Why do Conservatives hate public television?
At the Tory leadership debate in Edmonton last Wednesday, the mere mention of the word CBC elicited boos. Loud shouts and hisses were quickly muffled by the microphones as the format for the event prohibited anyone from clapping, cheering, or booing. The format also prevented anyone from mentioning another politician’s name. When that happened, the […]
Conservative thinkers contemplate regulating big tech
Some Conservative thinkers are beginning to contemplate how they would regulate big technology companies if elected to federal government. Conservative political commentator Jamil Jivani, who was speaking on a panel discussion on “debating big tech” at the three-day Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference on Friday in Ottawa, said regulating big tech fits well with the […]
Information warfare amid Russian invasion of Ukraine forces feds to sort fact from fiction
With Russia disseminating disinformation about its invasion of Ukraine, the Canadian government is left trying to combat mistruths while ascertaining how the invasion is actually being carried out. In opposition to widespread reporting, Russia has declared that it is Ukraine killing its own civilians and that it is not at war. In an interview with […]
Online startup wins press freedom award for coverage of COVID’s impact on ‘neglected’ Peel Region
The Local freelance reporter Fatima Syed and editor Tai Huynh have been named joint winners of the 2022 Press Freedom Award for their coverage of the effects COVID had on immigrants and frontline workers in Ontario’s Peel Region, just outside of Toronto. Syed and Huynh, who is also publisher of the Toronto-based journalism startup, were […]
As the Conservative Party goes full MAGA, we all lose
OTTAWA—The Conservatives have removed their patina of integrity and propriety to go full MAGA. Finally. They’ve been swirling around this bowl for a while. If former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, who infamously defended the residential school system, was their great moderate hope, they have some serious problems. We are at a crossroads in this country. […]
Investigations into Catholic Church finances, military sexual misconduct among finalists for journalism awards
Journalism awards season is well underway. The Michener Awards Foundation has announced the finalists for its 2021 award for public service journalism, and the Canadian Association of Journalists has announced most of the finalists for its slate of 2021 awards, ahead of its May 28 awards gala. Several finalists were recognized for their work on […]
Legacy media players shouldn’t expect smooth switch to digital
OTTAWA—This week marks my three-year anniversary writing for the Hill Times and five years of writing in general, in addition to five years of producing, writing, recording, and curating political and pop culture content for the Bad + Bitchy podcast. In this time, the news media landscape has shifted its tectonic plates to a decentralized […]
Governments need to use social media influencers as part of their communications strategy
Recent news that the federal government had spent more than $600,000 on social media influencers to promote federal initiatives, including promotion of the COVID-19 vaccine, left some critics questioning why the government chose this route and if it was the best way to spend taxpayer dollars. A better question is: what would be the cost […]
Faced with deluge of misinformation, MPs, Senators say they’re doing what they can to fight the spread
Faced with a surge of misinformation and conspiratorial thinking among the general public, Parliamentarians are raising the alarm, and are pushing back by talking to people directly, compiling research, and being mindful of the content they themselves digest and produce. “We are seeing the radicalization of an increasing number of Canadians,” NDP MP Peter Julian […]
Western Standard opens a new Ottawa bureau
On March 14, the Western Standard opened a new Ottawa bureau with two new reporters on the federal politics beat, Rachel Emmanuel and Matthew Horwood. Horwood most recently worked at The Hill Times, and has also freelanced for Ottawa Life Magazine, The Kitchissippi Times, and The Ottawa Business Journal. Emmanuel, who most recently worked at iPolitics and interned […]
