Canada’s public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada, has announced that it will depart from its established policy regarding the classification of the September 11 attacks, now officially describing the incidents as acts of terrorism. This decision comes in light of widespread criticism triggered by an internal memo that reiterated the broadcaster’s long-standing guidelines.

The backlash included responses from prominent figures such as FBI Director Kash Patel, the US ambassador to Canada, and members of the Republican Party in both countries. The memo, coinciding with the nearing 25th anniversary of the attacks, reportedly instructed CBC staff to avoid referring to the events as terrorist acts, sparking outrage from various quarters.

In a blog post issued on Friday afternoon, Basem Boshra, the senior director of journalistic standards and public trust at CBC, clarified that the broadcaster was making this exception specifically for the 9/11 events. The situation surrounding the controversial memo prompted CBC to reassess its communication to ensure greater clarity and understanding among the public.

Response from CBC Officials

Boshra addressed the situation by stating that the leaked memo had raised questions that required CBC to respond effectively. He emphasised that the broadcaster had not suggested in previous reports that the September 11 attacks were not acts of terrorism, as some commentators had interpreted. He assured that CBC had consistently reported on the motivations and reasons for the attacks with due attribution to relevant authorities and investigations.

Further underscoring the necessity for careful language, CBC spokesperson Kerry Kelly reiterated the organisation’s commitment to using caution when employing terms like terrorism. She explained that the memo served as a reminder of the established practice shared by many leading journalistic entities worldwide, including the Associated Press.

Highlighting the significance of language in journalism, CBC’s editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon pointed out that the practice of attributing the term “terrorist” has long been a hallmark of the organisation, mirroring similar standards upheld by respected outlets, such as the BBC and Reuters.

Political Reactions and Future Policy

The debate over the terminology has elicited strong reactions, particularly from American officials. Kash Patel publicly condemned the directive in the memo, suggesting that organisations in Canada should firmly reject what he termed a distortion of historical facts. He asserted that a failure to confront the realities of radical ideologies would undermine cooperative security efforts between the US and Canada.

In Canada, the issue was met with support from Culture Minister Marc Miller, who praised CBC’s eventual decision to label the attacks appropriately. He described the earlier guidelines as needlessly pedantic and acknowledged the anger they provoked among the public.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree reaffirmed the government’s stance, stating that Canada has long recognised the September 11 attacks as the deadliest terrorist incident in history, calling for an unequivocal condemnation of all forms of terrorism. As part of its revised approach, CBC intends to continue attributing causes and motivations to officials and experts while addressing new instances of politically motivated violence.

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