Thursday, October 11, 2012

Journalists critical of Canadian practices


A Canadian organization for journalists will be reporting to the United Nations that Canada has many policies and practices that need improvement to achieve good standing on human rights.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression will be making a submission to the United Nations for its review of human rights that is conducted every four years for every member of the United Nations.
The issues the association will raise include:
- Shortcomings in legal rights for reporters to protect the identity of confidential sources.
-       Mistreatment of journalists.
-       The right to information, such as the federal Access to Information law and provincial freedom of information laws.
-       Protection for whistleblowers.
-       Access to the internet.
-       Restrictions on freedom of assembly.
“Although Canada has generally maintained a strong human rights record, there are some serious weaknesses that need to be considered, specifically in relation to free expression and access to information,”  the CJFE says.
Recent examples in agriculture include company harassment of whistleblower Norman Bourdeau who has turned over records of e-mails and egg grading from L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. for a lawsuit alleging conspiracy to restrain competition and cheating on egg grades, and employees of XL Foods Inc. who say they fear they will be disciplined for telling about shoddy food-safety conditions in the plant.