NDP Statement on World Press Freedom Day

Jagmeet Singh Leader of Canada’s NDP issued the following statement:

“Today, we celebrate the role of journalists who work to keep those in power in check, to help build a free and more open society and to ensure people get quality information.

The pandemic revealed how access to reliable information is a matter of life and death. People need access to reliable, fact-checked, and transparent reporting to make well-informed decisions to stay safe.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme is “Information as a Public Good” which serves as a call to uphold the importance of information as a public good. We know that people get their news from different communication systems – including social media. To tackle misinformation and disinformation we must act to strengthen journalism and transparency on online platforms.

As people rely more and more on web giants for information, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals must finally act to hold them accountable and make them pay their fair share.

Over the years, we have seen hundreds of local newspapers shutting down, journalists losing their jobs, while web giants profit off the work of Canadian journalists. The Liberals choose to protect web giants’ profits instead of making them pay their fair share to invest in reviving local and good quality journalism. This is wrong. Countries like France and Australia are well ahead in making web giants pay their fair share. Canada needs to catch up. It can be done.

New Democrats will continue to stand up to web giants and protect journalism. By taking bold action, the government could save local media, and make sure people are getting reliable, transparent, and quality information.”