Two weeks ago, I wrote an article that covered misinformation uttered by NDP’s Matthew Green, my local MP.
Green was questioning GiveSendGo’s CEO Jacob Wells, as part of a Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency.
Freedom Convoy supporters started using Wells’ Christian-based crowdfunding platform called GiveSendGo after the Canadian government convinced a different platform, GoFundMe, to freeze all Freedom Convoy-related raised funds.
I had emailed Green prior to him blocking me. I don’t think there was anything wrong with what I said. In fact, I was giving him a chance to clarify his comments, or retract them based on what could have been an honest mistake.
Hello
I’m Mike – I write for The Counter Signal.
I’m wondering if MP Matthew Green could give a comment on his comments made earlier this week wherein he called Kyle Rittenhouse a “serial killer.”
Rittenhouse was exonerated by the judicial system as per the ruling of self-defense.
Does Mr. Green stand by his comments that Rittenhouse is a “serial killer”?
Note, if we do not receive a response by publication coming shortly, we will add afterwards.
Thank you,
Mike Campbell
He did not respond, and we published our article. Green then blocked me on Twitter.
I’ve thought about this for a while and where it leads to – Canadian politicians blocking dissident journalists?
I just wrote to him again the following:
Hello, Mike Campbell again.
Canada is a free country where media members can write pieces that politicians don’t like.
Political dissent and critical pieces of journalism are part of democracy. It helps to keep politicians accountable.
Two weeks ago, I emailed MP Green asking for comment on his statements on Rittenhouse, given the fact the young man was exonerated.
Instead of responding to my request for comment, or ignoring me, MP Green banned me from accessing him anymore on social media by blocking me.
I feel this was anti-democratic.
In my article, all I did was report on the exchange between MP Green and Mr. Wells from GiveSendGo.
I made two claims:
1 – MP Green called Rittenhouse a serial killer. I noted Rittenhouse has been exonerated and the term “serial killer” refers to someone who commits multiple murders.
2 – MP Green said an officer was murdered during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which has been disproven.
If you believe either of my claims are inaccurate, please let me know where/how, and I will correct them. Reporting facts accurately is a priority for The Counter Signal.
By blocking me, and without responding to my initial email request for comment, I’m left disappointed that a Canadian politician – my local Member of Parliament – would resort to this level of behaviour.
I’ve never once tweeted anything hateful at MP Green, or replied to a tweet of his, or encouraged anyone to do so.
I feel that MP Green should reconsider his decision to block me on Twitter. We don’t have to be besties and golf Chedoke on Sundays (ftr I would win), and he doesn’t have to respond to me if he doesn’t want to.
But I’m one of your constituents, so please don’t shut me out from accessing your social media, just because I reported facts that you don’t like.
China shuts out dissident journalists. In Canada, we must tolerate them.
My request:
1.Please tell me what I reported wrong if you feel I did so.
And/or
2. Please unblock me from Twitter.
Thank you very much for your time, and Merry Christmas, happy holidays to you and your family,
Kind regards,
Mike Campbell
Let’s see if/how he responds . . .