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The federal leaders’ debates in 2025 were supposed to showcase Canadian democracy. Instead, they exposed collusion between Canada’s state broadcaster and the taxpayer-funded Commission meant to referee them.

Rebel News had twice beaten the Leaders’ Debates Commission in federal court after being unlawfully barred from covering the debates. By 2025, facing the prospect of losing a third time, the Commission capitulated and accredited Rebel News.

That legal victory enraged the legacy media, particularly the CBC. According to journalists on the ground, Rebel News reporters were heckled in the press line, disparaged on national television, and ultimately shut out of the post-debate scrum when the Commission cancelled it entirely rather than allow questions from independent media.

Now, 88 pages of internal emails obtained through Access to Information shed new light on the backroom behaviour.

The records reveal that CBC anchors and executives were pressuring the Commission behind the scenes:

• Rosemary Barton emailed: “Dear Mr. Cormier and other members of the debate commission…” lodging complaints against Rebel News.

• CBC Editor-in-Chief Brodie Fenlon set up private strategy calls with on-air talent, David Cormier: “Hey David. Can you and I chat 1:1? Can we talk at 12:30? I’ll set up a video call.”.

• CBC Chief of Staff Kenny Yum circulated agenda demands to Cormier: “Hello, we got this inquiry…” with the details blacked out several days after the debate. 

Instead of defending fairness, Commissioner Michel Cormier responded by thanking CBC for their “professionalism”.

On-air, the “professionalism” looked very different. CBC falsely claimed Rebel’s accreditation had been revoked, that its journalists disrupted the debate, and that its billboard truck was illegal. Most seriously, Rosemary Barton falsely stated on national television that “remains of Indigenous children” had been found across the country — a claim CBC later admitted was untrue in a buried online correction. No on-air apology was ever made to Rebel News or reporter Drea Humphrey, who was smeared by name.

The ATIP records are heavily redacted. Some blackouts fall under Section 19, which protects personal information like phone numbers. But most are classified under Section 68.1, a “journalism exemption” meant to shield creative or programming material. Critics say applying it to complaint emails and backroom lobbying is indefensible.

The records also appear incomplete. Missing entirely are the Independent Press Gallery’s condemnation of the Commission’s behaviour, signed by multiple independent outlets, and Rebel News' formal complaint, filed directly to the Commission.

Rebel News has launched an appeal to obtain the full set of records.