Tories want House to study CBC editorial choice, despite broadcaster’s independence Oct 17, 2023 | 12:44 PMOTTAWA — The official Opposition is attempting to have a House of Commons committee study an editorial decision of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., despite its independence from the government being enshrined in law. Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman introduced a motion today to summon the head of CBC and its director of journalistic standards to testify over the broadcaster’s policy not to call Hamas militants “terrorists.”The CBC is defending the policy, saying it uses the words “terrorist” or “terrorism” when they are attributed to someone, but is asking reporters to avoid using the words in their own voice because they are loaded with meaning, politics and emotion that can impede their journalism. Paul Knox, a professor emeritus at the Toronto Metropolitan University school of journalism, says he believes the Tories’ motion is unprecedented, and he thinks it is out of line because it infringes on freedom of the press.
