CALGARY — Lawyers for one of Canada's largest media companies are suggesting a former television reporter was a loose cannon with his "own agenda" when he ran for a seat in the Alberta legislature.
Arthur Kent is suing Postmedia, the National Post and columnist Don Martin alleging they defamed him when he was campaigning to win the Calgary Currie seat for the Progressive Conservatives in the 2008 provincial election.
A Martin column which ran during the campaign included details from unnamed sources that described Kent as a "lone ranger" who failed to toe the party line and was difficult to deal with.
Under cross-examination by Postmedia lawyers, one of those sources, lawyer Kristine Robidoux, admitted she was angry at Kent and considered quitting his campaign because the candidate's actions seemed to be at odds with the PC party.
She said she wanted Kent to limit his interviews with the news media.
Robidoux has admitted sending internal party emails to Martin, but has testified that she instantly regretted her decision when she saw the resulting article.
Kent was known as the "Scud Stud" from his days reporting on the Gulf War for NBC.
He lost the 2008 vote and filed a defamation lawsuit that has taken seven years to get to trial.
