Sheila Gunn Reid was invited to speak in the House of Commons this week, addressing a heritage committee meeting as part of its ongoing inquiry into the state of media and journalism in Canada.

The Rebel News editor-in-chief, who also serves as president of the Independent Press Gallery (IPG), detailed how “Canada already has a two-tier media system,” citing the divide between the outlets receiving government subsidies and those that do not.

Ezra Levant, who was in the gallery sharing his live analysis of the hearing, joined Sheila for a debrief in front of the Terry Fox statue just a short walk away from Parliament.

Addressing Conservative MP Kerry Diotte's inquiry about outlets like Rebel News or others apart of the IPG being unable to access press galleries across the country, Sheila said independent journalists “have been blocked from membership” by gatekeepers like the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

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“That limits their ability to get access to politicians and to attend press briefings,” Sheila told Ezra, noting this restriction applies to Parliament Hill press events featuring groups like Campaign Life Coalition, which are routinely ignored by the mainstream media outlets that make up the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

“We have this group of subsidized journalists — by the state — then controlling their exclusive access to politicians, and it just becomes a closed feedback loop,” she continued, warning this erodes public trust in journalism.

“They seem oblivious to it,” remarked Ezra. “They're so focused on getting the money that they don't realize a lot of people are watching that and are thinking, 'hey, you're getting paid by the people you're reporting about; isn't that called an ad, or shouldn't you at least disclose that conflict?'”

MP Diotte, a longtime journalist at the Edmonton Sun, who had a brief tenure with Rebel News, further questioned Sheila about the “inevitable impact” government funding would have on media outlets.

“Where is the incentive to hold the government to account if your newsroom is reliant on the government for its survival,” Sheila responded.