Public trust in government, business, media erode following dramatic spring 2020 surge, according to survey
Public trust in government and business came back down to Earth last fall, falling significantly from a high point during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by communications firm Edelman. Canadians became fatigued by lockdowns and what they feel is the spread of disinformation online and in the news, the […]
It’s time for a private-sector sunshine law
Kudos to The Globe and Mail for digging into the darker side of Bay Street’s dirty little secrets. In a series on workforce gender bias last week, the Globe published confidential information on the remuneration of partners in one of Canada’s largest business law firms. At Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP, female equity partners earn […]
Rebel Media lawsuits target journalists, chill speech, says reporter facing litigation
Two lawsuits launched by Rebel Media against media outlets have been dismissed under Ontario’s anti-SLAPP law, a sign that the law is working to protect press freedom, say journalists still facing litigation from the far-right website. Earlier this month, Ontario Superior Court Justice James Diamond ruled in favour of Al Jazeera and Brendan DeMelle for […]
On reducing harm, improving democratic expression on the internet
“Today, anyone can own a corner of the internet. More people than ever can benefit from enhanced access to knowledge, community and collective action. But there is also the darker side. Along with a more open and accessible public square has come a less trustworthy and safe one. This represents one of the central paradoxes […]
‘Canadians have grown impatient’: regulation of social media in the works, but Parliamentarians wary
As the federal government looks to set down rules around hate and harmful speech online, MPs and experts are still unclear as to what the legislation is going to look like, but all say there’s work to be done to tamper some of the unsavoury elements of social media in Canada’s political discourse. Liberal MP […]
Hate and paranoia abound in political social media, as federal Liberals prepare to intervene
Expressions of hate and paranoia, and conspiracy theories with roots in the United States have become a staple of Canadian political Facebook pages, as the Liberal government prepares legislation to crack down on social media platforms that don’t remove hate speech quickly enough. The Liberal Party of Canada Facebook page is no exception. It doesn’t […]
‘The closest equivalent is Afghanistan’: Canadian correspondents on navigating the Washington insurrection
Canadian reporters on the scene for the insurrection on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., earlier this month say the atmosphere reminded them of covering Afghanistan, rife with violence and escalating anger. It was just one of the events that marked coverage of the U.S. under the Donald Trump administration as considerably different from covering politics […]
Feds should establish regulator to rein in ‘Wild West’ of social media, says report
Ottawa should move to establish a new regulator with the power to rein in the “Wild West” of social media, giving the body oversight in holding tech giants accountable for the proliferation of harmful, hateful content on their platforms, says a government-funded report. In a study released Wednesday by the Public Policy Forum’s Canadian Commission […]
Twitter’s crackdown on Trump ‘a Band-Aid on a wound,’ say politicos
The de-platforming of outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump by various social media companies is akin to putting a Band-Aid on a wound and should prompt deep reflection about the conditions that led to the political violence in the U.S., say some politicians. Mr. Trump was impeached on Jan. 13 by the U.S. House of Representatives […]
The Bye bye is a great Quebec tradition
MONTREAL—Happy New Year. Bonne Année. It began with a laugh, as I joined four million viewers in the annual New Year’s Eve ritual of le Bye bye, as it is known here. The Radio-Canada program is a satirical variety show of skits skewering the powerful and satirizing the year’s events. But it is much more: […]
