n-word https://canadianriley.com Canadian Riley From Parliament to You Independent Political News Blog Sun, 04 Jun 2023 02:42:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://i0.wp.com/canadianriley.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-canadian-riley.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 n-word https://canadianriley.com 32 32 214541444 Trudeau and CBC-Radio Canada is defending its use of the N-word https://canadianriley.com/trudeau-and-cbc-radio-canada-is-defending-its-use-of-the-n-word/ https://canadianriley.com/trudeau-and-cbc-radio-canada-is-defending-its-use-of-the-n-word/?noamp=mobile#respond Thu, 14 Jul 2022 05:41:19 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=1350 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked into the freedom of expression debate today when he responded at a reporter’s question regarding Radio-Canada’s decision to appeal a CRTC ruling requiring it to apologize publicly for saying the “N-word” in a radio program.

Trudeau said during the press conference in Kingston, Ontario “It’s extremely important to underline that defending freedom of expression, defending journalistic independence and integrity, is always going to be a foundation not just of Canada, but of any strong democracy.”

“At the same time, there are words that carry deep, deep historical and current weight to them, cause harm,” he said, adding that we need to “make sure … we’re avoiding perpetuating deep societal injustices and crimes.”

At Issue

Canada’s federal radio watchdog (CRTC) cited a CBC program in French for being “clearly offensive” after hosts used the n-word at least four times to describe the title of a book.

Ricardo Lamour, a Montreal resident, complained to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) about the repeated use of the N-word on the show by radio host Annie Desrochers and columnist Simon Jodoin in August 2020, used in the context of discussing a campaign to fire a Concordia University professor for quoting the book’s title.

Some 50 Radio-Canada personalities said in an open letter in La Presse that the CRTC decision in Lamour’s favour threatens journalistic freedom and independence and “opens the door to the dangers of censorship and self-censorship.”

Ordered to apologize

The CRTC ordered the public broadcaster to apologize in writing for the use of the N-word on its airwaves.

CBC defended its use of the N-word three times in French and one time in English during a radio broadcast on Aug. 17, 2020. Radio-Canada said it will apologize for the repeated on-air use of the N-word but will also appeal a CRTC decision ordering that apology.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission overstepped its authority and made a “serious error” that ignored freedom of the press as guaranteed in the Charter and in the Broadcasting Act, CBC/Radio-Canada said in a statement.

“We simply do not accept the CRTC’s interference in journalism in Canada,” the public broadcaster said.

]]> https://canadianriley.com/trudeau-and-cbc-radio-canada-is-defending-its-use-of-the-n-word/feed/ 0 1350