Hackers post fake news release about PM on Tory site
A statement that was posted on the Conservative Party of Canada's website Tuesday morning saying Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed to hospital after choking at breakfast, may have been the work of hackers.
The statement, which was removed from the site by about 8:30 a.m., said Harper was taken to "Toronto General Hospital" Tuesday morning "after his wife called 911." "He was eating breakfast with his kids when a piece of hash-brown lodged in his throat, blocking air from reaching his lungs," the statement said.
"A member of his security team happened to be nearby, and immediately began to apply first-aid."
The Prime Minister's Office has not issued a direct response to the post, but media inquiries were referred to a tweet from Harper's communications director Dimitri Soudas. Soudas tweeted at 8:35 a.m. that Harper had taken his daughter Rachel to school, and was on his way to work at Parliament Hill.
At first, it seemed the statement had fooled newly elected Conservative MP Chris Alexander, who tweeted a link to the statement with the words "Prime Minister Rushed to Hospital After Breakfast incident." Alexander -- Canada's former ambassador to Afghanistan -- later told CTV he hadn't posted any tweets Tuesday morning, however, and his site had been hacked. He later corrected that statement, explaining that his Twitter account is linked to the Conservative website.
The strangely worded news release triggered a flurry of response on the social networking site Twitter, as journalists questioned whether the statement was true. The news release said staff were "cautiously assuming" that Harper would "completely recover" but suggested his short-term schedule would be disrupted.
"From the looks of things, Harper will miss many of his planned meetings over the next few days," the news release said.
"He had just arrived home last night from his planned trip to the Richelieu flood zone in Quebec. We are awaiting any further word of his condition from the doctors and staff of TGH, and wish the best to him and his family."
Hackers post fake news release about PM on Tory site - CTV News
A statement that was posted on the Conservative Party of Canada's website Tuesday morning saying Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed to hospital after choking at breakfast, may have been the work of hackers.
The statement, which was removed from the site by about 8:30 a.m., said Harper was taken to "Toronto General Hospital" Tuesday morning "after his wife called 911." "He was eating breakfast with his kids when a piece of hash-brown lodged in his throat, blocking air from reaching his lungs," the statement said.
"A member of his security team happened to be nearby, and immediately began to apply first-aid."
The Prime Minister's Office has not issued a direct response to the post, but media inquiries were referred to a tweet from Harper's communications director Dimitri Soudas. Soudas tweeted at 8:35 a.m. that Harper had taken his daughter Rachel to school, and was on his way to work at Parliament Hill.
At first, it seemed the statement had fooled newly elected Conservative MP Chris Alexander, who tweeted a link to the statement with the words "Prime Minister Rushed to Hospital After Breakfast incident." Alexander -- Canada's former ambassador to Afghanistan -- later told CTV he hadn't posted any tweets Tuesday morning, however, and his site had been hacked. He later corrected that statement, explaining that his Twitter account is linked to the Conservative website.
The strangely worded news release triggered a flurry of response on the social networking site Twitter, as journalists questioned whether the statement was true. The news release said staff were "cautiously assuming" that Harper would "completely recover" but suggested his short-term schedule would be disrupted.
"From the looks of things, Harper will miss many of his planned meetings over the next few days," the news release said.
"He had just arrived home last night from his planned trip to the Richelieu flood zone in Quebec. We are awaiting any further word of his condition from the doctors and staff of TGH, and wish the best to him and his family."
Hackers post fake news release about PM on Tory site - CTV News