To the team at The Equity, readers, and journalist Caleb Nickerson in particular:
Please accept my sincere apologies. In a March 11, 2026 article, journalist
Tashi Farmilo incorporated portions of an article from The Equity, written by Caleb Nickerson, without attribution.
The Pontiac Journal article, “Shawville abattoir nears opening after final repairs,” included two quotes attributed to AgriSaveur project manager Maryse Vallières-Murray that were originally reported by The Equity (Caleb Nickerson, “Abattoir near ready for provincial inspections,” Jan. 12, 2026). Permission to republish was not obtained, nor was the original publication credited. While Ms. Farmilo conducted interviews and primary source verification, the use of these quotes without attribution was a serious lapse.
The journalist deeply regrets this error.
The quotes in question are: “After that, we’ll have the MAPAQ inspectors come in and the opening will depend on if they give us a permit or if we have some adjustments to do. But if everything is OK, which is what we’re hopeful for, we should be able to start some testing very soon.”
“Running an abattoir, you have a lot of laws to respect, a lot of things to put in place. We need to have protocols in place, specifically for animal welfare, but also all the cleaning protocols.”
The situation was reported to me, as publisher of the Pontiac Journal shortly after publication, and an investigation followed. This review of the journalist’s work
and professional conduct took approximately two weeks. Disciplinary measures include an unpaid leave of absence and mandatory training on professional
standards.
Given the circumstances, I have decided that Tashi Farmilo will remain with the newspaper. In a previous case involving plagiarism, a journalist was dismissed following a similar investigation, having intentionally replaced another writer’s name with their own and claimed the work as original.
In this case, I found Ms. Farmilo to be an ethical and professional journalist in all other respects. The investigation included a review of her communications with sources, research materials and notes, as well as recent articles. She is a valued member of both the newspaper and the community.
I believe this incident represents a lapse in judgment during a particularly demanding period, and that the disciplinary measures are appropriate.
Please know that my priority is to provide Pontiac readers with high-quality local news. The Pontiac is fortunate to have two newspapers of such calibre. The team at The Equity produces award-winning work, in no small part due to the contributions of Caleb Nickerson.
