Yearly Archives: 2021

The CAJ is extremely concerned about two Canadian journalists, Amber Bracken and Michael Toledano, who were illegally arrested on Nov. 19 and remain in custody three days later. The CAJ demands their immediate release, the return of their belongings, and for the RCMP to drop all charges.   More than 40 news outlets and press freedom organizations have signed on to the below letter, calling for Canada’s public safety minister to take immediate steps to investigate and correct the RCMP’s actions and to ensure that going forward, journalists’ right to report will be protected. Dear Minister Mendicino, As we write this [...]

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) demands the RCMP immediately release award-winning photojournalist Amber Bracken and documentarian Michael Toledano from police custody with their belongings. The two were illegally arrested by RCMP officers late yesterday afternoon while reporting on the construction of a contentious natural gas pipeline in Wet’suwet’en territory in northern British Columbia.   “As was the case this past summer in Fairy Creek, and several other instances before it, the RCMP has gone outside the law in its efforts to prevent the press from covering events taking place in the public interest. It is an absolute disgrace,” said Brent [...]

The CAJ is very concerned about recent accounts of police interference with journalists reporting from Wet'suwet'en. The following is an open letter from CAJ president Brent Jolly to the B.C. RCMP. If you are reporting from the ground and need assistance, please reach out.  Dear Dawn (Roberts), Chris (Manseau), Madonna (Saunderson), and Janelle (Shoihet), I hope this note finds you well. I'm writing to you in my capacity as national president of the Canadian Association of Journalists with some concerns about possible violation of press freedoms that have been shared with me by journalists currently reporting from Wet’suwet’en and surrounding [...]

The results are in and they are, sadly, what we expected: Canadian journalists are increasingly under attack online The first-ever Canadian survey of online harassment against journalists and media professionals shows that attacks are on the rise and having serious repercussions on both individuals and the industry as a whole. The results of the Ipsos survey were shared with participants at the #NotOK — Stand Up for Journalism and Democracy virtual forum, a two-day event hosted by CBC/Radio-Canada and attended by journalists and media professionals from across the country.  The survey finds that: Harassment is prevalent and pervasive: 72 per [...]

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) is pleased to announce it is joining the Coalition Against Online Violence effective immediately.  As a member of the coalition, the CAJ will work with journalism organizations around the world to identify solutions for the ongoing problem of online abuse and harassment faced, in particular, by female journalists and journalists of colour.  The CAJ is the first Canada-specific journalism organization to be accepted as a member of the coalition.  “Joining this esteemed group of collaborators re-emphasizes the CAJ’s ongoing commitment to its members to effectively translate words into actions that support the safety and [...]

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) calls on B.C. Premier John Horgan’s government to immediately reverse course and abandon its outrageous plan to impose a $25 tariff on requests for information made under the province’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.    The proposed legislation, Bill 22, was tabled in the provincial legislature on October 18 by Lisa Beare, the minister of citizens’ services. In addition to the so-called “prescribed application fee”, the legislation, if passed, would also add additional loopholes to allow departments and/or agencies to avoid accountability for not fulfilling a request. The NDP holds a majority [...]

The CAJ is partnering with the Freedom of the Press Foundation to host a digital security workshop for journalists on Nov. 4, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. ET. CAJ members can register here to attend. Please note that space is limited and registration is required to attend the event.  This session will provide an introduction to account and device security to help journalists better protect themselves and their sources. Topics will include account and device security, secure source communications and an introduction to online privacy measures. ICYMI: The CAJ has put together a resource sheet that may be helpful to those [...]

Supporting reporters who continue to receive an onslaught of hateful emails and messages targeting their identities is deeply important to the CAJ. We have heard from many journalists who are looking for resources to help cope with the impact of receiving hate, which includes threats of sexual assault, other forms of violence, and death. First, we want to emphasize that the onus is not solely on an individual journalist to take action to protect themselves when dealing with online hate. We urge newsrooms, law enforcement, and government leadership to continue to take the issue seriously. Along with the actions the [...]

This past Sunday, the CAJ’s board of directors met virtually for our quarterly board meeting. As always, there was much to discuss: planning for our 2022 national conference in Montreal, readying next year’s awards program, preparing for the rollout of our soon-to-be-released diversity survey, and plans for launching the next round of our mentorship program that opens Oct. 25.  One of the major items on our agenda, however, was to develop an action-plan to address our concerns about the increase in online hate and harassment being sent to journalists across the country. After a  rigorous discussion, we have identified concrete [...]

A strong, diverse media is vital for a well-informed, democratic society. While criticism is an integral part of journalism and democracy, there can be no tolerance for hate and harassment of journalists or for incitement of attacks on journalists for doing their jobs. That these attacks inordinately target women and racialized journalists speaks to the motivation of the people engaging in this behaviour. We are united in supporting our journalists and newsrooms against those who seek to silence their stories and threaten their safety. Together, we will continue to advocate for industry-wide responses to end this behaviour. APTN Bell Media [...]