CBC CALGARY WHISTLEBLOWER: REAL EYE OPENER
Mayoral Candidate’s Letter to CBC Circulates Nationwide, Citing Concerns of Fairness and Access
According to information provided by a CBC staff member, whose identity is being protected due to potential whistleblower implications, producers prioritized candidates who had previously served in public office.
CALGARY, October 17 2025 — A letter from Calgary mayoral candidate Dr. Jaeger Gustafson, Dr.Ac. addressed to a CBC Calgary employee who’s identity is being protected due to potential wishtelblower implications has begun circulating nationwide, drawing attention to questions of equitable access, accessibility, and constitutional fairness in municipal election coverage.
Dr. Jaeger Gustafson, Dr.Ac. Calgary Alta.
In the letter—now shared across Canada—Dr. Gustafson outlines concerns that CBC Calgary’s election coverage and debate participation criteria have favoured candidates with prior public-office experience, while excluding others from full participation.
Information provided by a CBC staff member whose identity is being protected due to potential whistleblower implications.
“CBC prioritized candidates who have served in public office,” the letter states, referencing prior correspondence from CBC producers. “With respect, I believe this approach is inconsistent with the democratic principles protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which affirms equal participation and non-discrimination in political expression and access to public platforms.”
Dr. Gustafson also raised accessibility and quality concerns, noting that other candidates received in-studio interviews averaging 10 to 11 minutes, while his interview was conducted by phone and grouped with others in a single 7-minute segment—despite his offer to appear in-studio due to expressed concerns about audio quality. He argues that such differences
“undermine the appearance of fairness and impartiality that CBC’s election coverage is expected to uphold under the Broadcasting Act and CBC’s own Journalistic Standards and Practices.”
The letter further cites CBC’s own commissioned polling, which showed a 34 percent undecided electorate—a fact highlighted by pollster Janet Brown on The Eyeopener (October 10, 2025). Dr. Gustafson argues that “a high proportion of undecided voters underscores the public value of broader inclusion and equal airtime for all certified candidates.”
Invoking both Sections 2(b) and 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the letter references landmark Supreme Court precedents—Haig v. Canada (1993) and Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada v. Canada (1991)—to emphasize that public broadcasters must act in a viewpoint-neutral and equitable manner when facilitating political discourse.
The letter, now shared widely among civic organizations, accessibility advocates, and political observers, calls for an immediate review and equitable remedy before election day.
“I respectfully request that CBC Calgary review this information as soon as possible and provide an equitable remedy prior to election day,” Dr. Gustafson wrote. “CBC has a duty to uphold fairness, accessibility, and equality in its coverage as a national public broadcaster.”
National discussion around the letter continues to grow on social platforms, where it’s framed as a part of a broader conversation about media equity, accessibility, and democratic accountability in Canadian journalism.
