On May 6, 2024, in partnership with The Hub, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) hosted a one-day symposium at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the Canadian journalism sector.
The symposium served as a platform for policymakers, journalists, and media executives to confront the most pressing challenges facing the industry today—from government subsidies and regulatory frameworks to new business models and avenues for advocacy. The event culminated in the development of The Ottawa Declaration*, a public statement signed by a number of independent digital outlets calling for a rejection of government payroll subsidies in journalism.
Speakers included:
-
Aaron Wudrick, Director, Domestic Policy Program, MLI
-
Rudyard Griffiths, Publisher & Co-founder, The Hub
-
Brian Myles, Director, Le Devoir
-
Tara Henley, Journalist & Author
-
Peter Menzies, Senior Fellow, MLI
-
David Skok, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, The Logic
-
Jeremy Klaszus, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Sprawl
-
Derek Fildebrandt, Publisher, President & CEO, Western Standard
-
Paul Wells, Journalist
-
Sue Gardner, Special Advisor, Wikimedia Foundation
-
Matt Gurney, Journalist, The Line
-
Holly Doan, Publisher, Blacklock’s Reporter
-
Chuck Lapointe, Co-founder & CEO, Narcity Media Group
* To learn more about The Ottawa Declaration and read the full text here.
