Dan Albas MP
  • Home
  • MP Report
  • About Dan
  • What Seniors Need To Know
  • Contact
  • Constituency Services
  • Dan in Ottawa
  • Disclosure
  • Videos
  • Home
  • MP Report
  • About Dan
  • What Seniors Need To Know
  • Contact
  • Constituency Services
  • Dan in Ottawa
  • Disclosure
  • Videos

MP Report

Politics and media subsidies

5/22/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
In one of my November 2018 MP Reports, I referenced the Fall Economic Statement that included a number of new announcements including a controversial $595 million dollars to subsidize some Canadian media organizations.

I observed that this media subsidy raised serious concerns from many prominent journalists on the important role of journalistic independence from government.  

I also raised some of my own questions.

If a media organization is denied funding, what recourse does it have?  

Should it change the style or tone of reporting?

Cover different stories?

Hire a lobbyist?

There remain no answers.

There is also the fact that the Liberals introduced this media subsidy program in an election year.

At that time, the Liberals indicated they would appoint a panel to decide who is, and who is not, eligible for this funding.

This week the Liberals revealed the organizations that will serve on that panel.

They are: News Media Canada, the Association de la presse francophone, the Quebec Community Newspaper Association, the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, the Canadian Association of Journalists, the Federation professionnelle des journalistes du Québec, the Federation nationale des communications and Unifor.

The choice of these appointments has raised some serious media alarm bells.

Canadian columnist Andrew Coyne stated: “It is quite clear now, if it was not already: this is the most serious threat to the
independence of the press in this country in decades.”

From my own perspective I also have very serious concerns about this program. 

In response to the breaking news from the Globe & Mail regarding SNC Lavalin, Mr.Trudeau claimed:

"The allegations in the Globe story are false.”

In other words, he seemed to imply it was a “fake news” story, a tactic increasingly used south of our border. 

It is therefore concerning that Mr. Trudeau is naming organizations who will ultimately be deciding which media organizations are eligible for this subsidy program.

As a result, I believe it is critically important that only independent non-partisan organizations should have a role in this. 

For example, one of Mr. Trudeau’s appointments is Unifor. 

Unifor is a union that represents many journalists and other staff who work in variety of different media organizations.

Unifor’s National Executive Board have publicly stated that they will be “the worst nightmare” of the leader of the Conservative Opposition in the upcoming election. 

These views are well known and despite that, Mr.Trudeau has appointed this politically partisan union to participate in the process of selecting eligible media set to partake of a large Liberal government subsidy.

Regardless of personal political views, I believe adding partisan interests to this process should raise serious worry. 

My question this week: 

​Do you support this media subsidy being influenced by partisan groups such as Unifor or do you think it should be a non-partisan process?

I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca  or toll free at 1-800-665-8711.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to the MP Report

    Sign up now to get Dan's weekly MP report emailed directly to you! 
    OR
    Sign up now to get a monthly MP Report mailed directly to your home.
    Subscribe Here

    Author

    Dan Albas is the Member of Parliament  for the riding of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola.
    ​
    Communicating with his constituents is one of his top priorities. Dan writes a new MP Report each week.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

​Dan Albas is the proud Member of Parliament for 
Central Okanagan – Similkameen – Nicola
Subscribe to Dan's MP Report
Contact Dan
Photos used under Creative Commons from comedy_nose, bulliver, FutUndBeidl, scazon, Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, Chris Lancaster, Jamie In Bytown, mikecogh, couloir