This is fast becoming a train wreck for the CBC.

The fake production company acting on behalf of CBC, involved in setting up conservative critics, including Lindsay Shepherd and Frances Widdowson, in bogus interviews, attempted to also lure Conservative MP Aaron Gunn with the promise of “reclaiming the legacy of Sir John A Macdonald.”

Internal correspondence from Gunn’s office shows staff were told the project was being prepared for CBC, which was allegedly “under pressure to provide a balanced view surrounding John A. Macdonald.

Two producers, using the aliases “Olivia Goldman” of “Nova Frame Productions” and “Pam Gibson” of “Forge Media,” repeatedly portrayed the project as an effort to “reclaim” Macdonald’s legacy, defend Canadian heritage and provide a national platform for conservatives who felt censored or demonized for challenging prevailing reconciliation narratives. Pam Gibson was later identified as Molly Gore, an American producer who has worked on left-wing ecosocialist documentaries.

The newly uncovered email chain shows the operation spent months cultivating trust with conservative organizers, video producers and eventually Gunn’s parliamentary office by carefully mirroring conservative concerns about free speech, Indigenous land disputes and attacks on Canada’s founder.

This is outrageous.

I found out recently that I was deceived by social activists in an elaborate scheme dating back to January. A production group with what I now know has a fake name and fake identities gave me a friendly interview about my book A Day with Sir John A, and about Sir John A Macdonald, back in Feb.

They connected me with a fake company called Heritage Figures Canada with a fake website and “hired” me to perform consulting work for them. We had what I now know were fake meetings, fake documents, fake commercial shoot, fake prototype of a Sir John A collectible. Then in a second filmed interview last week, they turned on me, and it was revealed to have all been a setup in order to demonize Sir John A and smear me.

It turns out this is a taxpayer-funded CBC and APTN project. There is so much more, I will make a video. They also deceived [Frances Widdowson].

And this is scary: when I was signing the release form, one of the chatty producers was trying to distract me from reading it – but I obtained a copy, and they include a clause about using AI – so I can expect they will doctor the footage and create deepfakes…

They took a run at Vancouver MLA Dallas Brodie, too. What is going on here @CBC? We want answers! This to me looks like you kidnapped Frances Widdowson – I think the police need to get involved here.

More… the CBC has confirmed that the public broadcaster was behind the media sting on notable political commentators. The project also received significant media grants from Canadian Heritage.”