The Department of Justice yesterday had no comment after its senior counsel wrote a vulgar social media post comparing media critics to animal urine. Remarks by Alexander Gay followed a department pledge that journalists “should never be subjected to intimidation or harassment for doing their critical work.”
Attorney General Arif Virani’s office did not reply to questions. Virani last May 3 on World Press Freedom Day said his department celebrated “the important work of journalists.”
“Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy and enshrined in our Charter Of Rights And Freedoms,” wrote the Attorney General. “Journalists should never be subjected to intimidation or harassment for doing their critical work.”
Counsel Gay’s LinkedIn post Sunday was in reaction to a Sun Media commentary on Blacklock’s Reporter v. Attorney General, a case currently before the Federal Court of Appeal. The August 31 article by columnist Lorne Gunter was critical of officialdom.
“The only thing bizarre is the journalist that wrote this article and made up some random facts,” wrote Counsel Gay. “My late father would call this yellow journalism which I believe had something to do with a newspaper that was only good enough to train a dog to pee outdoors.”
The Department of Justice Values And Ethics Code mandates “respectful communication” by employees. Federal lawyers must “conduct themselves in a manner that does not harm the reputation of the department,” it says.
“As public servants we contribute to good governance, democracy and the well-being of Canadian society,” says the Code Of Conduct. “We are committed to respecting the law and upholding the highest standards of integrity and fairness.”
Made Up Urine Reference
Justice department employees must “uphold the public trust” and be civil in dealing with Canadians, continued the Code. “Treating all people with respect, dignity and fairness is fundamental to our relationship with the Canadian public,“ it said.
Authorities did not comment on whether the ‘dog pee’ post complied with the Code Of Conduct. “Journalists are the bedrock of our democracy,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said May 3 in observance of World Press Freedom Day.
“Canada will always stand up for journalists in the defence of media freedom and against misinformation and disinformation,” said the Prime Minister. “Journalists must be able to do their jobs free from threat or intimidation.”
Counsel Gay made up the claim that “yellow journalism” referred to animal urine. Records show the phrase originated as a 19th century pejorative against the New York Journal. The now-defunct daily published a comic strip called The Yellow Kid, “the adventures of an engaging slum urchin,” wrote William Swanberg, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the 1961 volume Citizen Hearst, a biography of Journal publisher William Randolph Hearst.
Hearst sponsored “Yellow Kids” fundraisers for orphans and an 1896 “Yellow Fellow” cross-country bicycle race. Critics adopted “yellow journalism” in criticizing Journal coverage of the 1898 Spanish-American War and dubbed Hearst the “yellow kid” in his 1902 campaign for the U.S. Congress.
By Staff 
