Medicine Hat City Council Has Reached a New Low With the Suppression of the Fifth Estate

By Kelly Allard

The four estates are

First – Clergy

Second – Nobility

Third – Commoners

Fourth – Mainstream Media

Fifth – Is That Which Holds the Other Four Accountable.

The respected CBC News show describes itself as

“...Canada's premier investigative documentary program. Hosts... continue the show's tradition of provocative and fearless journalism, which began in 1975. The team exposes wrongdoing in all corners of Canada and holds those responsible to account…”

Medicine Hat City Council has seen fit to

- banish the media from the media table in Council Chambers (perhaps Queen Ann does not enjoy our scrutiny?)

- ban the media from holding interviews in Council Chambers (instead we must await them in the Legislative hallway)

Media Table in Medicine Hat City Council Chambers April 22 2024, No Seating Signs Posted and Chairs Removed

Photo Credit Thomas Fougere

Why is this a problem?

The media table not only includes electrical outlets but also specialized plugins for audio / video equipment.

Instead of having a table for our equipment (laptops and cell phones) so we can report on the meetings as they happen, we are expected to balance and juggle our expensive equipment on our laps.

It makes it more difficult for us to get shots of audience reactions.

Council can easily avoid the media by leaving via the doors behind the horseshoe.

This is NOT a good look for a council that campaigned on transparency.

(Council could really use a good PR person right now but they FAFO.)

Here are their e-mail addresses

mayor@medicinehat.ca

Queen Ann

annmit@medicinehat.ca

Council (Queen Ann’s Courtiers)

robdum@medicinehat.ca

cashid@medicinehat.ca

darhir@medicinehat.ca

allkno@medicinehat.ca

andmcg@medicinehat.ca

ramrob@medicinehat.ca

shisha@medicinehat.ca

alivan@medicinehat.ca

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