by Barbara Amiel on Saturday, March 23, 2013 8:00pm - 383 Comments
The rape convictions last Sunday of two teenagers in Steubenville, Ohio, the firing of CBC guest commentator professor Tom Flanagan for his comments on child pornography and the alleged grope of publisher and former Toronto mayoralty candidate Sarah Thomson’s bottom by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford share one thing. They are topics any sensible commentator must preface with ardent assurances that nothing with the possible exception of matricide could revolt more, and only abhorrence flourishes in the breast of the commentator who now feels compelled to address these matters. You have to say that or your licence as a pundit gets withdrawn amid truly vicious attacks.
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Around 2002, publisher Thomson offered, using normal scatology, to “bed” my husband in return for him granting an interview to her newspaper. Though the proposition did not intrigue him, Conrad found it very enterprising and endorsed her for mayor in the last election. The same action that is generally welcome from a person you like is sexual harassment from one you don’t.

At a party more than a decade ago, where Conrad Black got a lot of attention, Sarah Thomson said she joked about sleeping with him in exchange for an interview.

“There were a whole lot of women ogling him at the party so I asked him if I would have to sleep with him to get an interview,” said Thomson, publisher of the Women’s Post. “That was it. It was a joke, it was a party, there was nothing to it.”
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It’s unclear if Amiel thought Thomson made a serious proposal. She and Maclean’s did not return requests for comment.