During this period there have been some changes and concrete violations on freedom of the press, regarding access to information, digital media and internet surveillance practices.
On February 25 the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) joined a coalition of Civilian Society organizations, new media and labor organizations to host peaceful vigils in five different locations in Canada, protesting the new Liberal Government's stance regarding the key subjects of national security policy, surveillance, and freedom of the press.
Although the Trudeau government immediately took to task the unmuzzling of scientists and civil servants, thus opening new spaces to Citizen's right to know, there is still a generalized perception of a lack of transparency, especially on certain issues that have become the center of attention since the coming to Office of the new President of the United States. Many Canadians polled, feel there is a lack of transparency when it comes to the Trudeau Liberal Government's stance in the matter of shared surveillance, border security and the possible violation of individual liberties in the way Border security agencies are going to be tracking the use of digital information on cellphones and other electronic devices by citizens crossing to and from the United States.
On the matter of Internet surveillance security, and because IAPA is very actively engaged in the creation and use of smart tools for journalists' safety and security, it is worth mentioning the efforts by CJFE and their activities in this same field after securing the support of the Open Technology Fund.
A key recent development that poses a threat to freedom of the press, was monitored in Canada: several journalists from Quebec have been placed under police surveillance in efforts to identify their sources. This included Patrick Lagacé of La Presse. The journalists involved were investigating police misconduct by officers who investigate street gangs and drug traffic.
The troubling issue that came to the surface is that, as it is now, under common law in most of the country, the Supreme Court has upheld that journalistic sources MAY be protected, but that protection is to be decided on a case-by-case basis. In other words, in this country there is no constitutionally mandated protection of the right to shield a source.
On the issues of civil liberties, free speech and the right to privacy, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2015, inherited from the Harper Era and better known as Bill C-51, continues to pose a threat to free expression in the country. A charter challenge has been filed against the bill and there is grave concern about the implications that this legislation has for freedom of expression.
