Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs on Tuesday wanted CBC to explain why they stopped using the word “terrorists” to describe Hamas, which had been used for decades to describe the terrorist group.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, some MPs said the CBC management banning the term “terrorist” from being used by its journalists amounted to censorship.“It amounts to censorship,” Bloc MP Martin Champoux (Drummond, QC) told the Commons. “Senior management of CBC itself is muzzling the press.”“Newsrooms must be shielded from all political influence and all ideological influence,” said Champoux. “Hamas’ heinous attacks are terrorism. Journalists know this and they also know how to use words.”In a memo leaked on October 11, CBC management ordered newsroom staff to avoid all reference to “terrorists” when describing Hamas gunmen who killed Jews. “Do not refer to militants, soldiers or anyone else as ‘terrorists,’” said the memo by George Achi, CBC director of newsroom standards. “The notion of terrorism remains heavily politicized.”Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said that what CBC News does is not something Parliament should be involved in.“They should not meddle with journalistic independence whether it is with a public broadcaster or any other newsgroup,” St-Onge told reporters.CBC News in the past referred to Hamas as terrorists. It headlined one 2012 article, “Terrorist Groups Recruiting Through Social Media.” In a 2011 ruling, then-CBC Ombudsman Kirk LaPointe noted the network had no actual ban on the word and that reporters were expected to “use commons sense.”“Hamas has been a recognized terrorist organization in this country for over 20 years,” Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, ON) told the Commons Public Accounts committee on Tuesday. Hamas or Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamiya has been blacklisted in Canada as a terrorist movement since 2002.On Tuesday, Conservative MP Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge, MB) was disgusted with the CBC “terrorist” directive.“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,” Thomas told the committee. “To that, I would say, no doubt.”“Of course, you’re taking a side,” said Thomas. “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?”Thomas suggested that the public accounts committee call CBC CEO Catherine Tait, Ombudsman Jack Nagler, and the person who wrote the "terrorist" directive to answer questions.The committee adjourned consideration of the motion and did not vote on it.“I do not see how our committee can deal with this type of motion,” said Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan (Chateauguay-Lacolle, QC).
