CBC television journalist Krista Erickson appears to be the latest "Fox News North" acquisition.
Blond, attractive and dating a politician who is a few years her senior - Calgary Conservative MP Lee Richardson - Ms. Erickson has been a controversial figure on Parliament Hill.
Speculation was rampant last week that she would join the ranks of this right-wing
Mr. Teneycke would not comment about Ms. Erickson. However, he said that he and Quebecor president Pierre Karl Péladeau are holding a press conference Tuesday in Toronto at the Sun offices on King Street to shed some more light as to what their venture involves.
The note she sent to her colleagues this morning circulated quickly on Parliament Hill:
Friends,
I write to inform you that after 11 years with CBC News, I'm leaving the Corporation and its Parliamentary bureau to pursue another opportunity. New contact information and details to follow in the days ahead. Wishing you all a wonderful summer.
Krista
She would not comment; she referred comment to her lawyer, Chris Taylor.
Her lawyer wrote in an e-mail: "We are not commenting about Krista's next move for now but should have an announcement shortly."
Now, this is a very interesting move - if it is true that she is joining the new right-of-centre television news channel - given that the CBC is not considered a friend of the Harper Conservatives.
As well, Ms. Erickson knows how to attract attention. Two years ago she was accused of bias in her reporting during the Mulroney-Schreiber hearings.
There were complaints that she had fed questions to a Liberal MP. But she was later cleared of any bias by the CBC ombudsman.
Political Ottawa has been buzzing about this new television network since Mr. Teneycke announced last week that he was leaving his pundit's post at the CBC for Quebecor.
Since then, seasoned reporter David Akin announced he was resigning from Canwest to join Sun Media. Mr. Akin does it all - television, print and online journalism.
Brian Lilley, former Ottawa bureau chief for Astral Media Radio, is joining as a senior correspondent.
A formal announcement as to the new venture is expected this week.