Let’s Demand Fair Journalistic Practice from the Toronto Star

I earlier made comment about an individual who sells stories to the Toronto Star who is on some sort of agenda to besmirch the reputation of Brampton Ontario. I criticized the Toronto Star for permitting such flawed work from appearing in the Star. It is obvious that my comments had obtained brief results because the individual had been kept out of the paper for almost a month. Apparently the writer of this junk needed money and has resumed his writing.Moreover, his persistent filing of “Freedom of Information Requests” is costing taxpaying homeowners thousands of tax dollars to satisfy those requests; many of which are vexatious and frivolous. Perhaps the only way to stop the mischief of this person is to simply refrain from purchasing the Toronto Star. The logic being that as the Star’s readership drops, the Star will also experience lower advertising revenue. Only then, apparently will the editors of the Star see fit to terminate this individual’s slander. Here is a copy of an email sent from Brampton City Hall to the Star. I note that it is (a) not the first time such a complaint has been made and (b) despite the fantasy world that avid conspiracy theorists live in; the email is not from the mayor. We do not live in Winston-Salem, this is not the 17th Century and witch hunts and other such nonsense is now not only out-of-favour but illegal. 

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From: Upper, T-Jay
Sent: 2014/05/15 11:14 AM
To: Kathy English (kenglish@thestar.ca)
Cc: San Grewal (sgrewal@thestar.ca); Dave Beer (dbeer@thestar.ca)
Subject: Request for correction
Importance: High

Ms. English,

I am writing about the article in today’s print edition of The Star by San Grewal (“Brampton city staff poured work time into Fennell’s private events”).

Notwithstanding the very detailed information given in response to Mr. Grewal’s nine questions posted to Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) John Corbett and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dennis Cutajar, which was given by the reporter’s requested deadline (attached for your ease of information; please note that it included a link the Council-approved Lunch and Dinner Sponsorship Program policy), the article contains numerous half-truths and innuendo:

· It implies that Ms. Ciccotelli was doing something wrong when she was supporting the administration of the Council-approved Lunch and Dinner Sponsorship Program when it was clearly outlined that was part of her Council-approved duties.

· The reporter states that “It is unclear what is meant by ‘administer’”, yet the Policy provided in our response clearly outlines the role of staff.

· The article focuses on two specific community events (the Stepping Out Foundation Gala <incorrectly referred to by the reporter as the Mayor’s Gala> and the Mayor Susan Fennell Golf Classic) but fails to mention that there were 13 other community events within this Council-approved Program – all of which were supported by Economic Development staff as directed by Council, thereby giving the misimpression that Ms. Ciccotelli is supporting Mayor’s community work but not other important community work as directed by Council.

· It implies that the CAO and COO “ended” this Program, when it was clearly referenced that Council decided to end the Program during its 2014 budget deliberations (in fact, the reporter attended budget deliberations so should have already known that; we did, in addition, so advise him in our response.

By neglecting to include all of the pertinent factual information provided, the end result is an unbalanced and inaccurate article, and I respectfully request a correction of this misinformation in the next print edition of the Toronto Star.

Thank you.

T-Jay Upper

Executive Director, Strategic Communications

City of Brampton

905.874.2889

t-jay.upper@brampton.com

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