TORONTO — Linden MacIntyre has not been barred from appearing on CBC News Network this week despite an internal memo to the contrary.
Jennifer Harwood, managing editor of CBC News Network, sent a memo to some staff late Wednesday stating that interviews with MacIntyre on the network this week have been cancelled.
The memo said the move came about because of MacIntyre's recent comments to the Globe and Mail comparing the workplace behaviour of Peter Mansbridge to that of ousted "Q" host Jian Ghomeshi.
CBC News editor-in-chief Jennifer McGuire said in an interview Thursday that Harwood did not consult with her before sending the memo and that it is not consistent with CBC's editorial practices.
"It was really an e-mail in the moment," said McGuire. "The truth of the matter is we don't make editorial decisions based on personal relationships or based on bad press or even comments in other media that we don't think are true or supportable."
MacIntyre, the veteran host of "The Fifth Estate" who is retiring this week amid sweeping budget cuts at the public broadcaster, is still welcome to appear on CBC News Network, McGuire said.
Asked whether Harwood would issue a statement retracting the memo or be disciplined, McGuire said discussions were underway Thursday morning and she was not prepared to comment yet.
In the Globe interview, MacIntyre said Ghomeshi was "allowed to bully and abuse people," adding that "that's the way it works, whether it's Mansbridge, (Peter) Gzowski, whatever. They were not like shrinking violets, either."
MacIntyre did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Canadian Press. The Globe and Mail reported Thursday that the "Fifth Estate" host regrets his choice of words but stands by the essence of his comment.
In a statement, Mansbridge said he was not aware of the original story until MacIntyre wrote him a detailed and full apology Wednesday night.
"I was not on any e-mail list from Jennifer Harwood. I am not one to discuss internal CBC differences in the media but am confident this will work its way quickly to resolution," he said.
Harwood is a "long-time colleague" of Mansbridge who was among CBC staff "upset" by MacIntyre's comments, said McGuire.
"Many people were very upset by comments that they saw as totally counter to the reality of the real situation, in terms of Peter and his behaviour on his show and in terms of his relationships," she said.
Harwood did not immediately return requests for comment.
Asked for her response to MacIntyre's broader point that CBC stars are often given more latitude in their behaviour than more vulnerable lower-level employees, McGuire said there's no evidence to support that claim.
"Is it true that stars at CBC have incredible profiles and incredible strength? Absolutely. But if we're suggesting that somehow, at every show across the country, that they're making all the calls about everything, that is just not accurate or supportable," she said.
Ghomeshi was fired by the public broadcaster last month amid allegations of "abusive behaviour" from numerous women. Police are investigating complaints by at least three of them.
The former "Q" radio host has filed a lawsuit against the CBC alleging defamation and breach of confidence. Ghomeshi has argued in a Facebook posting that he engaged in "rough sex" with women, but said it was always consensual.
