CALGARY — A former CTV foreign correspondent has accused Canada’s largest media organizations of acting as government propagandists during the COVID-19 pandemic and suppressing criticism of vaccine mandates.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Rodney Palmer told a public hearing that media organizations dependent on federal subsidies or government-issued broadcast licences helped silence dissent by dismissing critics as anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists and sources of misinformation.“I’m talking here about the CBC because it’s a Crown corporation funded by federal tax dollars in its entirety, but it’s not alone,” said Palmer, a former Beijing bureau chief for CTV National News.“What I’ve just said here could go for just about any news organization: the Globe and Mail, the National Post, Global TV, CTV, many of my former employers. I worked in these organizations and I saw them doing the same thing.”Palmer made the comments Friday during a public hearing convened by Conservative MP Dean Allison of Niagara West, Ontario, examining COVID mandates and Parliament’s $75 million Vaccine Injury Support Program..WATCH: Dramatic testimony from families of vaccine-injured at the Allison Inquiry.“They called them anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists and misinformation on social media,” Palmer said.“You don’t want to be called this so you don’t speak up. You self-censor. You shut the hell up instead of coming forward with the truth. This is the language of propaganda and it’s extremely effective, and I want to tell everyone here today.”Palmer pointed to a June 13, 2021, CBC News article that challenged early concerns about possible vaccine-related injuries.The article quoted an infectious disease expert who said claims that COVID-19 vaccines could cause long-term side effects were “completely untrue.”“This is a thing state broadcasters do,” Palmer said. “They attempt to supplant themselves as the arbiters of truth and divide you.”The Vaccine Injury Support Program has paid $21.5 million to people who suffered vaccine-related injuries or died following vaccination.Payments have been approved in 274 of 3,557 claims after a medical review board determined there was a probable connection between the vaccine and an injury that was serious and permanent. Other claims remain under review..WATCH: Allison Inquiry opens on Parliament Hill to hear alleged COVID vaccine injuries.Conservative MP Glen Motz of Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner said the consistency of corporate media coverage supporting vaccine mandates reflected a broader problem.“Many of us have been saying for many, many years, the obvious bias by our mainstream media,” Motz said.“Obviously the CBC did not act alone; are you suggesting they were prompted by the state?” he asked.“I don’t know who prompted them,” Palmer replied. “I know they shifted their allegiance from the people of Canada.”Federal research commissioned by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2023 found only 18% of respondents had “high trust” in journalists and reporters working for large media organizations.“Notably, journalists and reporters working for large media organizations are trusted less than the federal government by survey respondents,” said the report, Use of Public Health Measures, Advice and Risk Assessment Survey.The findings were based on questionnaires completed by 6,200 Canadians and nine federal focus groups.Ottawa polling firm Abacus Data was paid $172,237 to conduct the research.
