The Latest

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the Centre for Free Expression is suspending all its public panels and its film series for March and April. At the end of April, we will assess the situation on the advice of public health authorities and make a further announcement. The staff of the Centre will be working from home during this period. You can always reach us at cfe@ryerson.ca

The police forces in Sudbury, Windsor, Peterborough, Longueuil, Quebec City, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and the Ontario Provincial Police share the distinction of winning the 2019 Code of Silence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy in the category of law enforcement agencies. 

The Town of Erin, Ontario, is the 2019 recipient of the Code of Silence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy in the category of municipal government. The award is given annually by the Canadian Association of Journalists, Centre for Free Expression at Ryerson University, News Media Canada and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, to call public attention to governments and government departments and agencies that put extra effort into denying public access to information to which the public has a right under access to information legislation.

News Reports and Commentary Selected by Franklin Carter of the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee.   Lydia Perovic, a journalist who moved to Canada from Montenegro in 1999, considers the health of free expression in Canada today.

Roman Polanksi’s back in the news again, this time because of the 12 César Academy nominations he received for his latest film, An Officer and a Spy. Outrage ensued, as it always does, whenever the fugitive director receives any recognition for his work.  In response to the criticism, the entire César Academy Board resigned last week. 

News Reports and Commentary Selected by Franklin Carterof the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee.   In an Ontario courtroom, a judge recently ruled against several anonymous defendants who had posted defamatory messages on the Internet.