I’ve yet to speak publicly about the events that led to my sudden departure from iPolitics after an editor altered my article following pressure from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia’s Freeland’s office..For the record, Freeland was photographed holding a banner that had links to Stepan Bandera, the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, whose followers acted as local militia members for the SS and the regular German army, and his branding has since been repurposed by Neo-Nazis. .But after reading the article in its current form — post-Freeland pressure — you’d think the deputy prime minister was pictured near a scarf that coincidentally shared the red and black colours that have, at times, been associated with Bandera. Never mind the photo evidence of her holding the banner, which is emblazoned with Bandera’s colours and slogan. .And maybe Freeland didn’t see what she was holding, or she didn’t know its muddled history. But the hypocrisy of a federal politician refusing to own her mistake — just weeks after condemning Conservatives for attending the truckers’ convoy where an unidentified man carried a Nazi flag — seemed at least noteworthy. .This wasn’t the first time I’d received pushback for my work from within my editorial team, or the first time changes were made to words published under my name that I did not agree with or even have prior knowledge of. It also wasn’t the reason I left the mainstream media to work for an independent company — the Western Standard..Rather, the uncomfortable Freeland incident only solidified my decision to find employment somewhere I could follow my conscience. .As a legacy/mainstream media reporter, I thought I could give a voice to those not currently represented, but it quickly became clear that structures exist to keep those voices — shall we call them unacceptable? — out of sight, or at least portrayed in a manner that left me deeply uncomfortable. .The height of this frustration arose during the pandemic. During periods when government recommendations on vaccines and masking changed seemingly every week, I was told to rely on the science coming from the federal government, even when credible doctors not on the federal payroll offered dissenting critiques. .When I wrote about a federal MP who was concerned about restrictions on mobility rights, editors mischaracterized my work as being “anti-vaxx” and “anti-science.”.I was told to stop giving a platform to voices that oppose mandatory vaccines and lockdowns because such views represent just a radical and small minority of Canadian society. So much for journalists being a voice for the voiceless. .All this took place under the backdrop of a society paralyzed by government overreach that seeped into every sphere of public and private life. In the name of public safety, businesses have been shuttered, unvaccinated employees are fired, cancer screenings are missed, surgeries are cancelled, opioid-related deaths spike, our youth fantasize about killing themselves and many do..I am grateful I was afforded the opportunity to write for iPolitics. I’m a better reporter because of the time I spent there. And even the difficult conversations gave me a clearer idea as to the type of reporter I want to be, and where that would lead me. .The next step in my path takes me to the Western Standard. It’s still a relative newcomer — returning to publication only in October of 2019 — but already it has had a major impact on the Canadian journalism landscape. The Western Standard is impeccably independent — refusing to accept the federal media bailout subsidy — and breaking stories that most of the mainstream media companies are afraid to touch. .They’ve quickly taken off with bureaus in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Regina, and now on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. I will be joined by fellow parliamentary reporter Matthew Horwood covering federal politics for the Western Standard..It is my sincere hope to be a platform for truth and liberty in the days ahead.
