Article content continued

Shortly after, Irving threatened Postmedia with a lawsuit if any defamatory article was published, even though no article about weld issues had originally been planned.

Instead Postmedia published an article about DND and Procurement Canada officials alerting Irving about the potential article while also confirming the departments had launched investigations into whether they had violated the privacy law.

Irving threatened Postmedia with a lawsuit if any defamatory article was published, even though no article about weld issues had originally been planned

Shortly after the article was published online on March 14, bureaucrats emailed Qualtrough’s communications director Ashley Michnowski the link to the story.

“Yurp,” Michnowski responded. “Saw that…wish I could send an eye roll emoji via blackberry.”

The next day attitudes shifted after Procurement Canada bureaucrats started becoming concerned that opposition members of Parliament were commenting on the issue, along with other media outlets.

The department’s public affairs official, Michele Larose, pointed out there were a growing number of tweets about the issue. “They just keep coming and they are not positive!”

The department’s parliamentary affairs branch was mobilized to write Qualtrough some responses to recite in the Commons if she was asked about the issue.

If asked about the violation of privacy laws in providing Irving with information about a Postmedia journalist, Qualtrough was told to respond that, “We take all privacy concerns very seriously.”

Asked to comment about the “eyeball roll” reference, Michnowski apologized Wednesday for the comment. “As the department has noted since March when the situation occurred, PSPC has reviewed their media protocols to ensure that we provide accurate information regarding ongoing projects with industry partners, while respecting journalist’s private information,” she noted in an email.