Staff inside Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Privy Council Office took part in a confidential federal meeting to discuss which reporters should receive government accreditation and which could be denied access, according to Access To Information records released this week.Blacklock's Reporter says the March 10 meeting, involving officials from the Privy Council Office, Global Affairs Canada, Treasury Board, Canada Revenue Agency and the immigration department, focused on creating a more unified federal media accreditation system amid growing concerns over independent journalism and alternative media outlets.Documents obtained through Access To Information requests show bureaucrats debated how departments determine whether journalists are considered “bona fide” members of the press and whether existing standards should be tightened or standardized across government.“On March 10 we met with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Treasury Board, Canada Revenue Agency and the Privy Council Office to discuss the federal media accreditation process and assess whether departments should better align their approaches in light of a rapidly evolving media landscape,” said a March 11 internal immigration department email.The same email acknowledged departments were using inconsistent standards when deciding which journalists qualified for official access. “Participants noted most departments rely on case-by-case judgment.”.Frédéric Baril, director general of public affairs at the immigration department, told colleagues the discussions were aimed at improving relations with reporters and developing a broader framework that could eventually be adopted across Ottawa.“We see this discussion as an opportunity to develop something that will be useful not only for us but also for other departments,” Baril wrote.Officials also raised concerns that existing rules did not adequately address the growth of independent media organizations and self-published journalists operating outside traditional newsroom structures.The closed-door talks came one day after the immigration department confirmed it would no longer provide media access to outlets that did not meet its definition of “bona fide” journalism. Internal records indicated priority access would instead be directed toward reporters employed by federally subsidized news organizations.“Media accreditation criteria were developed to ensure resources we allocate genuinely support access to high quality information while safeguarding press freedom,” one government document stated. .“That said, we have launched a review of our accreditation criteria to stay aligned with the best practices.”One censored internal email warned federal officials against creating an overly restrictive accreditation regime that could sideline independent journalists.“There are many journalists who work independently and have started their own platforms that do not carry ‘qualified Canadian journalism organization’ designations,” the anonymous author wrote.“For this reason I worry the policy that has been put in place is too rigid in its interpretation of who qualifies as a bona fide journalist.”The revelations surfaced only weeks before Carney marked World Press Freedom Day on May 3 with a public statement praising the role of journalism in Canadian democracy.“Journalism empowers us with truth and protects our democracy,” Carney said at the time.“We must protect what it means to be Canadian,” he added. “A strong, independent and free press both defines and defends our values.”Carney also warned Canadians about the dangers of foreign influence and misinformation, saying: “In a sea of foreign media and disinformation, we need Canadian voices more than ever.”
