Ottawa’s Parliamentary Press Gallery have rewritten their rules to prevent China’s state news agency from being booted from it..A proposed code of conduct applies only now to new applicants seeking membership. Xinhua has been a member for 57 years, said Blacklock’s Reporter..Draft Journalistic Principles would apply only to “individuals who are not currently members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery as well as for new organizations applying to accredit their employees,” directors wrote in a notice..“New applicants must adhere to generally accepted journalistic principles and practices.”.Xinhua is the official news agency of the Communist Party of China. It was first granted press credentials in 1964 at the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs..The agency in 2012 was accused of misusing its press credentials to maintain surveillance of Chinese dissidents in Canada, and obtain details of a private meeting between the visiting Dalai Lama and then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper..The Press Gallery dropped its investigation after Xinhua hired legal counsel..The Gallery constitution dating from 1885 already restricts reporters from “activities such as the representation of political parties, governments, extra-parliamentary groups or clients.” A reporter working for the Communist Labour-Progressive Party was expelled in 1949..The Soviet news agency Tass was also expelled in 1950 and again in 1953 after employees gained access to off-the-record briefings..“The Parliamentary Press Gallery would not under any circumstance permit an information officer of any other government, not even the Canadian government, to hold membership,” directors wrote in 1950..The Department of National Defence in 2012 blacklisted Xinhua from attending a military briefing. Xinhua has denied using press access to gather information for the Chinese embassy..“Now more than ever, journalism is a vital tool for holding the powerful to account,” states the Gallery’s draft code of Journalistic Principles..“Timely, accurate and reliable information is critical for the practice of informed democracy.”.The code would compel new members to “verify facts,” avoid “biases that could be perceived as influencing reporting,” “respect the rights of people involved in the news” and “avoid situations that could create a conflict of interest.”.The draft code was prompted by a 2020 Federal Court affidavit in which Rebel News Network Inc. said it was blacklisted from Gallery membership..“The government-influenced Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery governing access to official Ottawa media availabilities has outright banned Rebel News without notice, explanation or appeal,” lawyers wrote the Court..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
