CAJ supports some federal measures for journalism, urges caution

Special to The Post

The Canadian Association of Journalists supports some of the recently announced federal measures to encourage journalism in Canada, but urges caution as eligibility for funding is defined and eventually administered to news enterprises.

The CAJ supports a long overdue move to allow nonprofit newsrooms to seek charitable status and also receive charitable funding, and further supports a non-refundable 15-per-cent tax credit that makes it easier for Canadians to support digital media.

As these measures are implemented, the CAJ urges the panel tasked with defining eligibility for these and other measures to not recommend an overly restrictive definition of journalism. To that end, the CAJ is seeking representation on that panel.

“A poor definition of journalism will do serious, long-term damage for any journalists who work outside that official definition,” said CAJ vicepresident Terra Tailleur. “We think our voice offers a necessary contribution to any conversation about what counts as journalism in Canada.”