Empire-Advance

    Over almost 36 years as a publisher, I have tried to have an even and fair hand in determining our policy on letters to the editor. First and foremost, in almost every case, the letter must be signed by the writer. There have been over 1,800 editions of the papers we have published in almost 36 years, way more if you count that we have published two and sometimes three papers per week. Since June 2024, with the addition of the Virden Em­pire Advance, we have three editions per week.

    In all that time, I may not have published a letter writer’s name to protect a person who might have been injured in some way by having their name published. Unsigned letters may have happened, but not often, and not recently. Almost al­ways, the letter writer’s name goes in the paper. If a person is afraid of repercussions around publishing their name, then they should likely take up their case or complaint with the RCMP or their lawyer, not the local newspaper.

    Occasionally, we are told in per­son, or in writing, that we shouldn’t publish a certain opinion letter. There have been a very few times when, if I felt a letter was inaccur­ate, libellous or inf lammatory then I (or my staff and I) have discussed it and said “No, this isn’t true or might be libellous or could be inf lammatory,” and we set it aside.

    The following is a famous quote, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” The quote is attributed to many sources so I will leave it up to readers to seek out the original source. There are varying opinions on who originally said it. It wasn’t me, but I do see great merit in the quote. As much as possible, we need to have free of expression and the more the better. Ideas, theories and behaviours all need considered and civil responses.

    Over and above that, letters get published and sometimes people think and have told us we shouldn’t have published a letter. That’s a slippery slope because not publish­ing a letter is actually censorship and restricts free speech.

    In Canada, one does not have to agree with an opinion, be it in print, on radio, TV or the internet. Opinions are like noses, everyone has one.

    It’s important that the local newspaper be prepared to publish news, columns or opinion pieces and letters to the editor. I hate to think how restricted our society, our democracy would be if news, columns and letters to the editor were not available to readers.

    But because you don’t like an opinion...Which is exactly what a letter is, that doesn’t give you the right to request that it not be published.

    Rest assured, with many letters we have published, I didn’t like either the content or the tone, the ideas or the claims. However, in the interests of society, democracy and freedom of expression, it’s im­portant that, as much as possible, opinions and ideas be put out there for examination.

    Political parties, interest groups and people in general want to restrict available information to their own echo chamber so people will be restricted in the amount of material they have for considera­tion. They only want you to hear or read opinions they agree with.

    So, it’s up to news media in general, and newspapers specific­ally, to allow as much diversity of opinion onto the pages as possible.

    Remember, don’t shoot the mes­senger!

    Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer’s personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the newspaper staff.