Today we’re reopening the files on what might be the strangest and most shocking Canadian media story in recent memory. The Ottawa Citizen journalist, David Pugliese, who was allegedly compromised by the KGB.
On October 24th, 2024, Chris Alexander, former MP and former Harper cabinet minister, also a former Canadian diplomat to Russia, gave sworn testimony at a parliamentary inquiry into Russian interference and disinformation campaigns in Canada. And that’s where the allegations first came to public light.
The story stunned the Canadian media world. David Pugliese has been a fixture in Canadian journalism for almost 40 years. He does serious in-depth reporting about national defense. And the idea that all this time he's been a secret Russian agent, it just seemed nuts.
But these were serious, potentially career-ending, potentially criminal allegations. Pugliese denied the allegations outright in clear and emphatic language. The Canadian Association of Journalists stood by his side and decried the allegations as a McCarthy-esque smear job. And the story, well, google it now, and the internet’s collective wisdom will tell you that the story is debunked.
So why are we talking about it now? Because our investigation raises new questions about the allegations against Pugliese and about the Canadian media’s role in the story.
Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor & Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Written and Reported by, Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)
Additional music by Audio Network
Fact checking by Julian Abraham
Photo: David Pugliese’s X Profile
More information:
Sponsors:
Fizz: Visit https://fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get $25 off and 10GB of free data.
Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.ca
BetterHelp: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.
Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.
If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.
","author_name":"CANADALAND"}