Press Freedom & Journalists’ Rights

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) is deeply concerned by Rogers Sports & Media's decision to eliminate 230 positions and shutter six radio stations, two each in Vancouver and Calgary and single stations in Halifax and Kitchener, across the country. Canadians need and deserve access to accurate, balanced and timely information. Any reduction or closure of any newsroom in Canada that produces this content will only diminish our collective knowledge and our responsibility to democracy as a whole. The public’s need for trusted local news has not diminished but grown. Media reports have suggested that at least one employee learned [...]

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) is deeply concerned by a recent Saskatchewan RCMP email urging journalists to check with police before publishing details about ongoing investigations — an attempt to give police a veto over independent editorial decisions. Two RCMP officers were recently injured in a shooting in Melville, Saskatchewan. Following that incident, the RCMP emailed journalists asking them not to publish information provided by witnesses as it could “reshape memories that influence future interviews” and “impact future jury pools.” The email suggests that any media “in receipt of a special detail” should reach out to the RCMP before [...]