Independent Press Gallery condemns Notley's ban on conservative journalists

The Canadian Press / Jeff McIntosh

“Independent journalists are able to ask questions of politicians that truly hold power to account and inform the Canadian public. You have led Albertans to believe that this is something you value, " IPG president, True North's Andrew Lawton, wrote in the open letter to Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley

Independent journalism is vital to a healthy Canadian mediasphere, and reporters should not be blacklisted simply because they don’t work for large gov.-subsidized media organizations.

We call on @RachelNotley to allow all media to cover her campaign.https://t.co/4Gv2L3UR9w

— Independent Press Gallery (@IndependentPG) April 19, 2023

The document, penned in response to Notley removing reporters from The Counter Signal and Rebel News from a Monday morning campaign announcement, was signed by senior staff from the four independent right-leaning news outlets.

WOAH👀 Must Watch 👇@RachelNotley latest press conference goes off the rails fast when she refuses to answer reporters.#abvotes #abpoli pic.twitter.com/lIpv8kmg5b

— UCP War Room (@UCPWarRoom) April 17, 2023

Western Standard columnist Nigel Hannaford was permitted into the NDP campaign announcement but was called "homophobic" by premier-wannabe Notley and denied the opportunity to ask a question.

Rebel reporter @westcdnfirst was just kicked out of NDP Leader Rachel Notley's press conference. Notley accuses Premier Smith of dodging questions but she removes independent journalists to avoid being held to account. https://t.co/fR6tsrK3IYpic.twitter.com/Avj1QyJyid

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) April 17, 2023

"Fostering a system where politicians can cherry-pick journalists’ questions while blacklisting random outlets is an affront to the basic tenets of democracy, and runs contrary to the expectations that Albertans have for a free press.

You have stated on social media that Albertans deserve a leader that takes their questions, and you proudly declared you would take media questions and follow-ups. But your behaviour indicates the opposite.

On April 14, Premier Danielle Smith announced that she will be limiting journalists at press events to one question each in order to accommodate a greater variety of questions. This prompted you to portray Premier Smith as a censor and yourself as a defender of press freedom.

You claim to support the values of openness and transparency, but the hypocrisy here is too great to ignore."

State control of the media was rejected nearly a century ago in Alberta, but Rachel Notley is a bully who won't answer tough questions from independent journalists.

FULL REPORT by @SheilaGunnReid: https://t.co/axXnS5gSpL

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) April 19, 2023

In 2016, Notley banned Rebel News journalists from attending press conferences before an independent investigation into her actions determined she did not have the authority to do so.