January 22, 2004 / OTTAWA — The Newspaper Guild-CWA has strongly condemned the raids at the home and work office of an Ottawa reporter by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In a statement, the union called on Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and other leaders to end "this attack on press freedom and privacy" and pressed them to reconsider "the package of anti-terrorism legislation, and in particular, the Security of Information Act," which permitted this unprecedented assault.

Juliet O'Neill, a reporter for the Ottawa Citizen, had reported on the case of a Syrian-born Canadian citizen who was detained by U.S. authorities in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he says he was tortured. Maher Arar was released by Syria a year later and returned to Canada; he has denied any connection with terrorism.

In an early morning, five-hour raid on her home, and later again at her newspaper office, police took O'Neill's notebooks, address books, computer hard drive, cassette tapes and other items. TNG-CWA has demanded that all the confiscated items be returned to O'Neill and the Ottawa Citizen immediately.

The police claim to be searching for the source of the leaked information, a violation of Canada's Security of Information Act, a measure similar to the Patriot Act in the United States which gives authorities overly broad powers of search and investigation.

TNG-CWA President Linda Foley said, "TNG members across North America are outraged by this effort to intimidate freedom of the press. They fully support the actions taken by the Ottawa Citizen to fight this assault on civil liberties."

Arnold Amber, Director of TNG Canada, called on the Citizen newspaper and publisher CanWest "to fight the actions of the government and RCMP as vigorously as possible." CanWest has said that reporters will continue to investigate what government or police involvement there was in the deportation of a Canadian citizen.

NEWS RELEASE | TNG Canada Local 30205

PM urged to end attack on a free press

January 22, 2004 / OTTAWA — The Ottawa Newspaper Guild is very concerned and disturbed over the events that have taken place concerning journalist and Guild member Juliet O’Neill and urges Prime Minister Paul Martin to put an end to the attack on a free press. 

Instead of attempting to stifle the messenger, the Prime Minister needs to call a full and open inquiry into the events that led to the arrest, detention and torture of Canadian citizen Maher Arar. 

The raid and subsequent seizure of Ms. O’Neill’s notebooks, computer, Rolodex and other items is a direct attack on a free and responsible press and its attempts to get to the bottom of a despicable chapter in Canadian history. 

The Guild not only fully supports the actions the Ottawa Citizen has taken and encourages the Citizen and CanWest to fight the actions of the government and RCMP as vigorously as possible, it will also join and put its resources behind this stab at our rights as journalists and citizens of a free and democratic country. 

The Guild represents journalists at the Ottawa Citizen and CJOH television.

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression:
CJFE calls on government to rein in the RCMP after raid on journalist's home

The Canadian Association of Journalists:
CAJ denounces seizure of reporter's notes

Canadian Labour Congress:
Who’s next? And who’s accountable?

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Arnold Amber, Director
416-399-2632
director@cwa-scacanada.ca