Canadian Broadcaster Sparks Outrage by Advising Against Calling 9/11 Attacks Terrorism

Canada's public broadcaster CBC has ignited public controversy after instructing its journalists and editors not to refer to the September 11 attacks as acts of terrorism. An internal memo signed by senior standards manager Bassam Boshra directed staff to use alternative language, describing the hijackings as leading to plane crashes in Washington, Pennsylvania, and Manhattan, and the destruction of the World Trade Center. The memo was revealed by political commentator Warren Kinsella in the Toronto Sun and cited by the National Post, provoking widespread public anger.

Conservative Member of Parliament Rachel Thomas condemned the directive as utterly shameful, stating it dishonors the victims, their families, survivors, and first responders, emphasizing that 9/11 was unequivocally an act of terror. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs in Canada also criticized the decision, calling it a complete collapse of journalistic standards. CBC, however, denied the allegations, with spokesperson Carrie Kelly explaining that their longstanding policy restricts the use of terms like "terrorist" and "terrorism" to authorized sources such as governments and experts, rather than as independent editorial judgments.

This policy mirrors a similar approach taken after the October 7 massacre, when CBC staff were instructed not to label Hamas members as terrorists on air. The September 11 attacks in 2001 resulted in 2,977 deaths, including 24 Canadian citizens, and the Canadian government officially classifies the events as terrorist attacks on its website.