“It’s a change of scrums ! », says Mathieu Lacombe, as I close my recorder. The Minister of Culture and Communications of Quebec alludes to the frenetic press scrums in the corridors of the National Assembly, during which elected officials have a few seconds to “release” the two or three clips which will loop on the airwaves 24/7 news channels.
This time it’s different. Mathieu Lacombe arranged to meet me in a sunny café in Repentigny, a good hour before the end of his two sons’ hockey training. It’s certainly not as stressful as a scrum, but for the minister, the exercise is no less perilous: an hour chatting with a journalist over a latte means many, many clips that could come back to explode in his face…
Mathieu Lacombe is perfectly aware of this. He thinks before speaking, weighs each word and precedes several of his responses with: “It’s delicate. » I will not be entitled to the fiery flights of an artist or an activist. Mathieu Lacombe, like any self-respecting minister, walks on eggshells — even if it means being reproached for his wooden language. And that’s the fault of political adversaries, who don’t let one slip by, but also that of journalists, who sometimes tend to spin stories.
This is what I wanted to hear from the minister about. On the public’s distrust of journalists, at a time when media companies are literally fighting for their survival. According to a recent Léger survey, 42% of Quebecers have little or no confidence in the media. It’s more than worrying. For the profession, but also for the democratic health of Quebec.
Himself a former journalist, Mathieu Lacombe dared to address the subject in a speech at the annual congress of the Professional Federation of Journalists of Quebec, in mid-November. However, those around him had tried to dissuade him. “I was told: “This may not be a good idea, you will alienate the media, the journalists will be angry with you…””
He did it anyway. In front of an audience of around a hundred journalists, Mathieu Lacombe called on his former colleagues to be more self-critical. And it didn’t go very well.
But the minister persists and signs: “We must not, as certain journalists did after my exit, brush this aside, saying that [la perte de confiance] is essentially linked to a crisis in institutions and that if we better explain to people what journalists do, that will solve the problem. If we do that, the problem will continue to grow. »
And the deeper the problem becomes, the more the media risks digging its own grave, he warns. “Our government thinks it is important to support the media. But we see a movement, everywhere on the planet, towards governments that are much more right-wing, at the same time as we see indicators of trust in the media falling. Where will we be in 10 years? What will we do if, in Quebec, the party in power does not believe it is at all necessary to help the media? It’s going to be dramatic. He will be able to cut off funding from the media, telling himself that no one will hold it against him, even that this decision will be popular! We must at all costs avoid getting to this point. The problem must be resolved now. »
I put it to the minister that populist politicians are themselves working very hard to undermine public trust in the media. The Trump recipe, which makes journalists look like enemies of the people, has been adapted all over the world. In Canada, I think of Pierre Poilievre, who does not hesitate to intimidate journalists and accuse them — falsely — of disinformation.
Mathieu Lacombe admits that this trend worries him too.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Mathieu Lacombe was himself a journalist before turning to politics.
But I can’t help but understand, sometimes, why these politicians become so virulent towards the media. It’s true that they are treated very harshly, quickly labeled, and that they are literally always asked the same questions…
Matthew Lacombe
Éric Duhaime, a political opponent to whom Mathieu Lacombe “does not particularly wish electoral success”, receives, for example, harsh media treatment which fuels his defensive attitude towards the media, he believes. ” Often, [la virulence envers les médias] comes from people who are portrayed as bad guys when they themselves believe they have a credible position. »
Since he made the leap into politics, Mathieu Lacombe inevitably sees journalism from another angle. On the other side of the fence, where he is criticized “every day”, he finds that we, members of the media, definitely have very sensitive skin.
A politician who dares to criticize the work of a reporter will immediately be accused of contributing to the erosion of trust in journalists, he says. “Would the opposite be just as true? While politicians suffer from a deficit of credibility and confidence in the population, should we stop criticizing us because it contributes [au problème] ? To ask the question is to answer: no. »
But then ? What is being done to restore public trust in the media?
“It’s a delicate question,” underlines Mathieu Lacombe. Extremely delicate, I would dare say. The minister wishes to find a way to raise the ethical standards of the profession. A sort of bargaining chip for public aid granted to press companies.
It remains to be seen how to go about it… without violating press freedom.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Mathieu Lacombe sees journalism today from another angle.
As a government, it is not our place to tell the media what to do. It’s not up to us to put both hands in it and it’s especially not up to me, as minister, to say: you’re the good guys, you’re the bad guys…
Matthew Lacombe
There is also no question for Mathieu Lacombe of resurrecting the idea of a professional order of journalists. This debate has been had. The minister is instead considering giving more power to the Quebec Press Council, a sort of court of honor which handles complaints from the public regarding the work of journalists. For now, the CPQ is issuing reprimands, but that’s all. No sanctions, no fines, no suspensions for offending reporters.
The minister plans in particular to better finance the CPQ, to allow it to have stronger backs. “Is it normal for the Press Council to be caught off guard when it is the subject of a lawsuit, as it was with Quebecor, to the point of wondering if it would survive? […] Will the Council start to be gentler with certain media by saying to itself: “We can’t afford another prosecution, we don’t have any more money? “That worries me. »
In February, the CPQ won the legal standoff between it and Quebecor media. The latter went to court several years ago to prevent the CPQ from processing public complaints concerning them, under the pretext that they were not members of the organization.
Should a media outlet join the CPQ, precisely, to be entitled to public aid? “It’s delicate,” replies — again — Mathieu Lacombe. I think this is a question we need to ask ourselves. Is it normal for citizens to find themselves in a situation where they financially support the media that refuses to be a member of the Press Council? »
The minister mentions several other scenarios. The government could force the media to have an ombudsman in return for financial assistance. Or, after a certain number of reprimands from the CPQ, a media outlet could “lose the public funding granted to it for a given period, with accompanying measures to be able to find it”.
It seems impossible to me. The proposal risks in any case being very unwelcome in the journalistic environment, which must escape any government control in the name of an important democratic principle: freedom of the press. The CPQ itself, a self-regulatory organization jealous of its independence, will probably refuse to play this game.
One way or another, Mathieu Lacombe is determined to more permanently support Quebec media, whose advertising revenues have been largely siphoned off by web giants. As a result, regional newspapers are closing their doors. Hundreds of employees of major TV networks are losing their jobs. It can’t continue like this.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Mathieu Lacombe granted a long interview to our columnist. “It’s a change of scrums ! », drops the minister.
It is a democratic issue. First of all, I’m not always happy with the columns and reports, but the fact remains that, generally speaking, it’s always good to have people pushing us behind our backs so that we can be more accountable.
Matthew Lacombe
Now that Ottawa has reached an agreement with Google, the minister hopes that it will also be able to reach an agreement with Facebook, which continues to block news content in Canada. Otherwise, Quebec could create a media fund or issue tax credits on the purchase of advertising in traditional media. The minister excludes nothing. “These are ideas that deserve to be put on the table. »
Mathieu Lacombe wishes to present a plan in 2024. There is urgency… but we must take the time to think. The case is a “big bag of knots”, in which press freedom, public trust and state support are intertwined. “I know that half the people will say to me: ‘You are a tyrannical government’ and that the other half will say to me: ‘Thank you’…”
The interview ends a little earlier than expected. Mathieu Lacombe leaves to pick up his sons from the arena, relieved not to have slipped on any banana peels. And happy to have had time to chat, for once. “It’s a change of scrums ! »
Who is Mathieu Lacombe?
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Mathieu Lacombe wishes to present his plan for the media in 2024.
- Born in Repentigny in 1988, he was a journalist before making the leap into politics, under the banner of the Coalition Avenir Québec, in 2018. He represents the riding of Papineau, in Outaouais. He was first Minister of Families, before becoming Minister of Culture and Communications in October 2022.
- Holder of an honors degree in journalism from the University of Ottawa, he worked in community media and local radio stations, then at Radio-Canada, before becoming one of the youngest anchors in Quebec, at TVA Gatineau-Ottawa. He was president of the Professional Federation of Journalists of Quebec, Outaouais section. He is the father of two children.