12/03/2024 

Treaty 1 and Dakota Territory, Homeland of the Red River Metis, Winnipeg MB –The government of Manitoba is delivering on a commitment to support local journalism. The PCs are blocking it.  

Government house leader and MLA for St. Johns, Nahanni Fontaine, introduced a motion to establish an All-Party committee to explore the future of local journalism, including rural and cultural media. The committee's mandate is to consider matters of public support for journalism.  

“Manitobans understand that local journalism supports a strong democracy, but to do that news needs to be accessible and available in their languages,” said MLA for St. Boniface, Robert Loiselle. “As a French speaker, I understand the importance of having the news available in my language. The PCs have decided to stand in the way of that.”  

Loiselle noted that by blocking this government motion, the PCs are preventing good local jobs in journalism in their own constituencies.  

The Manitoba government first proposed the idea of an All-Party committee in its recent Speech from the Throne, which prioritized upholding freedom of the press and protecting freedom of speech.