Despite assertions from CBC President Marie-Philippe Bouchard that the broadcaster's news coverage is unbiased, empirical analyses reveal a different story. A 2023 study by University of Guelph political scientist Dave Snow examined CBC's reporting on Saskatchewan's parental consent policy for children under 16 changing gender pronouns at school. Over a two-month period, Snow analyzed all 38 CBC stories on the policy. Excluding direct quotes from politicians and the government, the CBC quoted 81 individuals or organizations critical of the policy versus only 15 supporters. Only six stories included at least one supporter, while 36 quoted at least one critic. Moreover, the sole expert supporter quoted, a clinical psychologist, was portrayed negatively.
Public Opinion vs. CBC Coverage
An Angus Reid poll from December 2023 indicated that 55% of Saskatchewan adults supported the policy, with 40% opposed and 5% unsure. Despite majority public support, CBC's coverage featured a more than 5-to-1 ratio of critics to supporters, highlighting a significant imbalance.
Bias in Middle East Reporting
Following the October 7 terrorist attacks, CBC's director of journalistic standards instructed staff not to label Hamas as terrorists or mention Israel's 2005 Gaza withdrawal. Jesse Kline noted the broadcaster's consistent legitimization of casualty statistics from Hamas's health ministry without acknowledging evidence of manipulation for propaganda purposes.
An analysis by B'nai Brith Canada of CBC's English-language digital reporting on the Israel-Hamas war from October 2024 through April 2025 found 55.5% of coverage was pro-Palestinian, 37.8% balanced, and only 6.7% pro-Israel. A separate study by HR Canada Charitable Organization examined 2,789 online CBC articles from October 7, 2023, to June 7, 2025, revealing headlines sympathetic toward Gaza nearly five times more often than toward Israel, and articles sympathetic toward Gaza approximately twice as often. Amanda Eskenasi, the organization's director of education, noted that after December 2023, Israeli civilians virtually disappeared from the narrative.
These findings challenge the CBC president's denial of bias, suggesting systemic imbalances in coverage of key issues.
