When Miho Takaya was given the task of interviewing a city councillor, it seemed like pretty straightforward assignment: call up a councillor, request an interview, ask a few questions, and write about it.
A journalism student at U of T Scarborough, Takaya was tasked with interviewing councillor Michael Thompson for her news reporting class. The 25-year-old student reporter had only wanted a few answers from the Ward 37 councillor on political issues ahead of the Nov. 13 municipal lection.
“I thought interviewing a councillor would be quite cool,” said Takaya. “Especially because Michael Thompson is quite popular. I thought I could easily get an appointment for interviewing.”
Instead, what she got was an appalling introduction to Canadian politics.
Takaya had started calling Thompson’s executive assistant-Ihor Wons-to request an interview a full three weeks ahead of her deadline, which lay a few days after election night. When Takaya got a hold of Wons in mid-October, he told her he would talk to Thompson about the matter, and that her call would be returned promptly. It wasn’t.
Takaya also tried emailing Thompson’s staff, asking for an interview.
Debbie Gedz, Thompson’s special assistant, told Takaya in an email that her
assignment deadline was “unrealistic in an election year.” She suggested that Takaya visit Thompson’s campaign office.
Three visits later, things began to get ugly.
On Nov. 9, days before the election, Thompson did call Takaya back. Unfortunately for Takaya, Thompson was not in a good mood.
“You were so rude at the office today,” Takaya recalled Thompson saying over the phone. “I am not interested in your questions, so don’t come back to the campaign office. Don’t call me anymore. Thank you. Bye-bye.”
Thompson then hung up on Takaya before she had any chance to respond. Takaya was in tears.
The next day, Takaya approached Ellin Bessner, her professor for news reporting class, about the matter. Bessner promised Takaya that she would write a letter to both Thompson and the media relations department at city hall about the councillor’s behavior.
“I am appalled at the behavior of the city councillor, his office and campaign staff,
who couldn’t spare five minutes to give a quote, and handled it extremely badly,” said Bessner, referring to conduct of Thompson and his staff. “No one could have imagined this would happen, especially in an election campaign where councillors are always wanting to benefit from good publicity to help them get elected.”
Takaya also called Thompson’s campaign manager, Marcia Stiles, after Thompson had hung up on her, to inquire about the councillor’s conduct over the phone. In spite of the fact that Takaya had only called Thompson’s office, and not his private residence, she was nonetheless told that her persistence as a reporter was considered inappropriate and rude. Like Thompson, Stiles too hung up on the student reporter.
“I couldn’t really understand why he said I was rude. It is an assignment as a journalism student,” Takaya said. “And it seems so ridiculous he said he is not interested in my questions because all of my questions are about his campaign policies for the upcoming election.”
To add injury to insult, Takaya was ejected from Thompson’s party on election night when she showed up to hear Thompson’s victory speech. Wons, who ejected her, claimed that invitations were required to attend the event. Thompson was re-elected later that night in a landslide victory.
Thompson’s campaign office was asked to comment on the phone conversations, and on the possibility that some miscommunication may have occurred, as English was not Takaya’s first language. Stiles and Wons both reaffirmed their belief that Takaya was rude in her persistence, but declined to provide exact details to back their claims.
They also claimed that Takaya failed to properly identify herself as a student reporter, a charge which Takaya denies. Both Wons and Stiles refused
to comment further.
“Sure councillors have the right to decide who they will talk to in the media, and
some play favorites,” said Bessner. “But Miho had no previous ‘record’ with the councillor, and as such, there was no reason not to grant her five minutes.”
