New Democrats demand answers on partisan Wikipedia use

OTTAWA – New Democrats are looking for answers from the Department of National Defence in light of reports that DND employees appear to have used government computers to edit a Wikipedia article on the Government’s controversial decision to spend billions on new Fighter Jets.

“At worst this type of manipulative behaviour is indicative of the government’s culture of information control,” said New Democrat MP Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt) “Even if this apparent misuse of resources is the work of a lone DND staffer ‘freelancing,’ it raises questions about oversight in that department.”

It is disturbing that departmental resources may have been used to remove or manipulate information on the online encyclopaedia critical of Stephen Harper or the government's plan to purchase 65 new fighter jets.

“Some of the comments posted regarding Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and the media were particularly worrisome. We do not expect to see this type of big brother behaviour in Canada. Unfortunately Canadians are starting to see a pattern in the desire to control the message,” said Gravelle “People do not want to see their tax dollars being used to spin the Prime Minister’s message.”