MPs Discuss CBC Directive Not to Refer to Hamas as ‘Terrorists’

People walk into the CBC building in Toronto on April 4, 2012. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

During debates in the House of Commons, a Bloc Quebecois MP said Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) management should explain why journalists were instructed in a leaked internal memo not to use the word “terrorists” when describing the Hamas attack on Israel that killed and injured thousands of citizens.

“Journalists know how to describe the despicable acts committed by Hamas on October 7. That is their job,” Quebec Bloc MP Martin Champoux said in the House on Oct. 17. “CBC management’s directive is something else entirely. It looks a lot like censorship.”

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge told reporters that CBC News practices were none of Parliament’s business, reported Blacklock’s Reporter on Oct. 18. “They should not meddle with journalistic independence whether it is with a public broadcaster or any other news group,” Ms. St-Onge said.

“They sent a memo to their journalists reminding them not to refer to Hamas as terrorist. We know that Hamas’s heinous attacks are terrorism, journalists know it. They know how and when to use words, even the most sensitive ones. Will the minister remind CBC management that newsrooms must remain free of political and ideological influence?” said Mr. Champoux, to a standing ovation in the House.

Mr. Champoux said that “CBC higher-ups are actually muzzling the press. They are taking a political stance. That is absolutely not the broadcaster’s mandate.”

The public broadcaster told journalists in a leaked email written by CBC Director of Journalistic Standards George Achi not to say that Gaza has not been occupied by Israel since 2005, and not to refer to “militants, soldiers, or anyone else” as “terrorists.”

The instructions came after Hamas launched rocket attacks on Israel, killed civilians on the ground in Israeli cities close to the Gaza border, and took hostages, including children, to Gaza.

Taleeb Noormohamed, parliamentary secretary to Ms. St-Onge, responded, “Our government has been clear. Hamas has been recognized as a terrorist organization and a terrorist group. We have said that repeatedly, and the prime minister has said that, but we also believe in an independent CBC.” Part of his comments were drowned out by jeering, loud laughing, and noise from the House.

He said, “That is what the CBC is.”

“Conservatives may want to meddle in independent journalism. They can’t seem to keep their hands out of public institutions,” he added.

Mr. Noormohamed said the government’s priority is “working for an independent CBC that is well funded to do the good work of providing quality journalism to Canadians,” and added that those Conservatives or others who “have a challenge with the CBC,” are “welcome to write to the ombudsman.”

Memo

Conservatives demanded a House of Commons committee investigation into the CBC leaked memo that instructs reporters not to refer to members of Hamas as “terrorists” and instead to use the word “militants.”

The Tories said that “despite the brutality of Hamas’ crimes, Canadians were shocked to discover that the CBC has been advising its journalists not to use the word ’terrorist' when referring to Hamas. The CBC refuses to do this in spite of Hamas being recognized as a terrorist organization for over 20 years by the Government of Canada.”

The Liberal, New Democrat, and Bloc Quebecois federal parties voted against a Conservative Party motion to compel CBC executives to testify at a public accounts committee meeting on why they have instructed reporters not to call Hamas a terrorist organization.

CBC has referred to Hamas as a terrorist group before. In a 2012 article, CBC headlined an article on Hamas, “Terrorist Groups Recruiting Through Social Media.” An earlier ruling by the then-CBC ombudsman, in 2011, said that CBC had no ban on the word and reporters needed to “use common sense.”

“Hamas has been a recognized terrorist organization in this country for over 20 years,” Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman said during a Commons public accounts committee on Oct. 17.

Conservative MP Rachel Thomas said the CBC was clearly “taking a side.”

“The CBC came out and said, ‘Well, we just don’t want our journalists to take sides’ and if they use the term ‘terrorist’ they will be taking a side,” Ms. Thomas said. “To that I would say, no doubt.”

“Of course you’re taking a side,” the MP added. “You’re taking a side against terrorists. What other side would you want to take when you have 1,400 people who were massacred in an evening, when you have women and girls who are raped and then murdered and then paraded through the city, when you have 40 babies who are beheaded, whose side are you on?”

CBC, in a statement on Oct. 16, defended the policy stating CBC has not banned the use of the word “terrorist” and said it was unfortunate the internal memo was leaked.

“CBC News does not itself designate specific groups as terrorists, or specific acts as terrorism, regardless of the region or the events, because these words are so loaded with meaning, politics and emotion that they can end up being impediments to our journalism,” said CBC editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon.