![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bygeorgejournal.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/NI_kent-1024x640-300x188.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Conservative MP (and former news anchor) Peter Kent <\/em><\/p>\n rails against the Liberals recently announced $600 million bailout <\/em><\/p>\n of some of Canada\u2019s newspapers.\u00a0Photo: Global News<\/em><\/p>\n The Niagara Independent, May 24, 2019 \u2014 <\/em>What will \u201cfreedom of the press\u201d mean in his country if two media-related initiatives recently announcement by the Trudeau government be implemented? Originally introduced in the federal budget, this week the government has provided details of how they will fund the news rooms of our major newspapers. Also this week, the Trudeau government provided further ideas on how and what they intend to censor in social media in the run up to the election.<\/p>\n The federal budget set forth a fund of $600 million to be paid to selected Canadian newspapers. From Finance Minister Bill Morneau\u2019s first mention of this bailout it has been criticized as potentially undermining the freedom of the press and, possibly as Andrew Coyne has forewarned, it will \u201cirrevocably politicize the press.\u201d\u00a0 Conservative MP and former newsman Peter Kent flatly stated the government should not be \u201cgetting involved in this sort of direct subsidy to what is supposed to be an independent estate.\u201d Kent says, \u201cFrom top to bottom it smells. It\u2019s simply unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n What is most problematic is how the funding will be awarded. Details have been shared that the government will be comprising (what they have called) an \u201cA-list\u201d of newspapers and websites judged to be \u201creliable.\u201d It is only those A-list news organizations that are eligible for the promised $600 million.<\/p>\n This week the Trudeau government released its special advisory panel that will be selecting the A-list of reliable media. Of the eight organizations, two are unions and six are industry groups; four are English and four Francophone; and there are no independent media representation. And much is being reported on the blatantly partisan union group Unifor, who has collectively styled themselves as \u201cAndrew Scheer\u2019s worst nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n As National Post political columnist Chris Shelly puts it: Liberal\u2019s media bailout puts foxes in charge of the chickens. He writes: \u201cIf the heritage minister had explicitly set out to bolster the notion that Canadian media are bought and paid for by the Liberals, he could have done no better\u2026 Now the Liberals literally want to cut media organizations cheques, and people claiming to act in journalists\u2019 and journalism\u2019s best interests are climbing all over each other not just to be first in line, but to decide who goes home empty-handed.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s more. Prime Minister Trudeau has also recently announced that his government is introducing a new digital charter to begin censoring social media in order to combat hate speech, misinformation and online electoral interference. The PM stated: \u201cWe look forward to working alongside internet companies, but indeed, if they do not choose to act, we will be forced to continue to act in ways that protect Canadians\u2026\u201d Though there are no details known as of yet, Trudeau has warned of \u201cmeaningful financial consequences\u201d for social media giants that do not comply with the government initiative.<\/p>\n So, to follow-up on the PMs announcement, this week Innovation Minister\u00a0Navdeep Bains unveiled a ten-point\u00a0digital charter. This charter includes principles about eliminating hate speech, political misinformation and electoral interference \u2013 with no technical details or definitions. How does one define these terms? They mean different things to different people. If the government intends on censoring social media, precise definitions for these terms and an acceptable process for policing Canadians\u2019 social media accounts are first required.<\/p>\n In a Sun Media Editorial entitled \u201cNo partisan politician should be able to police the internet\u201d the news organization stated: \u201cTrudeau has a major conflict of interest in this case. The truth is that no politician should be put in charge of setting the terms of how to regulate social media. The public use social media to engage in all sorts of colourful commentary on political matters, some of it deeply critical of Trudeau. Is that what he intends to ban?\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, there have been too many disturbing stories coming from Ottawa about the Prime Minister\u2019s inner circles and their relationships with the country\u2019s media. The PM\u2019s chief of staff Katie Telford talked of securing positive \u201cop eds from friendly editors\u201d when the PMO wanted to strike back against Jody Wilson-Raybould. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale suggested the government might monitor and censor Canadians\u2019 Twitter and Facebook feeds to remove content the government deems problematic or toxic. Then there is also CBC and Radio Canada, the country\u2019s public broadcasters that are producing more online print news and social media content.<\/p>\n With the latest Trudeau Government initiatives, the lines between our government leaders and our national press corps are becoming increasingly blurred. With this happening so quickly, only months from a federal election, there should be cause for concern. It was the renowned American news reporter and anchor Walter Cronkite who observed, \u201cFreedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chris George<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is an Ottawa-based government affairs advisor and wordsmith, president of\u00a0CG&A COMMUNICATIONS<\/a>. Contact:\u00a0ChrisG.George@gmail.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n