Freeland, Trudeau defend media as Trump tweets about U.S. mail bombs
OTTAWA — Canada’s foreign minister delivered an impassioned defence of a free press Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out again at the media, this time accusing journalists for causing a series of letter bombs.
Chrystia Freeland said politicians have a responsibility to be very clear that a free press is a crucial part of democracy.
“We need to pull back from that jousting that is a natural part of the relationship between politicians and journalists, pull back and take a moment to underscore how important a free press is and how important the work of journalists is,” she said in Winnipeg.
“There is a very troubling trend worldwide right now of attacks on journalists and we condemn that absolutely and categorically. A free media, a free press is an absolutely essential part of a democracy,” added Freeland, who is a former journalist.