Enzo Di Matteo

p. 15

NOW goes after ex-chief

NOW Magazine is calling on Stoddart Publishing Co. Ltd to publicly correct "libelous statements" in former police chief Bill McCormack's recently released book, Without Fear Or Favour.

The autobiography, which takes issue with a 1991 disclosure in NOW that the chief had been wearing war medals to which he was not entitled, describes NOW as being "funded, in part, by an NDP handout."

NOW associate editor Glenn Wheeler said in a statement this week that the allegation is "without foundation" and that a request three weeks ago of Stoddart head Jack Stoddart for a correction to be included in future copies of the book has gone unanswered.

Stoddart chief editor Don Bastion, who worked on McCormack's book, says he can't go into detail about what pains were taken to confirm McCormack's charge.

He offers, "We had the book vetted legally. But what I can't remember is whether this came up from out lawyer and whether we checked with the authors."