Two Canada Post workers in Regina were temporarily suspended earlier this month after they refused to deliver the latest sample edition of the Epoch Times.
The head of the local CUPW union that represents postal workers said both mail carriers were escorted from the building when they informed their supervisors they were unwilling to deliver the publication. They were suspended without pay for three days.
According to its sample issue, the Epoch Times was created to “bring honest and uncensored news to people oppressed by deception and tyranny in communist China.”
The paper sells subscriptions in dozens of countries and makes some content available free on its website, which, according to the paper, gets about 5.7 million readers per month in Canada. It occasionally mails out free, unsolicited sample editions through Canada Post as advertising mail.
The paper was founded in the U.S. in 2000 by Chinese-American followers of the Falun Gong spiritual practice, who have been persecuted by the Chinese government. In the past, it has broken stories about human rights abuses in China.
Epoch Times content runs the gamut from articles about health and wellness to science, politics and technology. But its main focus has been news and current affairs stories that are critical of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
A copy of the sample edition sent out in January in several Canadian cities. (Submitted)
In recent years, it has expanded its coverage of U.S. politics and gained traction among some supporters of former U.S. president Donald Trump by covering topics such as Spygate, the QAnon conspiracy theory and unfounded allegations of election fraud.
On its site, the paper describes itself as non-partisan and “independent of any influence from corporations, governments or political parties.”
In its sample issue, the Epoch Times says it has a “reputation for independent, fact-based traditional journalism” and its goal is “to serve the public benefit and be truly responsible to society.”
‘I’m not for censorship’
Ramiro Sepulveda, one of the suspended postal workers, told CBC News he objects to the insinuations in some of the paper’s past coverage of the origins of the coronavirus, which the paper calls “the CCP virus.”
“I’m not for censorship. I’m not against freedom of speech,” he said. “What my thing is, is there is no disclaimer stating that this was theory.”
He says he went straight to his supervisor when he saw the free editions that were set to be delivered earlier this month.
“I said, ‘That Epoch Times, I’m not delivering it. It goes against everything I believe in.'”
Regina mail carrier Linying Su refused to deliver the Epoch Times because she said she was concerned its coverage of the Chinese government and the coronavirus could add to anti-Asian sentiment. (Jin Liu)
The second worker, Linying Su, who was born in China, said she felt uncomfortable delivering the paper because she feared its coverage of the Chinese government could contribute to anti-Chinese and anti-Asian sentiment in Canada and misconceptions around the origins of the coronavirus.
“This is not just about Chinese Candians; it’s about all Asian Canadians,” she told CBC News in a conversation through Facebook. “The unjustified discrimination against Chinese Canadians would turn to discrimination against all Asian Canadians….
“I may not be able to stop other people from delivering these papers, but I can stop myself from doing things that betray my own belief.”
Readers can judge for themselves, says publisher
In an email to CBC News that was also posted on the paper’s website, the publisher of the Canadian edition of the Epoch Times, Cindy Gu, said sending out free copies is a “common practice in the news industry to grow business.”
“Canada is a country that believes in freedom of the press, and we believe readers are wise enough to judge for themselves whether we are reporting truthfully,” Gu said. “This is a free country. Readers deserve the chance to know different styles and types of reporting.”
Gu said the majority of feedback to the recent edition has been positive.
“If people do not wish to read our sample newspaper, then treat it like other promotional material,” she said.
“If the delivery of mail is up to the individual carrier to decide based on his/her impression of ‘hatred,’ no one can trust the post office any more. If Canada Post were to block us, that would be the government censoring an independent media outlet. This would violate the Charter of Rights, which guarantees freedom of the press.”
The Epoch Times sells print and digital subscriptions in dozens of countries and occasionally mails out free sample editions as advertising mail through Canada Post. (Pauline Dantas)
Gu said the fears that some of the paper’s content could be misconstrued as anti-Asian are unjustified.
“We are a media started by Asian immigrants. There is no way we would publish content that is anti-Asian,” she said.
“In reporting the facts, we may contradict some commonly accepted narratives, including about China. Reading us can be a liberating experience.”
Other postal workers have objected to delivery
The Regina workers aren’t the first postal workers to complain about the publication. In April 2020, some mail carriers in the Greater Toronto Area objected to having to deliver it, and their union local filed a request with the federal government asking for an interim order to stop delivery of the newspaper. That request was denied.
The national branch of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says it is currently in discussions with Canada Post about this matter.
Canada Post said letter carriers are obligated to deliver any mail that is “properly prepared and paid for.”
The union agrees, but William Johnson, president of the CUPW local in Regina, said there needs to be a better solution than suspension for workers who are uncomfortable delivering the publication.
The government has said the paper’s content does not meet the criteria of ‘non-mailable matter,’ and Canada Post and its employee union both agree that the postal service cannot refuse to deliver mail that has been ‘prepared and paid for.’ (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
“What I don’t want to see is this happening. If this is going to be a publication that comes out every month — that we go through this process every month. That’s not good for morale,” Johnson said. “It’s a really stressful time for the employees. And so I think there has to be some sort of alternative as to how we deal with this situation.”
Canada Post said in an emailed statement to CBC News that it understands “this is a difficult situation.”
“The courts have told Canada Post that its role is not to act as the censor of mail or to determine the extent of freedom of expression in Canada,” it said. “This is an important distinction between Canada Post and private sector delivery companies.”
Doesn’t fit criteria of non-mailable matter
To refuse delivery, material would have to meet Canada Post’s definition of “non-mailable matter,” which includes items that are prohibited by law, such as illegal, obscene and fraudulent items.
Those who want to opt out of receiving the Epoch Times sample editions must opt out of all ad mail, including grocery and community-based flyers and other promotional material.
A spokesperson for Anita Anand, the minister in charge of Canada Post, said the minister “is actively reviewing the rules relating to the circulation of the Epoch Times.”
One Ontario resident who wrote to her local MP to complain about the free edition after it turned up in her mailbox in Mississauga earlier this month said she supports such a review.
Mississauga, Ont., resident Pauline Dantas wrote to her local MP to complain about the unsolicited edition of the paper she received this month. (Tina Mackenzie/CBC News)
“I think it’s important for politicians to really take a look at this and just say, ‘Is this what we want a Crown corporation to be delivering?” said Pauline Dantas.
Dantas was told by the outreach co-ordinator for Gagan Sikand, the Liberal MP for Mississauga-Streetsville, that the content of Epoch Times does not meet the criteria of non-mailable matter.
“Anyone concerned with the contents of the Epoch Times can contact the publisher directly, file a complaint through the appropriate institutions or place the item in the recycling box,” Sarah Hleyhel wrote in an email to Dantas.
‘A pretty decent view on what’s going on’
Tony Phillips, a retiree in Debert, N.S., skimmed the special edition when it arrived in his mailbox.
He thinks calls to ban delivery of the paper through Canada Post are “nanny state-ish.”
Phillips said while he doesn’t agree with all the views expressed in the paper, he’s interested in hearing them.
Tony Phillips of Debert, N.S., said he didn’t mind getting the free edition of the Epoch Times and appreciated reading opinions that might differ from his own. (Annie Phillips)
“I’m kind of interested in seeing what people think,” Phillips said. “I just find it, kind of, part of the human zoo, and I just, kind of, enjoy it.”
“I just like to get an idea of the social landscape in a sense … I think there’s a danger that you can just listen to yourself or people who think the same way as you do.”
He said he wasn’t bothered by getting an unsolicited copy of the paper any more than he would be to get a community flyer or pamphlet that might turn up at one’s door.
“It didn’t loom large, really. It was just interesting, an interesting blip,” he said.
Candice, a southwestern Ontario mother of four who asked that her last name be withheld because of fears of being harassed for her views, said she liked the paper so much she subscribed to it two months ago.
“This newspaper gives a pretty decent view on what’s going on,” she said. “They’re obviously not shying away from the fact they are anti-communist, and some people don’t like that. Some people think that they’re out to lunch. But I’m not one of those people.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in September. Epoch Times coverage has been critical of the Chinese government’s handling of the coronavirus, which the paper refers to as the ‘CCP virus’ in reference to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. (Mark Schiefelbein/The Associated Press)
Candice said she doesn’t think the paper stokes racist sentiments and likes the variety of the content.
“I see it as being hard to get diverse thoughts, especially when now, the catch phrases of misinformation, disinformation get thrown around over a multitude of topics,” she said. “I’d rather know more about what’s going on rather than hiding from it.”
She is able to find coverage she can’t find elsewhere, she said, such as stories about positive changes made by the Trump administration.
“Mainstream media would be more like, ‘We hate Trump, so we’re going to … write about that,'” she said. “I don’t hate Trump.”
Trump rhetoric on China helped raised profile
Sonya Fatah, an assistant professor of journalism at Ryerson University in Toronto, says she thinks most people who encounter the publication in Canada will realize it’s not a typical newspaper.
“It’s quite obvious that it’s very much focused on a specific mission, which is to bring down the CCP (Chinese Communist Party),” she said.
“What is interesting is that people are reacting to it very strongly. And I think the reaction is giving more space to the Epoch Times than perhaps we need to.”
Fatah said the paper’s profile has increased in the last four years, in part because its own stated goals were aligned with some of Donald Trump’s rhetoric on China.
“It’s been a little surprising, I think, for a lot of people who’ve kind of seen it as a fringe player,” Fatah said.
“Trump was, in a way, an excellent mouthpiece for the cause. He was out there calling the virus a ‘Chinese flu,’ the ‘Chinese virus.'”
OTTAWA – The New Democrats confirmed Thursday they won’t help Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives topple the government next week, and intend to join the Bloc Québécois in blocking the Tories’ non-confidence motion.
The planned votes from the Bloc and the New Democrats eliminate the possibility of a snap election, buying the Liberals more time to govern after a raucous start to the fall sitting of Parliament.
Poilievre issued a challenge to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh earlier this week when he announced he will put forward a motion that simply states that the House has no confidence in the government or the prime minister.
If it were to pass, it would likely mean Canadians would be heading to the polls, but Singh said Thursday he’s not going to let Poilievre tell him what to do.
Voting against the Conservative motion doesn’t mean the NDP support the Liberals, said Singh, who pulled out of his political pact with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a few weeks ago.
“I stand by my words, Trudeau has let you down,” Singh said in the foyer outside of the House of Commons Thursday.
“Trudeau has let you down and does not deserve another chance.”
Canadians will have to make that choice at the ballot box, Singh said, but he will make a decision about whether to help trigger that election on a vote-by-vote basis in the House.
The Conservatives mocked the NDP during Question Period for saying they had “ripped up” the deal to support the Liberals, despite plans to vote to keep them in power.
Poilievre accused Singh of pretending to pull out of the deal to sway voters in a federal byelection in Winnipeg, where the NDP was defending its long-held seat against the Conservatives.
“Once the votes were counted, he betrayed them again. He’s a fake, a phoney and fraud. How can anyone ever believe what the sellout NDP leader says in the future?” Poilievre said during Question Period Thursday afternoon.
At some point after those comments, Singh stepped out from behind his desk in the House and a two-minute shouting match ensued between the two leaders and their MPs before the Speaker intervened.
Outside the House, Poilievre said he plans to put forward another non-confidence motion at the next opportunity.
“We want a carbon-tax election as soon as possible, so that we can axe Trudeau’s tax before he quadruples it to 61 cents a litre,” he said.
Liberal House leader Karina Gould says there is much work the government still needs to do, and that Singh has realized the consequences of potentially bringing down the government. She refused to take questions about whether her government will negotiate with opposition parties to ensure their support in future confidence motions.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet hasn’t ruled out voting no-confidence in the government the next time a motion is tabled.
“I never support Liberals. Help me God, I go against the Conservatives on a vote that is only about Pierre Poilievre and his huge ambition for himself,” Blanchet said Thursday.
“I support the interests of Quebecers, if those interests are also good for Canadians.”
A Bloc bill to increase pension cheques for seniors aged 65 to 74 is now at “the very centre of the survival of this government,” he said.
The Bloc needs a recommendation from a government minister to OK the cost and get the bill through the House.
The Bloc also wants to see more protections for supply management in the food sector in Canada and Quebec.
If the Liberals can’t deliver on those two things, they will fall, Blanchet said.
“This is what we call power,” he said.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand wouldn’t say whether the government would be willing to swallow the financial implications of the Bloc’s demands.
“We are focused at Treasury Board on ensuring prudent fiscal management,” she said Thursday.
“And at this time, our immediate focus is implementing the measures in budget 2024 that were announced earlier this year.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
OTTAWA – Treasury Board President Anita Anand has been sworn in as federal transport minister at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, taking over a portfolio left vacant after Pablo Rodriguez resigned from cabinet and the Liberal caucus on Thursday.
Anand thanked Rodriguez for his contributions to the government and the country, saying she’s grateful for his guidance and friendship.
She sidestepped a question about the message it sends to have him leave the federal Liberal fold.
“That is a decision that he made independently, and I wish him well,” she said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not present for the swearing-in ceremony, nor were any other members of the Liberal government.
The shakeup in cabinet comes just days after the Liberals lost a key seat in a Montreal byelection to the Bloc Québécois and amid renewed calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down and make way for a new leader.
Anand said she is not actively seeking leadership of the party, saying she is focused on her roles as minister and as MP.
“My view is that we are a team, and we are a team that has to keep delivering for our country,” she said.
The minority Liberal government is in a more challenging position in the House of Commons after the NDP ended a supply-and-confidence deal that provided parliamentary stability for more than two years.
Non-confidence votes are guaranteed to come from the Opposition Conservatives, who are eager to bring the government down.
On Thursday morning, Rodriguez made a symbolic walk over the Alexandra Bridge from Parliament Hill to Gatineau, Que., where he formally announced his plans to run for the Quebec Liberal party leadership.
He said he will now sit as an Independent member of Parliament, which will allow him to focus on his own priorities.
“I was defending the priorities of the government, and I did it in a very loyal way,” he said.
“It’s normal and it’s what I had to do. But now it’s more about my vision, the vision of the team that I’m building.”
Rodriguez said he will stay on as an MP until the Quebec Liberal leadership campaign officially launches in January.
He said that will “avoid a costly byelection a few weeks, or months, before a general election.”
The next federal election must be held by October 2025.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he will try to topple the government sooner than that, beginning with a non-confidence motion that is set to be debated Sept. 24 and voted on Sept. 25.
Poilievre has called on the NDP and the Bloc Québécois to support him, but both Jagmeet Singh and Yves-François Blanchet have said they will not support the Conservatives.
Rodriguez said he doesn’t want a federal election right away and will vote against the non-confidence motion.
As for how he would vote on other matters before the House of Commons, “it would depend on the votes.”
Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will become the government’s new Quebec lieutenant, a non-cabinet role Rodriguez held since 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
— With files from Nojoud Al Mallees and Dylan Robertson
