Journalists targeted for doing their job

Journalists targeted for doing their job

Tom Henheffer, Executive Director of the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression at Toronto City Hall, May 4, 2015 Photo: HG

By Mila Astorga-Garcia

TORONTO–Things have changed for journalists. Today, journalists are targeted for simply doing their job. Some are targeted by criminals, terrorists, the multinational corporations, the military and government, says Tom Henheffer, Executive Director of the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, and principal speaker during the World Press Freedom Day commemoration by the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC), held May 4 at the Toronto City Hall.

Speaking before a huge audience of journalists, government officials, members of the diplomatic community and guests, Henheffer cited the beheadings of journalists by ISIS; the killing of journalists by drug lords; the harassment, repression and killing of investigative journalists by corporations threatened by exposes; and the digital surveillance, harassment, intimidation by government and the military.

Exhibit of ethnic newspapers at City Hall Rotunda
PHOTO: JOHN SARAS

In Canada, there are many ways journalists are targeted, he said, and these range from digital surveillance; to depriving them of their right to information such as access to federal scientists and their work; and subjecting their organizations to audits.

He cited alarming worldwide statistics of 152 journalists killed in 2014; 34 in 2015; and 221 jailed.

He said even in Western countries like Canada, the rights of journalists to access to information have worsened. He cited, for instance that while in the past, a journalist could have access to federal scientists and their work, it was no longer the case nowadays.

Henheffer made reference to the findings of the PEN-initiated Censorship Tracker which reports free expression violations from across Canada. These violations, as cited in the CJFE media release on World Press Freedom Day, include “the silencing of federal scientists, civil injunctions against protesters, and a number of defamation suits,” as well as “restrictions on access to information” and “cuts to support for public media.”

Photo of 3 newspapers in City Hall exhibit Ethnic Press. (PHOTO: MG)

He also cited CJFE’s 2015 Review of Free Expression in Canada which reveals “the extent to which the federal government has expanded its powers to withhold information.” The report says that Canadians want transparency, oversight and privacy protection from government.

The recent poll of 1,000 Canadians throughout the country reveals that 94 percent want scientists to speak freely about their research; 85 percent are concerned that the government can track the cell phone metadata (location data, call logs, etc.) of some Canadians without oversight or appropriate warrants from the courts; and 87 percent are concerned about the absence of government openness around digital surveillance and monitoring activities.

“Canadians are waking up and realizing that their right to know is slipping away,” Henheffer said in a CJFE press release on May 5. “With federal scientists being silenced, a digital surveillance regime growing out of control, and little support for journalists who find themselves in danger, freedom of expression is under attack. Our poll shows that Canadians understand that what we don’t know can hurt us, and they want change,” Henheffer said.

Other issues in the report are the interference of politicians in the policy-making process; anti-terror legislation and digital surveillance practices whereby the federal government allows itself “greater powers to spy, seize and interfere with the lives of Canadians… while setting back Canadians’ privacy and personal freedoms.”

Henheffer also cited that groups critical to such practices are subjected to audit by the Canada Revenue Agency, among them, the David Suzuki Foundation, PEN Canada, and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives,” resulting in what he calls “a chill” felt across the charitable sector.

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The National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada organized an event to honour the memory of 114 journalists killed in action in 2014. There is a week-long exhibition to showcase the various ethnic publications of Canada, at Toronto City Hall Rotunda.

Big audience at Toronto City Hall Hall Rotunda.

Thomas Saras, NEPMCC president; Ned Blair; Tony Ruprecht

Roberto Charles, Rathika Sitsabaiesan, Thomas Saras and Tony Ruprecht.
(3 PHOTOS: JOHN SARAS)

Singers: Maria Saras-Voutsinas and Liz West. Mark Daprato on drums, Andrew James on bass, David Bennett and Phil Triadafilopoulos on guitar. PHOTO: HG