OTTAWA, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — Independent media outlet Rebel News has won a court victory against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal environment minister who blocked them from viewing his official government account.
On September 11, the Federal Court of Canada ordered Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault to pay $20,000 in damages and to unblock Rebel News editor-in-chief Ezra Levant from Guilbeault’s official government account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Rebel News just crushed Steven Guilbeault in the Federal Court of Canada,” said Levant. “And in doing so, we struck a blow for freedom of speech and freedom of the press for everyone.”
Two years earlier, Guilbeault ordered that the independent media outlet be blocked from his official account, meaning Rebel was unable to receive any government news updates, respond to posts, or ask journalistic questions.
“We were banned from a government service just because we disagreed with a politician,” Levant explained.
Rebel took the case to the Federal Court of Canada, arguing they had a right as Canadians to view the minister’s official government account.
“It might sound like a small thing, but if Guilbeault can cut us off from receiving news and other information from the government, what else can he cut off?” Levant questioned.
Finally, after two years of court battles, Guilbeault caved and agreed to a “consent order,” which Rebel suspects is because he did not wish the case to go to trial.
“This is a win for all journalists,” Levant declared. “Because the precedent will apply to politicians of every political party. We have made Canada freer for everyone.”
This is not the first time Guilbeault has been implied to be underhanded in his attempt to further his party’s goals.
Just recently, both Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe condemned Guilbeault for his role in forcing strict so-called climate regulations on Canadians despite the potential deleterious economic impact on ordinary citizens.
This issue was only further inflamed when Guilbeault traveled to China to take part in a Communist-linked climate conference, at which he seemed to completely ignore China’s role as one of the world’s largest polluters while instead taking aim at his own country’s oil and gas sector.