A retraction and an apology

In the Oct. 25, 2006 issue of the Manitoban, an article appeared entitled “Albertan Fascists on the rise in Canada” authoured by a “Harry Godschalk.”

The Manitoban has since learned that the article in question is, to the best of our knowledge, entirely erroneous. There was an interview mentioned with a “Mark Straten” who, to the best of our knowledge, does not exist and was entirely fabricated.

Also, the name Harry Godschalk is a pseudonym for a University of Winnipeg student allegedly by the name of Cory Spiegel. Two letters to the editor were submitted in response to the erroneous article, submitted by a “Peter Fenster” (Nov. 15) and a “Jose Espejo” (Nov. 29). The Manitoban has concluded that both of these letters were also submitted by Cory Spiegel.

The Manitoban sincerely apologizes to its readership for this serious oversight. Both the article and corresponding letters have been removed from our website.

It has also been learned that “Cory Spiegel” submitted an erroneous article to the Uniter, the U of W student newspaper, under the pseudonym “Al Crow.” The article was entitled “A Canadian in New York” and it details the alleged success of U of M fine arts student Ryan Klatt. The same article was submitted to the Manitoban under the pseudonym “Verne Matheson.” After investigation and consultation with the Uniter, we have determined that “Al Crow” and “Verne Matheson,” in addition to “Harry Godschalk,” are aliases used by “Cory Spiegel.”

This was learned after the Manitoban recognized similarities between the original submission by “Verne Matheson” and the article published in the January 25, 2007 issue of the Uniter by “Al Crow.”

The submission in question by “Matheson/ Crow” contained a reference to Glen Dowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art, located in New York, commenting on Klatt’s work. While Dowry does exist and he is the MOMA director, the quote attributed to him, is to the best of our knowledge, entirely fabricated. The submission also contained a reference to a socalled “art expert,” Jean Rudolph who to the best of our knowledge does not exist. The only source we could find making any reference to “Rudolph” is a Wikipedia page created last October, around the time “Matheson” submitted his article to the Manitoban. These fabrications also appeared in the article published in the Uniter.

A revisit to the “Jean Rudolph” Wikipedia page showed that “Harry Godschalk” was listed in the editing history for the page. After consulting with the Uniter it was learned that “Cory Spiegel” had approached the paper about submitting articles under the aliases “Harry Godschalk” and “Verne Matheson.”

The Uniter printed a retraction in response to the Al Crow article. Once again the Manitoban apologizes for the lack of oversight that resulted in the publication of Oct. 25, 2006 article about “Albertan Fascists.”

Carson Jerema, Manitoban editor-in-chief