Committee: Human Rights Council

Topic: Tackling government-controlled media and its role in

promoting propaganda and indoctrination
Country: Canada

Government-controlled media can be a powerful tool to promote propaganda and censor

different perspectives or opinions with ease. Restricting information makes it difficult for
citizens to have a full comprehension of events and issues. Moreover, free and unbiased
press is crucial to encourage progress and innovation. It educates the public, allows to make
well informed decisions and in specific cases holds those in power accountable. Canada
strongly believes that the media should be independent, as well as diverse.

In some places in the world freedom of expression is still not respected and the media is
used to manipulate and spread viewpoints. According to the 2023 World Freedom Index by
the nongovernmental organization Reporters Without Borders that assesses press freedom
in 180 countries, the situation is classified as “very serious” in 31 of them. Comparing to the
results from previous years, an increase in this number can be observed, as it was 28 last
year. Alongside this also exists the issue of journalists being victims of physical violence,
digital attacks, imprisonment. because of their journalistic activity. UNESCO data states that
from January 2023 to November 2023 52 journalists were killed while doing their job or for
their work.

Canada has taken many actions to prevent violations of freedom of expression and of media
during the UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council, and other.