Councillor demands all accredited media allowed at city hall news conferences

Toronto city council will consider a motion to ensure all accredited press people are welcome to attend news conferences held on city property.

The motion by Coun. Paula Fletcher comes in response to Mayor Rob Ford’s recent decision to exclude some city hall press gallery members from his first news conference back from rehab on Monday.

Ford’s office claimed it excluded journalists, including press gallery president David Nickle, from the invite-only news conference because the room it was held in was too small to accommodate everyone.

Nickle disputed this claim in an open letter on behalf of the press galley.

The city’s strategic communications office had suggested alternative spaces within city hall that could accommodate “all the interested Toronto media,” wrote Nickle.

“Choking off access to any one of those outlets or journalists is a disservice to Torontonians, by their duly elected mayor. It thwarts democracy,” he wrote.

Click here to read the letter.

The motion allows for councillors or the mayor to decline specific media requests for one-on-one interviews.

Click here to read the agenda item.

Councillors will consider the motion at their regular council meeting on July 8 and 9.

On the campaign trail

Meanwhile, mayoral candidates were using Ford’s media silence to their campaign advantage.

Olivia Chow’s campaign sent out a news release Thursday ahead of her announcement of Friday a comprehensive housing strategy that included a tongue-in-cheek invitation.

“All outlets welcome. She’ll even take questions,” the release stated.

 

John Tory’s camp released a statement Wednesday once again calling for Ford’s resignation, this time citing Ford’s refusal to answer media questions.

“His continuing refusal to answer basic questions means that he is unfit to govern,” Tory said in the release.

Tory said the public deserves satisfactory answers to questions about Ford’s criminal associations, allegations he used his public office to benefit his family business and his history of using racist, homophobic and sexist language.

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