March 8, 2016
SHARE
CANADALAND
124
#124 Second Class Journalists
Should journalists have control over what other journalists have access to? Allison Smith is the publisher of Queen's Park Today, a daily news website that reports on Ontario politics. For the last four years, the Queen's Park Press Gallery - a group of journalists - has denied her membership on dubious grounds.

Allison Smith’s Twitter: @QueensParkToday

Full statement from Queen’s Park Press Gallery President Randy Rath, of CHCH:

Membership in the Queen’s Park Press Gallery is decided in a manner similar to other press galleries in Canada: by a vote of members, according to guidelines outlined in the Gallery constitution.

Some of the key provisions in the Queen’s Park Press Gallery constitution regarding membership include:

Media organizations eligible for Gallery membership “shall adhere to generally accepted journalistic principles and practices as are understood and determined by the Executive of the Ontario Legislative Press Gallery.”

“internet media” shall mean any internet service or site that is available freely or by general subscription. This does not include services that simply re-broadcast events that occur at Queens Park

The following professionals are ineligible for membership in the Press Gallery: Persons who receive money for lobbying; Persons who receive money for providing communications advice to a third party; (i.e. flacks or consultants)

A member may not represent the interests of, or provide communications advice to political parties, governments, extra-legislative groups or clients other than those defined in the membership bylaws.

Allison Smith’s website describes “Queen’s Park Today” as providing a daily report consisting of:  “a summary of the previous day’s debates and proceedings, an agenda of the upcoming day’s business, summaries of important news releases, listings for political events and more.”

By voting to reject Allison Smith’s membership, a majority of Gallery members determined that her website “Queen’s Park Today” did not meet the criteria laid out in the constitution.

The Press Gallery has rejected several other applications for membership by sole proprietors of websites that failed to meet the stated criteria for membership.

Membership in the Press Gallery implicitly endorses a member’s journalistic legitimacy and credibility. As such, the Gallery must ensure that those who are granted membership adhere to journalistic principles.

A copy of the Queen’s Park Press Gallery constitution is attached for your reference.

Randy Rath

CHCH | A Channel Zero Company

Queen’s Park Press Gallery Constitution

More from this series
“   …the City of Pickering has witnessed a growing infiltration of alt right individuals, ideologies, and influences that have created an atmosphere of uncertainty, fear, and intimidation over our Council, our staff, our residents, and indeed the broader community.” - Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe
March 31, 2025
“ Look inside yourself, Rosemary. I mean, you start from a prior of conflict and Ill will.” - Prime Minister Mark Carney
March 24, 2025
“We cannot treat libraries as organs of propaganda, and whether it's for progressive values or for conservative values, we should not be treating libraries as simply the PR department for the kind of ideology that we believe in, and trying to ban everything else.” - Ira Wells, author of “On Book Banning”
March 17, 2025
We take a dumpster dive to look at all the legislation that got thrown out when Trudeau prorogued Parliament. Jesse tests the theory that one person’s trash is another’s treasure.
March 10, 2025
The CBC: Defund or UnF*ck? The choice is yours as we open up the phone lines to hear what you have to say about the possible futures of the CBC.
March 3, 2025
How to tell real populism from bullshit trolling.
February 24, 2025
Russian propaganda or Canadian censorship? What happened when Russians at War came to TIFF?
February 17, 2025
What does Gavin McInnes, founder of registered terrorist entity the Proud Boys, have in common with Jonathan Goldstein, creator of the heartbreaking and hilarious podcast Heavyweight?
February 10, 2025
all podcasts arrow All Podcasts
CANADALAND