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Canadian Journalists for Free Expression has released its annual Review of Free Expression in Canada, surveying free expression and access to information issues and grading various institutions from A to F on their performance in the past year. “Freedom of expression in Canada truly does span the spectrum from head of the class to flunking out,” the report observes.
Brian Burke says anonymous bloggers have deliberately set out to ruin his good name. As his defamation suit against those bloggers goes forward, perhaps it is time to begin a discussion about whether internet anonymity should be restricted, writes J-Source law editor Thomas Rose.
When the CBC's Fifth Estate came calling for information on Canada's hospitals, the provinces responded with a collective "no." Data journalism editor Fred Vallance-Jones says it happens all too often.
How does your right to privacy impact your right to free expression? What kinds of difficult decisions do journalists face in deciding what private information to hyperlink to, or publish? Join the CJFE Q&A and have your questions answered live by panelists Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario; Wilf Dinnick, Founding Editor and CEO of OpenFile; moderator Jesse Brown, technology affairs critic, Macleans.ca & Toronto Life magazine
By Elizabeth Renzetti
This article first appeared in The Globe and Mail, Friday, Feb. 22. It is republished here by permission of the author.
Freedom to Read Week begins on Feb. 24, bringing with it the perfect opportunity to kick the tires of democracy and make sure the old jalopy’s still running as she should.
What’s that you say? The bumper fell off when you touched it? The engine won’t turn over? That’s not so good. Better look under the hood.
Canada's access to information system is in a deep crisis and without urgent reforms could soon become dysfunctional. That would be a blow to Canada's democracy, according to the new report by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), titled A Hollow Right: Access to information in crisis.
A senior Department of Justice lawyer has been suspended from his job without pay after bringing a case before the Federal Court alleging that his department is not properly screening proposed legislation for compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other legislation.
By Bob Carty
As a journalist, I see a lot of protests on Parliament Hill. But none like the one last July.
Oh, it had the usual trappings of a protest — placards and passionate speeches, even some theatrics with the entrance of a coffin draped in black accompanied by a scythe-wielding Grim Reaper. But what was extraordinary about last July’s demonstration was that the 2,000 protesters were scientists.
Media lawyer Daniel Henry was honoured with the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression 2012 Vox Libera award. In his acceptance speech, he called for journalists to keep pressing for camera access in court, saying that when journalists – and by virtue, the public – are denied access to courts electronically it is, quite simply, not good enough.
Join us at 7 p.m. EST when CJFE's Laura Tribe will be liveblogging the organization's annual gala: A Night to Honour Courageous Reporting.
Freedom of Expression

The CJFE is a Canadian non-governmental organization supported by Canadian journalists and advocates of free expression. The purpose of the organization is to defend the rights of journalists and contribute to the development of media freedom throughout the world. This space will be dedicated to news and other info about freedom of expression issues in Canada and abroad.
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