CBC ordered to release records of communication with X withheld from independent journalists

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has been ordered to release records pertaining to its communication with X that had previously been withheld from independent journalists.

Canadian Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard ruled that the CBC's actions were not justified.

According to the Independent Press Gallery of Canada, the investigation found that CBC "failed to justify it refusal to release the records" by "wrongly claiming that disclosure could endanger individuals or facilitate a crime."

The records between CBC employees and X, dating back to 2018, were first requested by Rebel News. The CBC refused, despite federal transparency laws requiring that they provide access.

The Independent Press Gallery said it "welcomes this ruling and supports accountability in publicly-funded institutions," with President Sheila Gunn Reid adding that, "Canadians deserve transparency from organizations that operate with their tax dollars."

She said blocking independent journalists from accessing public records about its operations "sets a dangerous precedent and runs contrary to the values of a free press."