EXCLUSIVE: Conservative MPs say criminal probe into Juno News stifles the free press
Conservative MPs Jamil Jivani and Aaron Gunn warned that free expression in Canada is under siege, not only from political violence, but from government institutions themselves.
Conservative MPs Jamil Jivani and Aaron Gunn warned that free expression in Canada is under siege, not only from political violence, but from government institutions themselves.
Speaking with True North following a panel discussion, the two argued that Ottawa’s criminal investigation into journalist Keean Bexte’s reporting raises alarming questions about whether dissenting voices in media and politics are being silenced at a time when open debate is more vital than ever.
Jivani and Gunn spoke with True North about the investigation following a panel discussion Thursday evening with conservative Ajax candidate and radio host Greg Brady at 99 King in Bowmanville. The panel discussion primarily focused on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which happened the day before, and the importance of independent and alternative media.
“My first reaction, not being an expert on the case, but my first reaction is, that Elections Canada needs to be really careful about chilling free speech,” Jivani said. “Just reporting on the issue is the problem. From what I understand, they didn't object to the substance of what he reported. It wasn't an unethical news report. They are objecting to the influence of the news report or the timing of the news report, and that is not great for a free society.”
Ottawa is targeting Juno News. We need your help. Become a Juno News premium subscriber today to support strong, fearless, independent journalism.
The Elections Commissioner informed Bexte that he was under criminal investigation for a potential breach of section 91(1) of the Canada Election Act for his reporting on allegations sources made against the Liberal candidate for Calgary Federation, Thomas Keeper.
The section makes it a criminal offence to knowingly publish false information about a candidate during an election with the intent to sway the election. Juno News and Bexte have denied this allegation, standing by their report. If found guilty of breaching the act, Bexte could face a fine of up to $50,000 and up to five years imprisonment.
“I worry that other journalists, other young people, are going to see stuff like that and then now feel constrained by how they do their jobs,” Jivani told True North. “At the end of the day, like, the common thread between that example or what happened with Charlie Kirk is this idea of like, are people free to have a different point of view, or are institutions feeling like, entitled to crack down on them and try to stifle the ability to articulate different ideas.”
Jivani called the vilification of those with differing beliefs and attempts to stifle unfavourable reporting “very unhealthy.”
“As a person who spends my time talking to Canadians every day, it's my job to read emails that are sent to my office, to talk to people in my community. I really believe Canadians are far more open-minded than a lot of the powerful people running this country are,” he said. “ I think Canadians are open to debates and different perspectives. And in fact, regardless of where they fall in the political spectrum, I think we all feel like we have to accept other points of view just to live our lives in a diverse country.”
He feels many of Canada’s institutions and media outlets are “completely out of sync” with Canadians.
“That is a huge red flag to me. We deserve a country where the values and the morality of the people are reflected in the institutions that we fund with our taxpayer dollars. And when that's not happening, we have a problem,” Jivani said. “It needs to be fixed. And frankly, this is one of the reasons why I'm a Member of Parliament, because I want an alignment between the good-natured values of the Canadian people and the institutions that they fund.”
Gunn said he’s not familiar with all the case details but broadly stressed the importance of free speech, expression, and freedom of the press as “fundamental pillars” of Western society.
“ I don't think we ever want to be in a situation where journalists are intimidated, where political commentators are intimidated. And in a way, this goes back, obviously, in a much different context. But even what happened in the United States,” he said, referencing the assassination of Kirk. “You were having somebody who was killed, who was murdered in cold blood, who was assassinated because he had a particular point of view and had the audacity to express that point of view in public.”
He added that Canadians should never fear expressing their political views or writing in pursuit of truth as journalists.
“We never want to see journalists intimidated. We never want to see political commentators having to second-guess what they're saying. People should be allowed to speak their truth, and people should be allowed to disagree with that and disagree with it strongly,” Gunn said.
Gunn said he was impacted by reading a headline that a conservative commentator had been assassinated because he had held that title "just five months ago."
“It hits really close to home. Makes you think about things, but I think for most conservatives that I talked to, it's made them more determined than ever to keep up this fight,” Gunn said. “We're not going to be intimidated, and we're just going to keep fighting for the truth and for the courage of our convictions.”
Ottawa is targeting Juno News. We need your help to fight back!
The Liberals are betting they can wear us down, bankrupt us, and send a warning to every journalist in the country. They’re dead wrong.
The best way to protect Juno News and make us untouchable is to fortify our newsroom by becoming a Juno News premium subscriber right now. When we are stronger, bigger, and better funded, they can’t shut us down.
If you’re already a member — or if you prefer to contribute directly — you can also make a one-time secure donation to support the legal fight.
Learn more at DefendJuno.com
You know when you’re winning the fight because they throw everything at you to try to keep you quiet. Our government, msm and judicial system continuously find ways to set narratives to intimidate Canadians. We see this with Chris Barber and Tamara Lich yet actual criminals who sexually assault children, kill fathers in front of their children get what? Oh yeah bail not jail. I myself refuse to be silent I will use my voice when I see injustices, I’ve never written so many letters to politicians in my entire life. Keep up the good work Juno news. I’ll continue applying the pressure on from my end and thank God we have decent conservative voices like Mr Gunn and Mr Jivani!
More and more and this falls 100% on the shoulders of the Liberals and their faithful servants in the bureaucracy and MSM.
Canada has lost the script on Democracy and certainly on Free Speech and Freedom of the Press.
The MSM for the most part have become faithful, bought and paid for servants of and propagandists for the Liberal Government.
Agencies like Elections Canada who pretend to be impartial but keep showing over and over again this is hardly the case.
Our Judiciary which for the most part (and yes there is the odd exception) has been and is making a farce of our supposed Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It seems almost now continuously ruling against the rights and freedoms making the Charter as worthless a piece of paper as that which the Liberals in power use to wipe their useless rear ends.
Worse in some cases using their powers to punish those who have attempted to exercise what they thought were the Democratic Charter Rights.
Canada it does appear has fallen.
Long live Canada.
GO JUNO NEWS!!! FIGHT ...
Whatever is left of this once proud and respected country needs you now more than ever.