Mr. Speaker, in the past 11 years, close to 930 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. In nine out of ten cases, the killers go unpunished. These figures do not include the many more journalists who suffer attacks, including torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, intimidation, harassment, and sexual assault. Society as a whole suffers from impunity, because access to reliable, quality information is the very cornerstone of democracy. That is why the United Nations proclaimed November 2 as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. I would therefore like to pay tribute to journalists, both here and abroad, whose work promotes just and inclusive societies, and I salute our government's efforts to support press freedom and the safety of journalists.
In the House of Commons on November 2nd, 2017. See this statement in context.