Conservatives say there will be no media seats on Poilievre’s election campaign

By Canadian Press on March 18, 2025.

OTTAWA — The Conservative party is breaking from tradition and will not be allowing media onboard planes and buses for Pierre Poilievre’s election campaign.

In an email Tuesday, national campaign director Jenni Byrne says costs for travel have “risen considerably,” as has the capacity for digital and remote access to public events.

Byrne also says in recent years, media outlets have chosen to tag staff from local bureaus to cover events rather than fly journalists from Ottawa across the country for the entire duration of the campaign.

Byrne says her team wants to stress that the campaign will ensure “strong, fair, and equitable media access.”

Traditionally, federal election campaigns for the main political parties have provided seats on leaders’ tours, with the media organizations paying the party for the travel and other fees, so that journalists can access events, ask questions to hold leaders to account and closely observe the campaigns.

Byrne says steps have been taken to ensure that Canadian media will be able to “share any public events, participate in events on the ground, and ask questions remotely and in-person.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2025.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press