WATCH: Video captures CBC reporter’s outburst over denied question

RICHMOND — CBC reporter Caroline Barghout launched into a heated on-camera confrontation with Pierre Poilievre’s press secretary Maal Teng-yang on Thursday afternoon after being denied a question during a press conference on private property rights..The public outburst took place on a suburban farm in Richmond, B.C., in the area affected by a recent Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title ruling. It was captured on video and audio by the Western Standard and the New Westminster Times..The footage shows Barghout, dressed in a bright purple coat, black trousers, and large sunglasses, becoming visibly agitated. She gestures emphatically with open hands, repeatedly places one hand on her chest, extends small papers or cards toward campaign staff, turns her body, and speaks with evident frustration.“You intentionally refused to take my question. Did anybody see that? We all saw that. You intentionally refused to take my question,” Barghout said, addressing those around her. “Was that a direction from Mr. Poilievre or was that your own?”“There was no direction,” Teng-yang replied calmly.“You don’t even know what my question was,” Barghout responded. “You refuse to let me ask a question because I work for the CBC. Why is that? I was first in line. I kept telling you, I’d like to ask a question, and you intentionally went around me.”David Brett of the New Westminster Times offered a different perspective. “It did not seem to me she was being intentionally excluded,” Brett told the Western Standard. “The ‘line’ for questions was more of a clump of reporters and I noticed Caroline kind of jostling to get in front of others.”Brett noted that CTV, Global News, CityTV, Bloomberg, The Canadian Press, the Western Standard, the New Westminster Times and other outlets all received questions, describing it as “a fair balancing of independent and mainstream media questions.”.The incident comes amid repeated criticism from CBC and other national media outlets that Poilievre’s campaign restricts media access and limits opportunities for questioning. The Western Standard emailed Barghout directly the morning after the event, seeking clarification on the specific question she hoped to ask and whether she saw any inconsistency in highlighting access issues at Conservative events while similar practices have been documented at Liberal Party gatherings. The email requested a response by noon PST and noted that a lack of reply would be reflected in the reporting.The inquiry was referred upward to Chuck Thompson, Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice-President of CBC, who responded only by confirming Barghout’s attendance: “Caroline Barghout was attending yesterday’s presser on behalf of CBC News. She was there to ask questions of the Leader of the Official Opposition.”A follow-up seeking further comment on the matter, including questions about consistency in media access practices, was redirected to a third CBC staff member who then reiterated Thompson’s limited statement with no additional comment.

WATCH: Video captures CBC reporter’s outburst over denied question

Related Stories