Law to protect journalistic sources is essential

Quebec legislators should ensure bill is adopted before session ends, senior media representatives write.

This past May 15, Quebec Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée introduced Bill 187, An Act to protect the confidentiality of journalistic sources. She indicated that the bill was introduced in order to follow up on the first recommendation in the report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Protection of Confidentiality of Journalistic Sources (the Chamberland Commission).

When that report was presented in December 2017, we welcomed its recommendations, including its call for a shield law providing for the protection of journalistic sources. We can only rejoice that the first step was taken last week by the government to put the commission’s recommendations into effect.

We strongly encourage the government and opposition parties to do what is necessary to ensure that this bill, which is of great importance to our democracy, is adopted before the current legislative session ends June 15. The organizations that we represent put themselves at the disposal of the National Assembly to co-operate in a constructive manner to assist in the achievement of this objective.

We also are hoping that the National Assembly will proceed without delay, after the adoption of Bill 187, to put into place the other recommendations made by Judge Jacques Chamberland, including enhanced protec- tion for journalistic material, a review of the process for appointing police chiefs, improvements in the training of investigators, the tightening of controls over investigations and the adoption of measures to ensure elected officials and police forces are independent of each other. It would be regrettable, to say the least, if Quebec were to miss the opportunity to benefit fully from the fruits of the rigorous work done by the commission over the span of almost a year.

We reiterate that the adoption of a Quebec law, combined with the federal law on the protection of journalistic sources, will provide journalists and their sources much greater protection, capable of assuring sources they will be able to entrust journalists with information of public interest without fear of having their identities revealed. In this era of Fake News where quality journalism has taken on an unprecedented importance, this protection is more essential than ever for the health of our democracy.

Éric Trottier, vice-president, news, and associate publisher, La Presse

Michel Cormier, executive news directeur, Radio-Canada Brian Myles, editor in chief, Le Devoir

Lucinda Chodan, editor in chief, Montreal Gazette

Wendy Freeman, president, CTV News

Jed Kahane, News Director, Bell Media – Quebec Jennifer McGuire, executive news director and editor in chief, CBC

Gilles Carignan, vice-president of information and deputy editor, Le Soleil Jean-Philippe Pineault, news director, La Presse Canadienne Michel Lorrain, executive director, Cogeco Media Stéphane Giroux, president, Fédération Professionnelle des Journalistes du Québec