Mayor stands up for ‘healthy, professional’ news media

Warning that Canada's "real news" industry is in crisis, Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker tonight issued a proclamation defending freedom of the press.

Shoemaker's proclamation was made at the request of Mirko Petricevic, a former reporter/photographer at the Waterloo Record and founder of Ink-Stained Wretches, a grassroots advocacy group that encourages elected leaders to create “a culture of appreciation" for reliable local journalism.

The following is the full text of the mayor's proclamation as made at tonight's city council meeting:

Proclamation

Whereas a healthy, professional news media is essential for the proper functioning of civil society and democracy at the local, regional, federal and international levels; and

Whereas UNESCO has declared World Press Freedom Day as an annual observance each May 3rd; and

Whereas the Public Policy Forum has declared that “real news is in crisis” in this country; and

Whereas according to the Local News Research Project, 470 news outlets in 335 communities across Canada have closed since 2008:

Now therefore, I, Matthew Shoemaker, as mayor of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2023 as World Press Freedom Day in Sault Ste. Marie.