Author Matthew Heneghan

I’m not a fan of Rebel News.

Let’s start there, so no one gets the wrong idea. I don’t align with their tactics, their tone, or their vision of what journalism is supposed to be. I find their work abrasive, often inflammatory, and more about emotional conflagration than informing. They’re not interested in balance — they’re interested in drawing battle lines. Testing the limit.

But here’s the harder thing to admit: For quite some time, I’ve been feeling a similar kind of unease about the CBC — and that’s not a shot I take lightly.

The CBC is hallowed ground for a lot of Canadians. Many of us have fond memories of their once-fabled radio segments like The Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean, As It Happens, or Quirks & Quarks. The CBC used to feel like Canada’s living room — a place where stories from all corners of the country came together, where you could find yourself reflected, or at least acknowledged.

Thing is, to the tune of $1.2 billion taxpayer dollars, the CBC has increasingly entrenched itself in ideological trenches and partisan beliefs. It has alienated — intentionally or not — whole swaths of the Canadian population. They’re supposed to represent Canada as a whole, not lobby for likeminded political figures. But they do. In spades.

I’ve written for the CBC. I’ve had stories published under their banner — stories that connected me with people across this country who, like me, were looking for something honest in the wreckage. Stories about trauma, survival, hope. I’ve seen the best of what public broadcasting can be. And maybe that’s why the disappointment hits harder.

When CBC stumbles, it stings more. Because I know what they’re capable of. But for whatever reason, those voices — the honest ones — are being quieted and pushed to the back.

You probably remember the story from Kamloops — 215 children’s remains reportedly discovered at the site of a former residential school. It was a national reckoning. Flags were lowered. Ceremonies held. Tears shed. The story was everywhere — and CBC led the charge. I, like the rest of Canada, was heartbroken and outraged.

But over time, the details didn’t hold.

No bodies were exhumed. The number 215 came from ground-penetrating radar anomalies — not confirmed remains. Not forensic evidence. But you wouldn’t have known that from the original reporting. No asterisk. No pause for clarification. No major correction once doubts surfaced. No middle-of-the-road reporting — just full-throttle accusations and the reignition of a national debate on colonialism. Often framed as a European construct, with historical nuance tossed aside.

That matters. A lot.

Because if journalism is supposed to be the pursuit of truth — not just the convenient or popular version of it — then what happened here wasn’t journalism. It was something else. Something closer to performance.

If Rebel News had pushed a story that shaky, CBC would’ve rightfully condemned them. But when the error is their own? Silence. Not a spoken word.

It creates a double standard. And double standards erode trust. They don’t build equity or progress — only division and resentment.

No one is denying that the residential school system was a dark stain on Canadian history — at least I’m not. But I am calling for accuracy, not hyperbole. We need investigation, not promulgation.

This isn’t an isolated case, either. Whether it’s the Israel-Hamas conflict, COVID-19 discourse, or partisan political coverage, there’s a creeping sense that the CBC — our publicly funded broadcaster — is increasingly wearing a jersey instead of holding the mic.

And that’s a problem. Journalism can have a heart, yes. But when it starts picking sides instead of asking hard questions of all sides, it stops being journalism. It becomes branding. Which would be fine — if they admitted it. But they don’t. Instead, they claim to be “Canada’s radio station” while often condemning the very institutions that shaped this country. They placate. They promote for singular political parties. They wear ideology like it’s untainted virtue.

You know who else does that — albeit with a cheaper cape? Rebel News.

Then came the job posting. You probably saw it: a host position openly restricted to candidates who were Indigenous, Black, or people of colour. In other words, white applicants were told they need not apply. I understand the intent. I truly do. Representation matters, and historically marginalized voices deserve space. But this approach — exclusion in the name of inclusion — isn’t just ethically messy. It’s fundamentally divisive. It’s a public broadcaster, paid for by all Canadians, telling some of them they aren’t welcome. That’s not progress. That’s a mistake.

And yet again — no accountability.

Look, I’m not here to torch the CBC. Like I said, I’ve worked with them. I know good journalists are still there — people who care about accuracy, balance, and public service. But those voices are being drowned out by an institution that seems more interested in activism than accountability.

That’s a betrayal of its mission. A disservice to Canadians.

And no, I’m not saying Rebel News deserves accreditation just because CBC sometimes falls short. Two wrongs don’t make a fourth estate. But what I am saying is that we can’t keep pretending one side is wholly virtuous and the other inherently vile. Bias is bias — whether it’s wrapped in a red hat or a rainbow flag.

We need better from all of them. But especially from the CBC. Because it belongs to all of us. And when a public institution starts to lose the public’s trust, that’s not just a media story — that’s a democratic one.

Journalism doesn’t need to be perfect. But it does need to be honest. Especially when the truth is uncomfortable. Especially when it doesn’t flatter your cause.

Because that’s where the real stories live. And that’s where the people are. People are messy. They make mistakes. And that’s fine. But when a mistake is made — own it. Print a retraction. Ask the tough questions on both sides. Don’t worship the hand that feeds you — hold it accountable.

I’m hard on the CBC because I believe in the CBC.

I believe it matters. And I believe it can do better.

It has to.