Doctored Canadarm2 photo sparks parliamentary query
Canadian Space Agency unsure how altered image wound up on Tumblr account
Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux wants to know how the Canada logo found its way into a digitally altered image of the Canadarm that appeared on — and subsequently disappeared from — the Canadian Space Agency Tumblr account, as well as across numerous federal government websites.
Lamoureux has filed a written parliamentary request for more details on a doctored photo that left the space agency red-faced after it was brought to light by The Economist last week.
On Friday, the venerable magazine ran an online op-ed mocking Canada for its "astronomical boasting" after data editor Kenneth Cukier noticed a curious discrepancy in a photo of a 2005 spacewalk.
A version of the photo posted on federal government websites appeared to feature the logo on a part of the arm where it didn't appear to exist in the original image.
"Countries have long fiddled with photographs to present an image of grandeur," the article noted.
"But the tactic of fairly ham-fisted airbrushing used here seems more reminiscent of North Korean propaganda posters than of Western democracies' typical PR efforts."
A spokeswoman for the agency told CBC News that the use of the photo, which had been altered during the creation of a poster for an internal event, had been a mistake.
"It wasn't supposed to be used in any public way," Maya Eyssen told CBC News.
She said the agency was taking steps to get the photo removed from the government websites where it had initially appeared, and replaced with the original version on the Canadian Space Agency website.
She also told CBC News that she was unsure how the photo ended up on the Tumblr blog post.
That is one of the questions Lamoureux has submitted as part of his written query, which also asks who made the "modifications" to the photo, and on whose orders or direction. He also wants to know who made the call to remove the Tumblr post, and why that was done.
The government has 45 days to respond to his question.
Full text of Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux's written query:
With regard to the Canadian Space Agency:
(a) Why was the photograph of Canadarm 2, previously posted to the Agency's Tumblr accounts at “http://canadian-space-agency.tumblr.../csa-astronaut-jeremy-hansen-canadarm2-looks“ and “http://agence-spatiale-canadienne.t...81/jeremy-hansen-asronaute-de-lasc-canadarm2“, modified to add the Canada wordmark;
(b) Who made these modifications to the photograph;
(c) Who requested or directed that the modifications be made;
(d) When was that request or direction issued;
(e) Why was the Tumblr posting removed;
(f) Who removed the Tumblr posting;
(g) Who requested or directed that the Tumblr posting be removed;
(h) Why was that request or direction issued?
Related Links
Canada accused of 'boasting' with doctored photos of Canadarm2
External Links
Airbrushing in Space - The Economist
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/politics/doctored-canadarm2-photo-sparks-parliamentary-query-1.2823087
Canadian Space Agency unsure how altered image wound up on Tumblr account
Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux wants to know how the Canada logo found its way into a digitally altered image of the Canadarm that appeared on — and subsequently disappeared from — the Canadian Space Agency Tumblr account, as well as across numerous federal government websites.
Lamoureux has filed a written parliamentary request for more details on a doctored photo that left the space agency red-faced after it was brought to light by The Economist last week.
On Friday, the venerable magazine ran an online op-ed mocking Canada for its "astronomical boasting" after data editor Kenneth Cukier noticed a curious discrepancy in a photo of a 2005 spacewalk.
A version of the photo posted on federal government websites appeared to feature the logo on a part of the arm where it didn't appear to exist in the original image.
"Countries have long fiddled with photographs to present an image of grandeur," the article noted.
"But the tactic of fairly ham-fisted airbrushing used here seems more reminiscent of North Korean propaganda posters than of Western democracies' typical PR efforts."
A spokeswoman for the agency told CBC News that the use of the photo, which had been altered during the creation of a poster for an internal event, had been a mistake.
"It wasn't supposed to be used in any public way," Maya Eyssen told CBC News.
She said the agency was taking steps to get the photo removed from the government websites where it had initially appeared, and replaced with the original version on the Canadian Space Agency website.
She also told CBC News that she was unsure how the photo ended up on the Tumblr blog post.
That is one of the questions Lamoureux has submitted as part of his written query, which also asks who made the "modifications" to the photo, and on whose orders or direction. He also wants to know who made the call to remove the Tumblr post, and why that was done.
The government has 45 days to respond to his question.
Full text of Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux's written query:
With regard to the Canadian Space Agency:
(a) Why was the photograph of Canadarm 2, previously posted to the Agency's Tumblr accounts at “http://canadian-space-agency.tumblr.../csa-astronaut-jeremy-hansen-canadarm2-looks“ and “http://agence-spatiale-canadienne.t...81/jeremy-hansen-asronaute-de-lasc-canadarm2“, modified to add the Canada wordmark;
(b) Who made these modifications to the photograph;
(c) Who requested or directed that the modifications be made;
(d) When was that request or direction issued;
(e) Why was the Tumblr posting removed;
(f) Who removed the Tumblr posting;
(g) Who requested or directed that the Tumblr posting be removed;
(h) Why was that request or direction issued?
Related Links
Canada accused of 'boasting' with doctored photos of Canadarm2
External Links
Airbrushing in Space - The Economist
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/politics/doctored-canadarm2-photo-sparks-parliamentary-query-1.2823087
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