Poilievre to Bar Journalists from the Campaign Trail
In an unprecedented move the Conservative Party announced that journalists would not be allowed to travel with the party on the campaign trail
Once upon a time, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party enjoyed a double-digit lead over the incumbent Liberal Party. That is all in the not-so-distant past now, as the Liberal Party has now overtaken the Conservatives as the favorite to win the next federal election (which is expected to be announced in 2 days). Part of Poilievre’s strategy early on was a mild disdain for journalists, especially those of traditional media. However, it would seem his popularity may have been born more from a rejection of the incumbent party than from real popularity.
This makes the latest move by the Conservatives all the more perplexing. The Conservatives announced earlier this week that journalists would not be allowed to travel with Poilievre when he begins campaigning. While there have been certain restrictions on media in the past, a blanket ban like this has never been done.
According to Jenni Byrne, the party's national campaign director, the decision was driven by the rising costs of travel, which have increased considerably, and the enhanced capacity for digital and remote access to public events. They also said media would be given a few days' notice of events and locations. While the digital and remote access reasoning is plausible, the bill for media traveling was never paid by the party; it was always paid for by the media organization or journalists themselves.
Poilievre has always had a rocky relationship with journalists, particularly traditional media, which he views as biased. This move could be just to continue to cultivate the image of being anti-establishment. However, more than likely, this is an attempt to gain better control over the narrative and Poilievre’s image.
Giving journalists unfiltered access adds a layer of transparency to the campaign. It also allows them to capture genuine, unscripted moments with the candidate. These can help a campaign or hinder it. So, if the Conservative Party wants to ban this type of interaction, it stands to reason they believe it’s more likely that this will hinder their campaign than help it.
So, this raises the question: What are they trying to hide and does it have anything to do with Poilievre’s lack of security clearance?