The head of the CBC is refusing to apologize for a story that falsely blamed the bombing of a Gaza hospital on Israeli forces.Speaking before the House of Commons Heritage Committee on Thursday, Catherine Tait refused to retract an article on October 17 that blamed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for bombing the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City that reportedly killed 470 civilians and trapped hundreds under rubble.The UN initially called the blast an “atrocity” and “genocide” against the Palestinian people even though it was later determined to have been caused by a misfired rocket by Islamic Jihad. The story in question is still up on the CBC's website..“I will not apologize because the (CBC's) journalism is among the finest in the world."Catherine Tait, CBC CEO.“I will not apologize,” Tait said in response to a question from Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman, "because the (CBC's) journalism is among the finest in the world."Tait went on to chide Lantsman that the broadcaster is accountable to the public, and not politicians, in order to maintain its "independence." If viewers had complaints about the article in question they should refer the matter to the corporation's ombudsman, she added.Under intense questioning, Tait also refused to apologize to the Jewish people — and Canadians generally — for refusing to refer to Hamas as a "terrorist" organization. Governments around the world, including Canada's did just that as far back as 2002.Again, Tait said the omission is deliberate in order to maintain a pretence of impartiality and follows similar policies by other international news agencies such as the BBC, Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.Although she agreed governments make that distinction, “we as journalists do not make that attribution.”
