"In an article already plagued by unbalanced reporting (read: citing B’nai Brith but no Palestinian groups), I was shocked to read a clear-cut case of plagiarism in the twelfth paragraph of Ferguson’s article. Besides one word, all of this language is plagiarized directly from the Associated Press."
March 15, 2023
To:
Donovan Vincent, Toronto Star, Public Editor
Rob Ferguson, Toronto Star, Journalist
Dear Mr. Vincent and Mr. Ferguson,
I’m writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to report plagiarism in an article entitled “Hamilton police ‘protect Nazism,’ NDP byelection candidate told 2021 rally” by Rob Ferguson published in the Toronto Star on March 12, 2023.
In an article already plagued by unbalanced reporting (read: citing B’nai Brith but no Palestinian groups), I was shocked to read a clear-cut case of plagiarism in the twelfth paragraph of Ferguson’s article. He writes:
“Underlying the ongoing violence is the Palestinians’ decades-long quest for an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories seized by Israel in the 1967 war. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory and has built dozens of settlements that are now home to roughly 500,000 Jewish settlers. The international community widely considers the settlements to be illegal.”[1]
However, besides one word, all of this language is plagiarized directly from the Associated Press. I read the AP every day, so I was able to easily recognize this wording. The language can be seen in an article the Toronto Star itself published from the AP by Edith M. Lederer from January 18, 2023, where she writes:
“Underlying the ongoing violence is the Palestinians’ decades-long quest for an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories seized by Israel in the 1967 war. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory and has built dozens of settlements that are now home to roughly 500,000 Jewish settlers.”[2]
She also writes elsewhere in her article:
“The international community overwhelmingly considers settlements to be illegal.”[3]
Out of all of that, the only word Ferguson changed was “overwhelmingly” to “widely.”
Ferguson does cite this exact article from Lederer earlier in his article regarding a UN envoy quote, but does not cite it for the paragraph in question. While I am able to identify the source of the quote due to my familiarity with AP, an average reader would assume it was written by Ferguson. This is a clear, alarming breach of basic journalistic standards.
Further, the plagiarized information itself is problematic. After complaints from CJPME, the Associated Press updated articles, which even appear on the Toronto Star website, to state that there are more than “more than 700,000 Jewish settlers have moved into dozens of settlements in the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem,” rather than the misleading 500,000 figure.[4][5] We strongly recommend that the article include these clear figures, rather than the incomplete figure currently cited.
This is not the first time the Toronto Star has caught a journalist plagiarizing.[6] In the past, a formal apology has been issued.[7]
I expect that all appropriate action will be taken, including corrections, an editor’s note on the piece, and a public apology.
Please contact me if you would like to discuss this matter further at 438-380-5410.
Respectfully,
Jason Toney
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Director of Media Advocacy
[1] Rob Ferguson, “Hamilton police ‘protect Nazism,’ NDP byelection candidate told 2021 rally,” Toronto Star, March 14, 2023, https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/03/14/hamilton-police-protect-nazism-ndp-byelection-candidate-told-2021-rally.html.
[2] Edith M. Lederer (AP), “Israel and Palestinians clash at UN meeting as tensions rise,” Toronto Star, January 18, 2023, https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2023/01/19/israel-and-palestinians-clash-at-un-meeting-as-tensions-rise.html.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Oded Balilty (AP), “3 wounded in Tel Aviv shooting, hours after West Bank raid,” Toronto Star, March 9, 2023, https://www.thestar.com/news/world/middleeast/2023/03/09/at-least-3-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-military-raid.html.
[5] CJPME, https://www.cjpmemap.ca/impact_2023_03_10_rm_ap.
[6] Kathy English, “Public Editor: Plagiarism is always cause for serious concern,” Toronto Star, January 11, 2013, https://www.thestar.com/opinion/public_editor/2013/01/11/public_editor_plagiarism_is_always_cause_for_serious_concern.html.
[7] “Apology,” Toronto Star, January 4, 2013, https://www.thestar.com/opinion/public_editor/corrections/2013/01/04/apology.html.