Former MP accuses journalist of being Russian agent

Ex-MP and federal minister Chris Alexander claimed Ottawa Citizen journalist David Pugliese was recruited as a Soviet spy in the 1980s.

Alexander made the unsubstantiated claim at a House committee, where he is protected by Parliamentary privilege and can’t be sued for defamation. He didn’t reply to our requests for comment, and hasn’t repeated the allegation outside of Parliament.

Alexander cited documents which he claimed came from Ukrainian KGB archives. But reporting from Global News suggests that even if the documents are authentic, they don’t support Alexander’s allegation.?

These “fabricated claims are not only ridiculous but dangerous to the safety of my family,” Pugliese says:?

The allegations have also been denounced by the Canadian Association of Journalists .

If you’re a media worker who has experienced interference while or because of doing your job, get in touch with the Canada Press Freedom Project.