What to know
- Doug Ford bans reporters from attending and covering the Progressive Conservative’s convention in Toronto this weekend.
- Journalism professors Christopher Arsenault and Sonya Fatah heavily criticize his decision, noting that banning reporters from the event is worrying for accountability and transparency.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is banning journalists from attending the Progressive Conservative convention in Toronto this weekend.
This news comes days after local and national media outlets — like the Toronto Star — inquired about securing media accreditation for the event.
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While in Ottawa for a meeting of the Council of the Federation on Wednesday, Ford attempted to defend the decision. He responded to a reporter questioning the move, saying “Well, you know something, it’s a convention, and I’m out in the media almost every second day, and we’ll chat, but this is a party convention. So, we’re going to keep it as a party convention, but I’m always open to sit down and chat with you folks anytime you want.”
A worrying move for transparency
Christopher Arsenault, program chair for Western University’s Master of Media in Journalism and Communication, says Ford banning media from the convention “is a worrying decision for transparency and the public’s right to know.”
“I cannot think of another case in recent Canadian memory of a governing political party banning journalists from their convention,” he says. “Historically, conventions have been major media events. These are supposed to be a chance for a party to present its successes, rally its partisans and outline what they plan to do next.”
Arsenault says allowing journalists into political conventions should be “the bare minimum for transparency,” especially given the trade war, new layoffs at General Motors in Oshawa and “the long running feud between the Ontario Progressive Conservatives and the federal party.”
“Barring reporters from this convention is a worrying trend for accountability and press freedom.”
Sonya Fatah, an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Journalism, says closing the convention to reporters is a sign of weakening democracy.
“Those who choose elected office must understand that they are accountable to the people they claim to serve,” she says. “Reporting on party conventions has been a long-standing practice and the decision to close doors to the press is a sign of weakening democratic practice and a rejection of the role of media to serve the public.”
The provincial Progressive Conservative convention will be held the same weekend as federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poillievre’s leadership review, which is open to the media.
