News

In a welcome move, the Federal Government has responded immediately to today’s expert panel recommendation to end the political activity audits of charities begun under the Harper government.

The Centre for Free Expression, Newspapers Canada, Canadian Association of Journalists, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression and la Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec have jointly written Treasury Board President, Scott Brison, expressing concern about the government’s decision to indefinitely postpone making reforms to strengthen Canada’s Access-to-Information legislation.

CFE Senior Fellow David Hutton has published an excellent 4-part series in The Hill Times that critically examines federal whistleblower protection in Canada. Click on the links below to read the articles. David Hutton, House Government Operations Committee leaps into action to protect whistleblowers, or does it?, The Hill Times, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 12:00 AM

A survey conducted by the Centre for Free Expression, in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Journalists and PEN Canada, finds writers and journalists have serious concerns about mass surveillance, resulting in some now self-censoring their own activities. Chilling Free Expression in Canada reports the results of a survey of 129 Canadian writers and journalists between May 27 and June 20, 2016.

Chief Justice Strathy of the Ontario Court of Appeal has granted leave to intervene to a coalition of eight organizations, including the Centre for Free Expression, in the appeal of a court order requiring VICE Canada national security reporter Ben Makuch to hand over all notes and communications between him and a suspected ISIS fighter to the RCMP. “Journalists cannot do their jobs of informing the public on controversial issues if they are forced to hand over notes from their discussions with confidential sources,” said James L. Turk, Director of the Centre for Free Expression.

The Centre for Free Expression has joined 34 national and international organizations in calling on the Canadian government to put human rights, especially free expression and press freedom, at the heart of the “renewed” Canada-China relationship.