In honour of World Press Freedom Day, the Conservatives should seize this opportunity to repeal their plan to interfere in collective bargaining.

OTTAWA — The Conservative government should take advantage of World Press Freedom Day to withdraw its plan to interfere in the CBC collective bargaining process, said New Democrat Heritage critic, Pierre Nantel.

“The new budget bill, tabled this week, states that the Conservatives may interfere in the bargaining process of the CBC, a Crown corporation that has been independent for 80 years. They will now be able to dictate the wage conditions of journalists whose job it is to monitor the government,” said Nantel.

He also decries the Conservatives’ relentless campaigns against the CBC. Bill C-461, currently before Parliament, is a direct attack on the independence of the CBC and journalistic sources.

In Reporters Without Borders’ latest Press Freedom Index, Canada has sadly fallen from 10th to 20th place. “We are now behind Costa Rica, Namibia, Andorra and Liechtenstein. The RWB has blamed the Conservative government’s actions and their incessant attacks on the journalistic principle of anonymous sources for this slip in the rankings,” explained Mr. Nantel.

New Democrats will continue to defend the independence of the CBC and Canada’s international reputation for freedom of the press.

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