institute, which is a research organization focused on the environment and located in Calgary..Murray attempted a return to public office in a 2022 Winnipeg mayoralty contest. CBC News last Sept. 29 called him the “election front-runner” when it reported allegations of improper conduct against Murray. .CBC News said Murray abruptly quit the Pembina Institute in 2018 “following complaints about his management” including tardiness, harassment, excessive drinking and “sexual innuendo.”.Murray claimed that he did not do anything wrong. He lost the mayoral election by a difference of 4,391 votes to Scott Gillingham, who used to be a pastor and played junior hockey..Melanie Verhaeghe, a senior manager at CBC Manitoba, supported the network's coverage of Murray by using sources who were named sources..“The mayor of Winnipeg oversees the running of the city and its $1.9 billion operating budget,” wrote Verhaeghe. .“It is a significant job with significant responsibility. Serious candidates should expect close scrutiny.”.However, the CBC Ombudsman stated that the coverage “crossed the line” by publishing the opinions of Murray's accusers about his ability to be mayor. .The CBC quoted former colleagues from the Pembina Institute who doubted whether Murray was “fit to be a mayor” or “would be a toxic mayor.” .“Their opinions on Glen Murray’s suitability as mayor were beside the point,” wrote Nagler. .“It didn’t advance the story in a meaningful way. To have the article conclude with this section, to have the two speakers serve as the ‘final word’ on the subject, felt like piling on.”.“With only a few weeks to go before election day, CBC would have been wise to simply let Winnipeggers read the story and process it on their own as they decided what to make of Glen Murray’s candidacy,” said the Ombudsman..Murray is currently employed as a consultant in Winnipeg.
