NEW: Alberta Election Commissioner Defends Juno News’ Freedom of Press
As Ottawa launches a criminal probe into Juno News' reporting, a letter from the Alberta Election Commissioner declines to pursue similar complaints
READ THE FULL LETTER FROM ALBERTA AT BOTTOM
On the heels of the targeted federal investigation into our exclusive coverage of former Liberal candidate Thomas Keeper, Alberta’s Election Commissioner has dismissed a similar complaint against Juno News over our reporting during the provincial Olds–Didsbury–Three Hills by-election.
The allegation was that our coverage contained ‘false statements’ and that Juno News operated as an unregistered third-party advertiser.
Juno News has now been attacked on multiple fronts. Complaints have been filed against us at both the provincial and federal levels.
While Ottawa’s investigation remains open, Alberta’s Commissioner declined to open an investigation at all. In her letter, she ruled there were “no reasonable grounds” to believe any offence had been committed. She shut the case down — drawing a clear line in the sand that journalists in Alberta will not be harassed, investigated, and threatened just because their reporting is effective.
Alberta’s elections authority recognized the obvious: protecting press freedom during elections is not optional — it is essential.
Ottawa’s Dangerous Precedent
Disturbingly, Ottawa has taken the opposite path, using a Trudeau-era anti-free speech censorship law.
As explained at DefendJuno.com, I remain under criminal investigation by Ottawa for Juno News’ reporting during the last federal election.
The tool they’re using? Section 91(1) of the Canada Elections Act — a law previously ruled as violating the Charter for being overly broad and chilling speech. If Ottawa succeeds, I will face up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
This isn’t just about me: if Ottawa succeeds in using its censorship law, the next time a journalist uncovers a Liberal scandal during an election, they’ll ask themselves: Is this worth five years in prison?
Many will decide it isn’t. And democracy will suffer.
Why It Matters
Alberta has shown the way: democracy requires a free press that can publish facts without the threat of reprisal. Ottawa needs to take a civics lesson and repeal Trudeau’s anti-free speech censorship laws. The role of journalists is to hold the powerful accountable, not to live in fear of legal cluster bombs dropped after election day.
Freedom of the press must be an absolute priority in a democracy. Alberta’s Election Commissioner has recognized that.
A Call to Canadians
Our legal fight will cost tens of thousands of dollars. But this is not a fundraiser. This is a rallying call.
Canada once ranked among the top nations in the world for press freedom. Now, journalists here face the same threats as reporters in Turkey or China: imprisonment for publishing the truth.
If you have ever considered subscribing to Juno News, now is the time to become a Juno News premium member.
To encourage you to stand up and stand beside me and our team here, we have launched a 15% off “Join the Fight” sale. It is this week only, and is meant for readers just like you.
That’s only 27 cents per day to help defend strong, fearless, independent journalism.
And if you’re already a Juno News premium subscriber, thank you so much for all your support. Your continued support is essential.
We need Canadians to stand up and speak out. Join Juno News — one of the only newsrooms in the country that refuses government grant money in exchange for obedience. We punch up, and we punch hard. And when we do, the establishment strikes back.
Together, we can fight it.
Become a Juno News premium today, and read the full letter for yourself.
I say, bring it on!
If Juno News wasn’t important, nobody would bother trying to fight you.
Well, done, Juno News, you rock 👍
Shows how utterly vile and dictatorial the liberals are.
Seeing that they are also anti Semitic and pro Hamas, maybe the IDF can take them out.