"This impartiality has no place in our legacy media. The Gazette and La Presse Canadienne are either showing their true colours by parroting the words of an administration that is complicit in genocide, or they are too lazy to send their reporters in Montreal to walk down to UQAM and do basic journalism."
May 27, 2024
To:
Frédéric Vanasse, Editor-in-Chief, La Presse Canadienne,
Marilena Lucci, Editor-in-Chief, The Montreal Gazette,
Jeff Blond, Managing Editor, The Montreal Gazette
Dear Editors and Journalists,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express my concern regarding your recent article titled “Updated: Partial injunction granted against pro-Palestinian encampment at UQAM” published by the Montreal Gazette and La Presse Canadienne on May 27, 2024. The article presents a one-sided narrative and fails to provide a fair or balanced perspective by excluding the viewpoints of the protesters and their supporters.
In the article, you portray through a statement by the university that the protesters are "hooded” vandalizers which is deeply problematic. The vague use of this term borders on anti-Palestinian racism and contributes to a growing trend of portraying Palestinians and their supporters as criminals. However, this characterization is not backed with any evidence or support. Instead, it is simply reported as fact and unfairly stigmatizes the protesters and their movement as a whole.
The article also features a statement from the school noting that “access and emergency exits to university buildings remain obstructed, that many exterior security cameras are blocked and the situation at the encampment and its surroundings have deteriorated overall.” Again, the school’s depiction of the encampment is presented without corroboration from the protesters themselves or by a third party and reinforces a biased one-sided portrayal of the encampment.
CJPME insists that articles by the Monreal Gazette and La Presse Canadienne include perspectives of Pro-Palestinian advocates at university encampments.
Additionally, the article lacks important context by not interviewing any of the protesters or their response regarding the partial injunction and the university’s statement. Furthermore, you never mention the actual goals of the students in the piece and omit that they are pursuing an academic boycott because of Israel’s current genocide in Gaza.
Providing this information is essential for readers to understand the foundation and urgency of the student encampments.
The article by the Montreal Gazette and La Presse Canadienne requires significant revision to ensure a more balanced approach that includes perspectives from all sides involved in this issue and provides comprehensive context.
This piece falls short of the journalistic standards expected of the Montreal Gazette and La Presse Canadienne. CJPME emphasizes that the Gazette and La Presse Canadienne pay serious attention to this matter and to improve their questionable reporting of the current student encampments in Canada.
This impartiality has no place in our legacy media. The Gazette and La Presse Canadienne are either showing their true colours by parroting the words of an administration that is complicit in genocide, or they are too lazy to send their reporters in Montreal to walk down to UQAM and do basic journalism.
Please pay serious attention to this matter. I strongly urge the Gazette and La Presse Canadienne to consider these points and make the necessary revisions to ensure a fair and balanced representation of this important issue.
Sincerely,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East