TORONTO – Vice Media Canada is joining forces with a coalition of civil liberties organizations on a campaign to raise awareness about Vice news journalist Ben Makuch's fight to protect his sources from the RCMP.
In February of 2015, the RCMP presented Makuch with a production order to turn over all communications between him and Farah Shirdon, a source who had allegedly joined the Islamic State and who was later charged in absentia by the RCMP for having terrorism-related activity. The Ontario Superior Court upheld the production order this spring, however, Vice Media has appealed that decision and the Court of Appeal will hear the appeal in February 2017.
protectpressfreeedom.ca petitions Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale, and RCMP Commissioner Robert Paulson to drop demands for the release of Makuch's private material and correspondence with sources, and to amend the statutory framework governing the use of production orders.
Vice Media is readying a series of promotional spots for online and on its Viceland TV channel in order to draw attention to the campaign (the first spot may be viewed here).
"Ben Makuch is standing up for every journalist who believes that source protection is fundamental to a free and independent press," said Vice Media Canada president Ryan Archibald, in a statement. "We've got Ben's back and now we're asking Canadians to join us in this fight."
"This campaign is crucial to defending press freedom in Canada," added Tom Henheffer, executive director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. "Canadians will lose our free and independent press if journalists lose the ability to protect their sources. We need Canadians to stand up and let our government and police forces know that we won't allow this blatant attack on free expression."
