BACK-END: CRA Tracks Coverage of Undefined "Persons & Organizations" When Awarding Journalism Tax Credits

The possibility that news outlets can be rejected from government tax benefits for simply reporting on the activities of certain people or organizations is problematic for free speech.

The idea that news outlets can be rejected from government tax programs for simply reporting on the activities of “certain persons or organizations,” especially if the specifics of those terms are undefined and could possess multiple meanings, is problematic from a free speech perspective.

It’s even worse if no one is allowed to independently validate how those terms are used and what they mean when assessing government decisions.

Yet that seems to be exactly the situation outlined in the August 24th, 2024 Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) report, “Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures - Annual Report 2023-2024.”