Dispatch

An evening with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association: Freedom of speech in a post-truth media environment

Dispatch

By World Press Freedom Canada

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October 5, 2026

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Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, will deliver a keynote address on the “Freedom of Speech and The Courts” at an event hosted by Gowling WLG and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. 

The event, focused on freedom of speech, the challenge of balancing competing interests, the importance of an independent press, and the quest for “truth” in a post-truth media environment, will take place on Oct. 29 from 5-7:30 p.m.

McLachlin’s speech will be followed by a fireside chat with Pam Damoff, Emma Carver, and Anais Bussieres McNicoll, moderated by Heather Bakken.

This event will explore the contours of freedom of speech in Canada, the evolving perception of how media reports (and distorts) “facts” and the impact of this perception on journalism, and what happens when these issues end up in court.  

The discussion will examine: 

– Freedom of speech as a pillar of our democracy and the traditional role of journalism in upholding it.

– The rise of non-traditional social media sources and citizen journalism, the question of what truly constitutes “the truth” in reporting, and how these may contribute to both the erosion of public trust in news reporting and the breadth of free expression protections in Canada. 

– Issues related to mis-, mal-, and disinformation, the sources of news, who we trust and why, and whether our social contract has shifted in how we disseminate and consume news.

This event is by invitation only.


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