Arthur Kent trial hears 'steps taken' to remove contentious column

The editor of the Calgary Herald testified Thursday that steps were taken to remove from the web a contentious article that led to a lawsuit by former television journalist Arthur Kent.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Distracted driving penalties 'a start for Alberta,' says victim
• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Alberta royalty review delayed until January

Lorne Motley said the Herald's parent company, Postmedia,attempted to suppress the 2008 column written by Don Martin on itswebsites as well as in its Infomart archives after Kent filed hissuit and demanded the article be taken down.

"The story should be very difficult to search or call up,"Motley told a defamation trial Thursday.

"You really shouldn't seeanything on Infomart. There would be a notation saying why it'sbeing restricted.

"Online you would not be able to find it."

Article re-emerged

Court has already heard that the article suddenly re-emerged in2012 on the Ottawa Citizen's home page, as well as on websites ofother papers across the Postmedia network.

Kent described it as a "Lazarus article." He testified that hecomplained to an editor at the Citizen, who agreed to take it down,but the column was resurrected within a day.

Motley acknowledged that had happened.

• Arthur Kent column defended by Calgary Herald editor
• Arthur Kent defamation trial hears 'Scud Stud' was 'rogue' candidate

"The article was dealt with by employees who did not know thelitigation that was ongoing between the parties. When those familiarwith the litigation became familiar over what happened, there was adecision to unsuppress the column,"Motley said.

Kent's lawyer, Kent Jesse, argued that the reposting was aneffort to put pressure on Kent to move the lawsuit along.

Repostedwith motive?

He pointedto earlier Motley testimony which said Postmedia had tendered anoffer to Kent.

"I have a very difficult time answering that question because Idon't know the answer. But I also know that I am not to say anythingabout that in this court, so you're putting me in an awkwardposition," Motley replied.

Kent, who was nicknamed the "Scud Stud" for his reporting onthe Gulf War for NBC, is suing Postmedia, the National Post andMartin for the piece that referred to Kent as a "dud" while he wascampaigning for a seat intheAlbertalegislature.

The piece portrayed him as an out-of-control star candidatefacing a revolt from his election team.

Several versions

Jesse questioned whether all versions of the Martin article hadbeen suppressed by Postmedia.

He said there were several versionsranging in length from 722 words to 778 and all had different IDnumbers.

"I would suggest to you that this demonstrates there were atleast six versions of the Martin article that were posted or
available on the media defendants' websites," said Jesse.

Motley replied that there were only two versionsthe one thatwas printed in the Calgary Herald and the other that was carried bythe National Post.

"The National Post removed some wording of what they publishedin print," Motley said.

"They are the same article. It is the samestory."