Ottawa journalist says claims that he is a Russian agent are 'fabricated'
CTV
A veteran Ottawa journalist is firing back against what he says are "entirely false" claims by a former Conservative cabinet minister that he acted as a Russian agent.
A veteran Ottawa journalist is firing back against what he says are "entirely false" claims by a former Conservative cabinet minister that he acted as a Russian agent.
David Pugliese, a reporter with the Ottawa Citizen, said in a statement posted to X Friday that the claims Chris Alexander made at a House of Commons committee are ridiculous and put his family in danger.
"His statements are entirely false and merely highlight another tactic in the ongoing attacks on Canadian journalism," Pugliese wrote.
At a public safety and national security committee meeting Thursday, Alexander claimed Pugliese was recruited by Russia because of his role as a journalist. He provided documents to the committee about the claims.
Alexander was an immigration minister in Stephen Harper's Conservative government and a former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan.
He also mentioned several subjects Pugliese has recently written about, including alleged Nazi war criminals in Canada and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's grandfather's Nazi ties.
"These are themes that Moscow would be delighted to promote," he told MPs.
