Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague again.
Freedom of the press is absolutely fundamental in our democracy and our system of accountability. The Conservative government has developed a strange relationship with the press in Canada. However, things here are nowhere near as bad as they are in countries like Iran and Egypt and in far too many other countries in which the media are controlled or gagged.
This freedom is essential to democracy and the trust people have in their institutions and their own democracy. When that trust is lacking, we inevitably end up with very serious problems, not to mention the ethical problems that arise when freedom of expression, and particularly freedom of the press, is violated.