The public needs to take on the role of independent fact-checker

By Lethbridge Herald on February 11, 2023.

Editor:

In the past two weeks new reports about the pandemic became confusing. On the one hand, the Fraser Institute report concludes that the actions taken to combat the COVID pandemic were hugely harmful to our country.

 On the other hand, The Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) concludes that it was the circulation of COVID misinformation that was a huge contributor to the harm this country experienced. 

Both organizations cite data from experts. Who do we believe? 

What is the ‘truth’? We are living in a post-truth era. It is a time when objective facts are less important than appeals to emotion and personal belief in shaping public opinion. Data spin is vitally important in controlling the narrative the public hears. Hence, the story determines what facts are important. And perception overshadows much truth facts may suggest. 

Perhaps when in doubt, we should pay heed to the old maxim ’follow the money’ to sort out the biases and lies. Does $50 million in federal government funding to the Council of Canadian Academies buy more truth than $6 million in private corporation donations to the Fraser Institute?

Certainly $50 million seems to have bought more media time than $6 million! Wouldn’t it be nice if we could look to the CBC and the fifth estate to sort out this question through investigative reporting?

Oh wait! Follow the money. Is $600 million in government funding to mainstream media likely to buy an unbiased report? Additionally, the media is fond of hiding behind the adage “don’t shoot the messenger.”

But in a post-truth era where the media actively competes for the story that sells the most profitable “truth,” one should never trust the messenger! It is more important than ever that we the public spend more time as independent fact checkers!

Richard Dietrich

Medicine Hat