WINNIPEG, Manitoba (LifeSiteNews) – Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre promised that if elected prime minister he will “stop” the arrests of “journalists” in Canada and protect freedom of the press after commenting on the recent arrest of Rebel News reporter David Menzies.
At a press conference last Friday in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Menzies asked Poilievre what his government would do differently from that of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government when it comes to media regulations. Poilievre replied that under his leadership Canada would protect the freedom of the press.
“We’re going to stop arresting journalists. It’s outrageous for the prime minister and his government to have journalists arrested merely for asking questions of ministers and public officials,” Poilievre said (10- minute mark).
“And we’re going to make sure that the government does not give us tax dollars to leverage news coverage in its favour.”
A week ago, outrage exploded on social media after video footage showed Menzies being falsely accused of “assault” by a police officer and then immediately apprehended while he was attempting to ask Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland questions on a public street.
Menzies was trying to ask Freeland why the Liberal government under Trudeau has not labeled Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity.
Menzies was released a short time after his arrest by police officers without being charged. He said that he had asked cops for their badge numbers, but they did not provide the information to him. His claim also appears to be backed up by the video, in which viewers can hear and see Menzies repeatedly ask for the name and badge number of the initial arresting officer.
York Regional Police (YRP), which assisted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in arresting Menzies, claims that the arrest was made solely by the RCMP, and confirmed that the reporter posed no “threat” to Freeland.
LifeSiteNews reported that the RCMP officer responsible for the aggressive arrest of Menzies is now under investigation and the local city police involved in the incident have confirmed the journalist posed no threat to Freeland.
Menzies’ arrest has drawn international attention. It was immediately condemned by many, including prominent Canadian politicians. Even Tesla billionaire Elon Musk chimed in with his thoughts on the incident as the video circulated online.
Poilievre promises he will ‘rescind’ Trudeau’s internet censorship laws
While speaking to Menzies, Poilievre promised that if elected in the next federal election he would rescind Trudeau’s Bill C-11, which he said enables censorship and the promotion of one idea over others.
He also warned that Canada was going down a slippery slope of “creeping totalitarianism” due to Trudeau’s latest internet censorship laws.
“Right now, Justin Trudeau is censoring those that he disagrees with, and trying to buy off the rest, and that undermines confidence among Canadians in the news media,” Poilievre said.
In recent months, the Trudeau government has passed internet censorship laws, such as Bill C-11, which many have warned could lead to attacks on the independent media in Canada.
Canada’s legacy media receives millions in state funding each year.
Last week, LifeSiteNews reported on how Canada’s official broadcast regulator might soon be producing draft rules for a pre-election “code of conduct” for newsrooms, which includes print and online journalists, thanks to the recent passage of federal internet censorship laws, an idea that has been blasted by some senators as an affront to freedom of the press.
Rebel News head and founder Ezra Levant put the blame on Trudeau’s “thugs” for Menzies’ arrest and said his team met with its lawyer and planned to sue the RCMP, York Regional Police, and Freeland for false arrest.