As a former journalist, I took great pride in my responsibility to be fair and balanced in everything I wrote.

My job was and is not to tell readers what to believe, but rather to present factual information allowing readers to form their own opinions. I’m not going to get into the bureaucracy of media and corporate influence because there is no denying it exists, however, what The National Post did on April 19, 2012 is more than influence – it is wrong.

On April 19, 2012 The National Post wrote an Editorial Board piece not only endorsing the Wildrose Party but actually encouraging their readers to vote for Wildrose.

“We firmly believe that Alberta’s government could use some fresh blood and vibrant new ideas. We think that Ms. Smith and the Wildrose party is the right choice for Alberta, and encourage our readers in that province to support them on election day,” says the post.

Furthermore, the entire article takes stabs at the PC party the entire way through, and merely mentions the other running parties in a single paragraph.

No newspaper, in the world, has the right to tell their readers how to vote.

This is a disrespect to journalism and a sad day for me; a newspaper I once held in high accord has just greatly disappointed me.

So much for fair and balanced.

Note: It should be noted I am upset solely with the fact the newspaper encouraged and told their readers how to vote. It wouldn’t have mattered which party the newspaper was endorsing or criticizing, it’s wrong either way.