Prime Minister’s Office confirms it cancelled year-end media interviews following fallout from Freeland’s bombshell mic drop

The PMO cancelled interviews with at least seven outlets: Global News, CBC, CTV, Radio-Canada, TVA Nouvelles, and a joint interview with CityNews and OMNI Television. Spark Advocacy’s Bruce Anderson says if ‘your plan is to challenge Canadians to follow your leadership in an impending economic/trade crisis, as a way of saving your leadership, you do not give up these communications platforms.’
The daily news miracle

One of the daily miracles of the media world is that there is always exactly enough news to fill the slot.
Rise of Bluesky may create progressive ‘echo chamber,’ say observers as more MPs join

‘If you don’t allow yourself to be exposed to opposing viewpoints, that can actually increase polarization,’ says former Conservative staffer Jennifer Laewetz.
Côté marks her half-century on the Hill as Long Service Awards are doled out

Plus, the Queen’s Gates are getting a facelift, Marie-Danielle Smith and Murad Hemmadi get mugged, and Philip Ling leaves as Mike Blanchfield returns.
Breaking: the CBC and our link to public broadcasting?

If this is public broadcasting’s last chance to save itself, it needs to move fast—and the majority of Canadians who, polls say, still support the limping institution will need to make their voices heard.
‘This rhetoric paves the way for something much larger, much darker’: Carol Off talks about her timely new book

At a Loss for Words: Conservations in an Age of Rage examines the growing manipulation of basic terms to sow division, which Carol Off saw first hand in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. She says she wrote the book for Canadian politicians, including Pierre Poilievre, who might be attracted to the rhetoric employed by demagogue-minded leaders like Donald Trump.
Journalist accused of being a Russian asset says committee ‘played host to character assassination’

Canadian reporter David Pugliese says he was compelled to testify at committee after being accused of being a Russian asset by ex-Conservative MP Chris Alexander: ‘Not one MP on the committee raised a single critical question about these explosive allegations.’
New CBC CEO must address Canadians’ concerns directly to combat Conservatives’ calls for cuts: Bloc MP Champoux

McGill University researcher Jessica Johnson says most Canadians across the political spectrum agree on the value of an effective public broadcaster.
CRTC says decision on Google’s Online News Act exemption expected this fall

The regulator misses the Canadian Journalism Collective’s Oct. 7 deadline for media fund money to be distributed before year’s end.
Disinformation is not new, but better strategies needed to shield public from threats, committee hears

For the past eight months, the RCMP has been preparing ‘for the next election because we are expecting potential interference,’ according to Ethics Committee testimony.