Conservatives should use press freedom day to cancel plans to interfere in negotiations
OTTAWA — The Conservative government should use World Press Freedom Day to withdraw its plan to interfere in CBC negotiations, NDP Heritage critic Pierre Nantel said Friday.
“The new budget implementation bill, tabled this week, provides that the Conservatives can interfere in the negotiation process at Radio-Canada, an independent Crown corporation for 80 years, to dictate the salary conditions of journalists whose job it is to monitor the government,” said Nantel.
The MP also deplores the Conservatives’ relentlessness with Radio-Canada. Bill C-461, currently before Parliament, is a direct attack on the independence of Radio-Canada and journalistic sources.
Canada has slipped from 10th to 20th place in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. “We are now after Costa Rica, Namibia, Andorra and Liechtenstein. RSF points the finger at the actions of the Conservative government, and the threats to the confidentiality of journalistic sources, for this downfall,” said Mr. Nantel.
The NDP will continue to defend the independence of the CBC and Canada’s international reputation for press freedom.