As you know, that's a very big question that we grapple with every day at the Press Council, for obvious reasons. Our organization does receive complaints about journalism.
We still have to define what journalism is. We have our definition, and the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec, or FPJQ, has its own. It makes sense for us not to have the same definition, because we're not addressing the same issue.
To answer your question in a likely unsatisfying way, we are constantly wading through grey areas. That's the case because now there are new information providers, so to speak, that don't fit the so-called original definition of journalism.
Naturally, back when journalists could only work at a newspaper, on the radio or on television, it was easier. We knew who these people were. Now, there are many, many platforms and communication channels that feature journalism. People can do excellent journalism work there, even if they don't work for a radio station, a television station or a newspaper. Therefore, it becomes very difficult, especially for the public, to sort things out. We have our definitions, our criteria and all that, but the general public has trouble determining which sources are credible.
I would like to say that if someone, at the outset, commits to following basic ethical principles at the very least, we know that that person is acting in good faith and working for the public interest. These principles are set out in the Press Council's ethics guide. I think that's the first criterion. If you can tell that someone is not an activist and is working for the public interest, that's a good way to establish that you can trust them.
That said, it is actually a problem. Once again, I would like to have an ultimate solution, such as a quality seal. It is now possible to become an associate member of the Quebec Press Council at very little cost, and then to use our logo, which simply states that you are committed to following the journalistic ethics guide. It's certainly not the ultimate solution, but if you see the logo, at least you know that the information is produced in good faith. There should be more of these initiatives.