Ontario Premier Doug Ford was recently criticized for holding an event in Mississauga without informing reporters. During the event, Ford awarded $401 million to the city to offset reduced housing redevelopment charges. The event was streamed on the government’s website rather than broadcasted through media coverage.
Politics professor Dennis Pilon discussed the issue in an interview with CityNews. He says Ford's decision not to invite the press to the event should concern anyone who cares about accountability and transparency in government.
Pilon says the attempt to control media coverage has become more common among right-leaning politicians who are emulating President Donald Trump’s resistance to press access. Pilon thinks that whatever the government does should be the public’s business, and that media should hold the government to account about why they are making certain choice.
Pilon holds a PhD in Political Science from York University. His research interests include politics and government, labour, elections, democratic reform, class analysis and Canadian/comparative politics.