The Independent Press Gallery of Canada (IPG) strongly criticizes the discrimination by the press office of the Governor General against Rebel News journalist Alexa Lavoie.
Ms. Lavoie, a full-time journalist with hundreds of stories in her professional portfolio, applied for media accreditation to cover the swearing-in of Prime Minister-designate Mark Carney.
Her request, sent from her official Rebel News email, was blocked and rejected as “junk.” However, the same request, submitted from a non-Rebel email, was accepted without issue.
The Governor General’s office, which should be strictly non-partisan, appears to be selectively restricting media access based on political affiliation. This is an affront to press freedom.
Government-funded institutions must not silence independent journalists. Blocking Rebel News while granting access to others is a clear double standard that undermines the credibility of our democratic institutions.
The IPG demands an immediate explanation from Rideau Hall and a commitment to fair, equal treatment of all journalists. Canadians deserve transparent and accountable institutions, not ones that censor voices they dislike.
Sheila Gunn Reid
President, Independent Press Gallery