Stephen Pate, disability advocate at Charlottetown Farmer's Market

PEI press gallery is holding a public meeting to remove disability activist and blogger Stephen Pate who has been sharply critical of the government. Pate denounces collusion between the press and government in abridging charter rights of free press.

PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 19, 2009 – The two-week old Press Gallery of the PEI Legislature is holding a public meeting at 7 PM on October 19, 2009 to remove Stephen Pate from its membership. The meeting will be held in the Pope Room of the Coles Building on Richmond Street in Charlottetown.

“The press is not supposed to be influenced by the government,” said Stephen Pate “but in this case the Speaker’s office took umbrage at my membership in the press gallery, despite my previous accreditation.”

Thibodeau confirmed it was the Speaker who initiated the action against Pate.

“The executive has received several complaints about a news release dated Sept. 29, 2009 issued by yourself and NJN Network, among other concerns,” wrote Wayne Thibodeau acting President of the Press Gallery and senior political reporter for the Charlottetown Guardian newspaper.

“The story was clearly a satire of the government’s policies towards Islanders with disabilities who do not have access to PEI’s largest library,” said Pate.

“Thibodeau and the press gallery are making a straw man of the story to concoct false charges of ethics,” Pate added. “No one in the PEI media I have spoken to saw it as anything but a lampoon. The article was clearly labeled “satire”.”

Freedom of the press from government interference is a fundamental freedom under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Speakers in other provinces have tried to restrict access but several successful court challenges have limited the Speakers rights.

“It would be untenable for the government to use the law of trespass to quell the voices of dissent and the freedom of expression on state-owned property,” wrote J.P Chon in the case in Ontario’s Queens Park where the Speaker banned five activists from TASC (Toronto Action for Social Change).

“The government should not wantonly use the law of trespass to evict legitimate peaceful protesters or stop their voices. This form of expression, expressing dissatisfaction with a government policy and publicizing a particular political view while on state-owned property is a value cherished in a democratic society and is protected by section 2(b)[of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms].” J.P. Chon.

Pate said he plans to vigorously defend his right to report from the PEI Legislature.

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PEI Disability Alert is a not-for-profit disability advocate carrying on public awareness of disability issues

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