Journalists inherit ‘institutional blindspots’ that cloud coverage of race in politics, says media expert
Increasing the diversity of newsrooms isn’t a cure-all for improving political coverage of racialized people, says a media expert, who argues that journalists often end up inheriting the institutional blindspots of the outlets they work for. “Even journalists of colour sometimes will produce coverage that differentiates and treats white and racialized subjects differently,” said Erin […]
Three Globe and Mail Hill reporters to take voluntary buyouts
Gloria Galloway and Barrie McKenna will be joining fellow The Globe and Mail reporter Shawn McCarthy in taking voluntary buyouts from the paper. The three journalists have a combined 70 years of experience working for The Globe. Ms. Galloway joined The Globe‘s Ottawa bureau in 2004, following a stint as the newspaper’s deputy national editor. […]
Media fund panel takes shape amid transparency, partisanship concerns
Representatives are in place for the eight groups tasked with guiding the government on which journalism organizations should benefit from its nearly $600-million media-support fund, but only after securing a promise from the Liberals on more transparency. Outlined in the 2019 budget, $595-million was allocated through a new refundable tax credit for journalism organizations, a […]
House Ethics Committee aims to leave strong roadmap, impetus for next Parliament to regulate social media, big data
The House Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics Committee will be working to draft an international “book of best practices” for combatting online misinformation and predatory data practices after the international committee gathering in Ottawa last week, says chair, Conservative MP Bob Zimmer. Legislators from 11 countries participated in the International Grand Committee on Big […]
Social media can be powerful campaign tool, but Canadian politicians have much to learn
OTTAWA—From the moment we heard about her, the radical young woman from New York who dared issue a primary challenge to a long-sitting House Democrat, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has illustrated that social media can be a powerful campaign tool—if used correctly. Candidates for our upcoming federal election should be taking notes, because their social media game […]
Social media execs face grilling at Ottawa summit, as global consensus on need for government regulation grows
Representatives from Google, Twitter, and Facebook, in particular, faced relentless grilling from elected officials representing 11 countries during an international meeting on data privacy in Ottawa on Tuesday, with officials speaking to a growing global consensus on the need for governments to co-ordinate internationally to regulate social media platforms. “What we’re seeing from the expertise […]
Digital charter a missed opportunity to spur real change
On May 21, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains gave a couple more details about the government’s new Digital Charter, first announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Paris on May 16. The initial announcement by Mr. Trudeau came a day after his endorsement of the Christchurch Call to Action—an international pledge to eliminate terrorist and violent […]
Social media companies that violate new political ad rules, even inadvertently, will be fined, minister suggests
Canada has a new regime for online political ads heading into October’s election, but in an interview last week the minister responsible expressed some frustration with certain social media companies’ approach to the new system. Instead of agreeing to implement a registry of all campaign ads, as is required by the newly passed election-reform law […]
Scribes, politicos to rub elbows at Politics and the Pen
The 2018 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing will be unveiled at the annual Politics and the Pen showcase May 15, which typically brings together more than 500 writers, politicians, lobbyists, and staffers. This year’s gathering will be hosted by Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould and Conservative MP Erin O’Toole. The event at the Château […]
The EU and Canada: a transatlantic partnership with a strong digital dimension
Relations between the European Union and Canada are probably stronger now than they have ever been before. The Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, both signed in October 2016, show our mutual commitment to an open, democratic, sustainable, and progressive international order. I am delighted that an EU-Canada digital dialogue is […]
