Liberal MP Ralph Goodale represents a Regina riding, which is located in Saskatchewan, not Manitoba.The Canadian Press
A great word to describe election nights for journalists is hairy.
Nothing much happens until the results come flooding in, most of them at exactly the same time.
As a reporter or editor, you have your background sentences and paragraphs ready and then you have to pounce as soon as there is clarity about who won and who lost.
Not surprisingly, with hundreds of facts, names and numbers, some mistakes are made.
Fortunately most of our readers seem to understand that miracle and are gentle pointing out mistakes.
"Thank you," said one Ottawa reader, "for moving Ralph Goodale and Regina-Wascana (riding) to Manitoba. Unfortunately, Manitoba can't accept them because Saskatchewan needs all the Liberals it can get. And no, Winnipeg doesn't need the Roughriders. "
I guess the Regina reference should have been the big clue, but no. It has now been corrected and Globe editors do know Regina is in Saskatchewan, the capital even.
With just a few hours on election night to write, edit and produce most of the paper and the website, many changes and updates are made to give the most current numbers and results.
One thing that didn't change was the main headline: "Trudeau Triumphs". But that headline offended one reader who said: "Your paper rightfully criticized Mr. Harper, who concentrated all the power in his office, for acting as a one-man government, as well as the concept of 'Harper government'.
"Yet, your headline today presents the Liberal Party triumph as Trudeau triumph. Mr. Trudeau did not triumph by himself, it was the triumph of the entire party."
"Trudeau Triumphs" works as a simple statement and an alliteration to boot, although technically the reader is right and it was the Liberals who triumphed.
It will be interesting to see if "Trudeau government" becomes common usage, as was the "Harper government" or now in Ontario the "Wynne government."
If you have any thoughts on the coverage, please comment on this article or send me an e-mail at publiceditor@globeandmail.com
Sylvia Stead