Canadian leader in press freedom row

Chretien has faced calls for his resignation

The publisher of a daily newspaper in Canada's capital says he has been sacked for printing an editorial critical of Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

The sacking has renewed concerns about the relationship between the country's largest newspaper chain and its governing Liberal Party.

Russell Mills was fired because the prime minister's buddy happened to be his boss

NDP leader Alexa McDonough

Russell Mills says he was sacked as publisher of the Ottawa Citizen at the weekend for printing an editorial calling on Mr Chretien to resign.

Mr Chretien and some of his senior ministers have been facing increased pressure over allegations of conflicts-of-interest and misuse of government funds.

But the Ottawa Citizen is owned by CanWest Global Communications, a company controlled by long-time Liberal supporter Izzy Asper, who has previously instructed his papers to run editorials sympathetic to the Prime Minister.

CanWest Global controls the majority of Canada's major English-language daily newspapers as well as one of the country's two national private television networks, leading some to charge it has too much influence on public opinion.

But other papers in the chain have also been critical of Mr Chretien, who has been accused of interfering with a government loan in his Quebec home town of Shawinigan.

Mr Mills said he did not know why he was being treated differently.

Deputy PM John Manley has defended his boss

The Liberal government has denied allegations that it was involved in the firing or that Mr Chretien met with Mr Asper at the weekend.

"I am not aware of the prime minister having had any meetings," Deputy Prime Minister John Manley said in the House of Commons.

"In any event, decisions about internal matters in an organization like CanWest Global are taken by the corporation itself."

But opposition MPs said the affair smacked of censorship.

"Russell Mills was fired because the prime minister's buddy happened to be his boss," New Democratic Party leader Alexa McDonough charged.

'Dangerous to democracy'

"That is downright dangerous to democracy. We need a full public inquiry into media concentration, ownership and convergence," she said.

Canada's official opposition Canadian Alliance party and the Progressive Conservative Party have also said the sacking raised concerns about freedom of the press.

CanWest has refused to discuss Mr Mills's sacking, saying it was an internal matter.