"To try to correct this bias, I ask that you allow a right of reply to organizers of pro-Palestine protests in Toronto, such as Palestinian Youth Movement Toronto (PYM) and Jews Say No to Genocide, who are the organizers behind the March 30 pro-Palestine protest. The reply should be of equal length to this segment."
April 8, 2024
To:
Travis Dhanraj, Host, Canada Tonight, CBC News
Jeffrey Sze, News Producer, Canada Tonight, CBC News
Nancy Waugh, Sr Manager, Journalistic Standards, CBC News
Dear Travis Dhanraj, Jeffrey Sze, and Nancy Waugh,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express concern regarding your News segment: “Protests around Israel-Hamas war becoming more hostile, Toronto police say,” published on April 6.
I was gobsmacked that such a one-sided news segment was allowed to go on-air and posted on your YouTube channel.
Not only did this news segment give voice to Toronto Police and their side of the story, but it also made it seem like their opinion is the only one that should be considered and taken at face value.
This news segment was basically a platform for Toronto Police left unchallenged by pro-Palestine protesters and protest organizers, whose arguments were only vaguely mentioned by Travis Dhanraj, Canada Tonight’s host.
By only giving voice to Toronto Police, not giving voice to pro-Palestine protesters and organizers, and not providing any piece of context, this news segment made it seem like they were only doing their jobs while pro-Palestine protesters were the ones who provoked them:
You show footage of Dep. Chief Lauren Pogue from Toronto Police, saying: “If they’re going to break the law, if they’re going to assault pour police officers or assault or police horses, there will be consequences, and people will be arrested.”
Dhanraj says: “Lately, a few people who frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations are agitating officers and turning violent.”
Jon Reid, Toronto Police Association president, says:
The problem we’ve been running into here more recently is that’s not happening anymore, and the officers are out there they’re being very patient with people, they’re giving them direction, asking people to move, and unfortunately, people are no longer taking direction and what we end up with officers as you mentioned in your opening statement there officers are being assaulted, we’ve had officers who have had horse feces thrown at them, officers where they’ve been attempted to be speared with a flag pole.
Yet, Dhanraj doesn’t challenge him or even give voice to pro-Palestine protesters and organizers to balance the record, as good journalism requires.
Dhanraj’s line of softball questioning also created the perfect conditions to allow Jon Reid, Toronto Police Association president, to make unfair claims without challenge. In fact, it seemed as if the host's questions only reinforced the narrative rather than providing additional context or considerations.
Dhanraj asks the following question to Reid: “What would you like to see Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow do?” as if viewers should have sympathy for Toronto Police and, worse, believe him saying that people are starting to “commit criminal acts or threaten people.”
Dhanraj also asks Reid what the officers are taken away from, what other activities they would be doing at that point, and what policing they would be doing that they cannot do because they have to deal with protests as an attempt to blame pro-Palestine protesters and organizers for preventing Toronto Police from doing its job.
Dhanraj’s line of questioning and Reid’s answers only serve to depict pro-Palestine protesters and organizers as inherently and purposefully violent, which is not only false but concerning.
These are just a few examples from this news segment.
To try to correct this bias, I ask that you allow a right of reply to organizers of pro-Palestine protests in Toronto, such as Palestinian Youth Movement Toronto (PYM) and Jews Say No to Genocide, who are the organizers behind the March 30 pro-Palestine protest. The reply should be of equal length to this segment.
I hope CBC will take into consideration my suggestion and be balanced when reporting on pro-Palestine protests in the future. I would be glad to send contact information for potential guests who would be appropriate speakers for such a future segment.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East