A journalist arrested in Canada for trying to do their job?
It happened to us.
In November 2021, photojournalist Amber Bracken was on assignment for The Narwhal, reporting from northwestern British Columbia. She was documenting tensions over the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory.
Amber was handcuffed, held in a cell for three nights and had her camera gear and photographs seized — all for doing her job.
We believe this was a clear violation of her Charter rights — and The Narwhal’s. So we sued the RCMP to take a stand for press freedom. Now, our trial is underway.
The trial has received significant attention across the country. The Globe and Mail, the CBC, Canada’s National Observer, The Tyee and others have covered the story. Various outlets have published reporting by the Canadian Press. News about the trial has been broadcast on Global’s flagship national news program and elsewhere on television and radio.
More about the case
Where and when is the trial happening?
The trial proceeded for five weeks in January and February at the Supreme Court of British Columbia, at 800 Smithe St. in downtown Vancouver. The proceedings resumed on April 9 and continue until April 17. Then, after another pause, final arguments are expected to be heard over two weeks beginning June 8.
The proceedings are open to the public, so if you’re interested and would like to attend, you can.
Proceedings generally begin at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:30 to 2 p.m. The specific courtroom will be posted on a list at the courthouse, as well as on this page on the provincial government website. To find it, select “Vancouver” from the location drop-down list, and click “Hearing List by Style of Proceeding.” That will download a PDF of cases being heard that day. Our case is called “The Narwhal News Society and Amber Bracken v. Attorney General of Canada et al.”
If you’ve never been to court before here are some rules to keep in mind.
- Dress neatly in clothing that is appropriate for an office workplace or a job interview
- Do not wear shorts, tank tops or sandals
- Do not wear clothes with disrespectful pictures or slogans
- Remove sunglasses, chewing gum, and baseball caps or other hats before going into a courtroom (except for religious headwear)
- Leave food and drinks outside a courtroom, except for water
- Members of the public may not use electronic devices of any sort to transmit or receive text, audio or video record or photograph any court proceedings
- It is important to remain quiet while watching court proceedings
- The judge will enter and leave the courtroom from a door near the bench
- When the judge enters, the court clerk will say “All rise” and everyone in the courtroom must stand unless they have mobility issues. People also stand when the judge leaves the courtroom
