NEWS STORY: Canada’s religious newspapers under government scrutiny

c. 1999 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Four major Canadian Catholic newspapers say their future is in jeopardy after the federal government told them this week they no longer deserve a postal subsidy because they fail to meet Canadian-content regulations. The National Catholic Register, with a circulation of 20,000; the British Columbia Catholic, with a […]

c. 1999 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ Four major Canadian Catholic newspapers say their future is in jeopardy after the federal government told them this week they no longer deserve a postal subsidy because they fail to meet Canadian-content regulations.

The National Catholic Register, with a circulation of 20,000; the British Columbia Catholic, with a circulation of 20,000; the Prairie Messenger, with an 8,000 circulation; and New Freeman of New Brunswick, with a circulation of 7,000, all received letters from the Department of Heritage saying they are having their 80 percent postal subsidy revoked because they do not publish enough Canadian material written solely for their publications.


The editor of the B.C. Catholic, Paul Shratz, exemplified the defiant tone of journalists at all the Catholic newspapers when he said:”We’re not going to pay the federal government an extra $225,000 a year in postage. Even if we won the lottery and had that kind of money, I can think of lots better uses for it.” The Heritage department, which has been examining Canada’s religious publications for two years, offers postal subsidies to special-interest Canadian newspapers to help preserve Canadian culture in the face of expanding U.S. media.

It has a standing rule that any publication eligible for a postal subsidy”must contain a significant portion of original material produced by Canadian citizens or individuals resident in Canada.” The government’s definition of a”significant”portion of original material is roughly 80 percent, according to the letter sent to the four Catholic publications, which are so far the only religious journals to be notified they will be losing their subsidy.

Other Canadian Catholic publications, which serve Canada’s 13 million Catholics, have not yet heard either way.

The four Catholic newspapers are running into trouble because they all have a strong reliance on stories written by Canadian Catholic News, a news service they established in 1988 and jointly finance, as well as the international Catholic News Service.

Editors at the Catholic newspapers say Canadian Catholic News _ which often produces articles that highlight social-justice issues and contain criticisms of the federal government _ has greatly expanded their journals’ Canadian content.”Any reasonable person could see that our decision to add national coverage was an improvement, but in the government’s eyes, it’s a no-no,”Schratz writes in an editorial in last week’s B.C. Catholic.”So is our use of international news from Catholic News Service, which to my mind delivers the most solid Catholic news anywhere, yet the government says we should not have eyes and ears in the Vatican and around the world.” Canadian Church Press official Audrey Dorsch, whose organization represents 76 religious newspapers across the denominational spectrum, said she did not think the Catholic newspapers were being singled out because some of their national content is critical of the government.

Dorsch said she has not yet heard of other non-Catholic religious publications having their mailing subsidy revoked for lack of original Canadian content.”But everyone is on pins and needles.” Heritage department spokesman Len Westerberg expressed regret Tuesday that Catholic editors are airing their complaints to the secular media rather than responding to the ministry’s promise that each publication has 30 days to produce information to show why they should be allowed to have the advantage of lower postal rates.

As the Heritage department’s review continues, Westerberg did not rule out the possibility that other religious publications could soon hear they are also having their postal rebate revoked.


DEA END TODD

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!