A journalist of Radio-Canada arrested “for doing his job”

Photo Facebook
Antoine Trépanier

Antoine Lacroix

Friday, 16 march, 2018 00:20

UPDATE
Friday, 16 march, 2018 01:15

Look at this article

A journalist of Radio-Canada was arrested Tuesday evening by the police of Gatineau after that a lady that he wanted to interview has lodged a complaint against him for criminal harassment. His employers feel, however, that he was “simply doing his job.”

Yvonne Dube, executive director of a charity, was the subject of a journalistic investigation conducted by Antoine Trépanier.

In a story published Thursday night, she was described as “the lawyer who was not” after the Corporation has obtained a decision of the Ontario superior Court, where it was learned that Ms. Dubé “is falsely presented as a lawyer and practiced law without authorization from September 2011 to march 2012”.

A judge ordered him to “cease permanently from the practice of law without authorization” and “not to provide legal services not allowed”.

“Threats”

According to the police Department of the City of Gatineau (SPVG), the lady is presented to the post alleging “that she was the victim of threats” on the part of the journalist.

“The alleged victim has made a statement in good and due form, stating concerns for his safety following threats received and communications are repeated on the part of a man,” says SPVG in a press release.

“Without merit,” said Radio-Canada

The management of Radio-Canada Ottawa/Gatineau believes that the complaint is “without merit”, while they consider that their reporter ‘ was in the process of just doing his job.” “He has all our support. Mr. Trépanier has done an excellent job, with integrity, ” says Yvan Cloutier, director of the station. We look forward to seeing if the Director of criminal and penal prosecutions will decide whether to bring charges in this case.” According to the latter, Antoine Trépanier has made on two occasions, requests to Yvonne Dube to grant him an interview.

“He tried to reach her by phone and left a message. She recalled, and they talked for about twenty minutes to finally agree to an interview to the camera. It was never submitted to the appointment and let him know that she had changed her mind. The next day he sent him an e-mail to offer him a new interview,” explains Mr. Cloutier. The same evening, Antoine Trépanier has been contacted by the SPVG.

“We offered him to come to the station, otherwise what they would look for it. He immediately worked. He has signed a promise to appear. It must also comply with the condition not to enter in contact with the complainant,” says Yvan Cloutier.

“Dangerous,” according to the FPJQ

On the side of the Fédération professionnelle des journalists du Québec (FPJQ), one sees the situation as “very worrying”.

“This is not reassuring, it falls into something very dangerous. This journalist was simply doing his job, there is nothing that demonstrates that he has acted badly”, drops Stéphane Giroux, president of the FPJQ.

The FPJQ has the intention to ask the police to justify their decision, Friday, to “clarify the situation”.

Reaction of the HVPS

For its part, the SPVG has stated in a terse press release that it considers “as the primordial freedom of the press and the public’s right to quality information, exact, rigorous, and complete”.

“In no case and in no circumstance, the SPVG has not had the intention of attacking a journalist in the exercise of its functions and restrict its freedom of the press”, says one. It adds, however, believing “respect for the rights of victims who wish to file a complaint so that their file to be processed impartially” and that the police “work in an impartial manner,” without regard to the jobs and status of individuals.