The Quebec Press Council upholds the complaint regarding a question from moderator Shachi Kurl addressed to the leader of the Bloc Québécois (BQ), Yves-François Blanchet, during the federal leaders’ debate broadcast in English in September 2021.
The complaint was lodged against Mr.me Kurl and against the English network of Radio-Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), by Julie Lapierre, September 10, 2021.
Speaking to Mr. Blanchet during the debate, Shachi Kurl told him: “You deny that Quebec has problems with racism, yet you defend legislative measures such as Bills 96 and 21 which marginalize religious minorities. , Anglophones and Allophones. »
Shachi Kurl was then speaking about Bills 96 and 21. The Act respecting the secularism of the State had already been passed by the Parliament of Quebec, while the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French, was still to be draft law and was subsequently adopted.
The Press Council has determined that the term “racism” used in this context is an opinion and not a proven fact, contrary to what the moderator suggests.
Even though M.me Kurl was able to speak for a segment of the population, she does not specify it and evokes racism as if it had been demonstrated. However, in the context of a leaders’ debate, the public is entitled to expect that the moderators treat the leaders invited to debate impartially, according to what the Council writes in its decision.
In his complaint, Mr.me Lapierre reported bias, discrimination, and disregard for privacy and dignity.
The Council notes that at the time the English leaders’ debate was held, Shachi Kurl, a former journalist, was president of the Angus Reid Institute. The Council claims that it treats leaders’ debate moderators as practicing factual journalism.
The news media that broadcast the leaders’ debate in English said they had pre-approved the questions the moderator asked the party leaders.