Juno News - September 23, 2019


FULL EXCHANGE： Trudeau's staff blocks Andrew Lawton from covering Trudeau


Episode Stats


Length

3 minutes

Words per minute

224.11765

Word count

889

Sentence count

93


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

In this episode, we hear from a reporter who was barred from attending a government-accredited event because she is a member of the Canadian media. She explains why she was denied entry to the event and why she thinks she should be allowed in.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
00:00:00.000 Um, so, unfortunately we can't call you for this event.
00:00:03.000 Why is that?
00:00:04.000 Because we're accrediting journalists who are accredited by, um,
00:00:07.000 Cross Gallery...
00:00:08.000 Well, this is Government of Canada accreditation from your conference.
00:00:12.000 So I've been accredited.
00:00:13.000 Okay, but this is for an event.
00:00:14.000 But it was still accreditation, so it's proven...
00:00:16.000 Yeah.
00:00:17.000 And the world didn't collapse when I was there covering it.
00:00:19.000 I'm not saying the world would collapse, I'm just saying we've got to,
00:00:21.000 we've kind of maintained the standards.
00:00:22.000 And I know you had RSVP...
00:00:24.000 Yes.
00:00:25.000 ...so I apologize that no one was able to get back to you.
00:00:27.000 Are you going to reimburse me for my costs in getting here?
00:00:29.000 Because you could have, if you had any questions,
00:00:31.000 you could have dealt with this 12 hours ago.
00:00:32.000 Yes.
00:00:33.000 I'm sorry about that.
00:00:34.000 That's something that our headquarters is supposed to do.
00:00:37.000 Okay.
00:00:38.000 Which didn't follow up on, so I apologize for that.
00:00:39.000 So what's the definition of journalist that you're working off of?
00:00:42.000 I mean, there's not a dictionary definition that we follow, obviously,
00:00:46.000 but there are different organizations that accredit journalists, as you know,
00:00:49.000 Press Gallery, Queen's Park Press Gallery, etc.
00:00:51.000 And I contacted the Press Gallery and they said they don't claim any jurisdiction for events.
00:00:54.000 We don't, no.
00:00:55.000 But we rely on their definition for...
00:00:58.000 Okay.
00:00:59.000 There are all kinds of people who come and say that they're journalists for events,
00:01:01.000 but we obviously reserve the space and the access for journalists.
00:01:05.000 Yes.
00:01:06.000 And you know who I am, though.
00:01:07.000 I know who you are.
00:01:08.000 I've interviewed the leader before.
00:01:09.000 I know.
00:01:10.000 But right now, you cite yourself as a journalism fellow.
00:01:14.000 Yes.
00:01:15.000 And if you go to the website, you can see journalism that I'm doing.
00:01:18.000 Mm-hmm.
00:01:19.000 And you have other columnists and commentators that are here as well.
00:01:21.000 So it's not an issue of...
00:01:22.000 Their organizations are accredited by other organizations that are reputable organizations.
00:01:26.000 So I'm just curious, what are you or what is the Prime Minister afraid of will happen if I'm in there?
00:01:30.000 It's not that we're afraid.
00:01:31.000 It's just that there are a lot of people who come and say that they ask for access to events and we accredit people based on...
00:01:37.000 Can we go a little bit that way?
00:01:38.000 Yeah, sure.
00:01:39.000 I'd rather not, though.
00:01:40.000 Yeah, no, we're just a little bit past here.
00:01:42.000 Because I'm still unclear on why I'm being barred as a member of the Canadian media from covering an event.
00:01:49.000 Based on...
00:01:50.000 Well, based on work that I can do.
00:01:52.000 I mean, you can Google my name.
00:01:53.000 You know exactly the work that I've done.
00:01:55.000 You and I have corresponded in your capacity as a press secretary.
00:01:57.000 Yeah.
00:01:58.000 And you're still citing this vague definition of accreditation when in Canada there is no license to be a journalist.
00:02:08.000 No, but then anybody can call themselves a journalist.
00:02:10.000 Well, and what's the problem if that happens?
00:02:11.000 There's limited...
00:02:13.000 We're in a home.
00:02:14.000 So there's limited...
00:02:15.000 But again, I am producing work that is consumed and this is very easily verified.
00:02:22.000 Unfortunately, lots of people who come and sometimes they write their own...
00:02:26.000 But you don't know who those people are.
00:02:27.000 You don't know who those people are.
00:02:28.000 You know who I am.
00:02:29.000 You know that I'm doing work.
00:02:30.000 You know that I did a radio show for five years.
00:02:31.000 You know that I've interviewed the leader.
00:02:33.000 Yeah.
00:02:34.000 So what's the problem?
00:02:35.000 I'm not saying there's a problem.
00:02:36.000 I'm saying I'm just doing my job.
00:02:38.000 I'm doing my job and there are journalists who are accredited by organizations that credit
00:02:45.000 journalistic organizations and theirs is not.
00:02:49.000 This is nothing about...
00:02:50.000 I know, I know, I know.
00:02:51.000 Is there a ban that exists for the entirety of the campaign?
00:02:52.000 It's not a ban.
00:02:53.000 It's not a ban.
00:02:54.000 Okay, well you're not letting me in there so it's a ban, correct?
00:02:55.000 Yeah.
00:02:56.000 I'm being banned from this event.
00:02:57.000 That's terrible.
00:02:58.000 No, no, no.
00:02:59.000 I got it.
00:03:00.000 So is this something that will extend the duration of the campaign?
00:03:04.000 I'm happy to talk to you about this.
00:03:05.000 Well, no one's been responding to my emails.
00:03:07.000 So if I show up at the photo op in Hamilton tonight, am I going to be denied entry?
00:03:11.000 We will, for the space that is reserved for media, for journalists, everybody who is
00:03:16.000 an accredited journalist will be allowed into that.
00:03:19.000 What would satiate your...
00:03:20.000 There are lots of people who will come and say, I know, I know.
00:03:22.000 Oh, I'm a journalist.
00:03:23.000 I get it.
00:03:24.000 If they can't show any form of accreditation that actually validates that, then unfortunately
00:03:27.000 there are spaces for members of the public.
00:03:29.000 Well, look, I mean, this is more than the gentleman from the Indian outlet had, which
00:03:32.000 is the Government of Canada issued media credential.
00:03:35.000 But I'm curious, what would satisfy your expectation of accreditation in the future?
00:03:40.000 That's all I want to know now.
00:03:42.000 Okay.
00:03:43.000 I apologize for this.
00:03:44.000 Yeah.
00:03:45.000 It's a huge inconvenience for you and I get that.
00:03:47.000 I know you've got to work, so what can I do for future events?
00:03:49.000 It's a long campaign still.
00:03:51.000 I'll think about it and we can follow up after this.
00:03:55.000 Thank you.
00:03:56.000 Good luck.
00:03:57.000 I appreciate it.