A Federal Court judge has ordered the Leaders’ Debates Commission to permit reporters from Rebel News Network to fully cover this week’s two official televised leaders’ debates.
The ruling means reporters from Rebel News Network will be fully accredited to cover Wednesday’s French-language and Thursday’s English-language contest between the major party leaders.
The ruling came after Rebel News Network was granted an emergency hearing Tuesday after the commission denied 11 of their journalists the credentials needed to cover the event and ask post-debate questions of the leaders.
Justice Elizabeth Heneghan made the order on Wednesday after presiding over two and half hours of oral arguments on Tuesday.
The commission denied the Rebel News accreditation request, saying the organization violated its conflict-of-interest rules because it is actively involved in campaigns related to the stories it covers.
Rebel News said that the commission was capricious, unfair, unlawful and arbitrary in denying its journalists the right to fully cover the debate.
© 2021 The Canadian Press
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