Canadians support Lisa LaFlamme's decision to not bid CTV viewers adieu

@LisaLaFlamme_/Twitter

Lisa LaFlamme opted out of saying goodbye to CTV viewers on national television, an internal memo sent to Bell Media staff has revealed. But Canadian journalists and news watchers are overwhelmingly siding with LaFlamme for making that decision.

Toronto Star obtained the memo sent by Bell Media Senior Vice President Karine Moses.

“She opted to not say goodbye to the public during a CTV National newscast,” Moses wrote. “While I wish things had been different, I also respect her decision.”

The VP also went into detail about LaFlamme’s exit from CTV news and the span of the decision to cut ties with her. The veteran journalist was told about the decision on June 29, after which she continued to work for CTV and covered the Pope’s landmark visit to Canada.

“I also want to specifically address accusations that Lisa LaFlamme was not given the opportunity to come back into the studio and have her career at CTV be appropriately celebrated,” Moses added.

“I have the utmost respect for the contributions that Lisa has made over the last 35 years, and we all wanted to follow the customary practice you have seen in the past of giving proper on-air send-off, highlighting her major career achievements.”

With the internal memo out, the public is siding with LaFlamme more than ever.

“Good for her,” said journalist Erica Ifill in response to the document. “Don’t play by the rules of men.

LaFlamme chose not to say goodbye on CTV News, Bell Media executive tells staff Maybe BECAUSE SHE WAS FIRED! @bellmediapr you are not looking any better .https://t.co/BhR1w5wAVc via @torontostar

— Sue Bee (@SueBee51589971) August 18, 2022

Canadian businessman Richard Peddie also said LaFlamme could not be blamed for her decision.

Don’t blame her at all. https://t.co/XOlb6o0xcX

— Richard Peddie (@RichardAPeddie) August 18, 2022

Grace Onasanya, contributor for the Black Alert Podcast, tweeted her thoughts on the subject. Onasanya theorizes that CTV News wishes LaFlamme had formally said goodbye on TV “so they could edit her goodbye to make it look how THEY wanted.”

So they could edit her goodbye to make it look how THEY wanted?

Good for her. She got to say exactly what she wanted to say and expose their sexist, ageist shenanigans.https://t.co/Kwya1rLbz8

— Michael Burnham’s Dilithium Braidout (@casualgrace) August 18, 2022

“Good for her,” the podcaster said on Twitter Thursday afternoon.

“She got to say exactly what she wanted to say and expose their sexist, ageist shenanigans.”