Freedom of the Press

Toronto: July 11,2019 - The Centre for Free Expression is pleased to announce the newest addition to its Occasional Paper Series, “Populism and Free Speech” by Jon Thompson. The paper explores the contradictory history of populism -- at times a force for social justice and at other times  to undermine democratic rights of marginalized groups. Thompson  argues that progressive populist action is required to successfully deal with the existential challenges of nuclear war, climate change and chemical pollution.   

You will likely have seen quite a few opinion pieces lately about what’s being called variously the “Canadian” media bailout, the “government” media bailout and the “Liberal” media bailout.  So, yes, there’s a media bailout afoot. 

On November 30, 2018, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its decision in the closely watched VICE appeal.  The big question at the heart of VICE was simple:  when will courts compel the media to give police material relating to a journalist’s previously published communications with non-confidential sources for the police to use against those sourc