Sun Media fires Ottawa bureau employees

Christina Spencer, Elizabeth Thompson and Peter Zimonjic were fired from
Sun Media’s Parliament Hill bureau, Toronto Sun Family reports. Rumours
suggest as many as six employees were let go.

The news come after the company’s announcement it would launch a right-leaning 24 hours news network. Former PM spokesman Kory Tenecyke was recently named head of the Ottawa bureau.

Toronto Sun Family reports:

“Rue Frontenac, staffed by locked out Journal de Montreal employees, says Sun Media reps from Toronto arrived in Ottawa today to “announce the sad news to Christina Spencer, Elizabeth Thompson and Peter Zimonjic.”

“The online newspaper says Spencer, Thompson and Zimoniic didn’t see it coming and quoted the president of the press gallery as saying they all “have a very good reputation on the Hill.”

The Sun’s Eye on the Hill profiles read:

Christina Spencer’s journalism experience includes stints as an international affairs writer, editorial page commentator and daily newspaper editor. She’s been with Sun Media’s National Bureau since January, 2008. She loves federal politics, hates media scrums and wonders what it would be like to cover a majority Parliament.

Elizabeth Thompson is new to Sun Media’s national office but not to Parliament Hill or to blogging. Her 23 years working for the Gazette in Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa give the Montreal native a “distinctly” different perspective on politics as well as a fondness for café au lait, chocolatines and French wines. When she is not busy driving politicians to distraction with her questions, she drives her children around town.

Peter Zimonjic is taller than anyone in Sun Media’s national bureau and that gives him a different perspective on what goes on in Ottawa. That and his five years in London, England, working for the British press. He’s also an author. He prefers a Double Double to a latte, he rides his bike or skates to work rather than drives and he has a kicking comic book collection.