An independent voice and critic of the WE Charity Scandal.

Who is Dr. Mark Bourrie?

Dr. Bourrie (Ph.D., JD) has written and spoken out publicly about the “opportunistic opposition MPs and a reckless desperate media drummed up the bogus WE Charity scandal”. A link to some of his articles are below.

Dr Mark Bourrie holding an award

Dr. Mark Bourrie receives The 2020 RBC Taylor Prize

Mark Bourrie is a Canadian journalist, lawyer and award winning author. Mark Bourrie, PhD (History) has been a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery since 1994. He previously taught media history and journalism at Concordia University. Mark is the author of 13 best-selling books including the RBC Taylor Prize-winning Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre Radisson. The Taylor Prize is Canada’s most important nonfiction award for writing. His book, Kill the Messenger: Stephen Harper’s Assault on Your Right to Know, was a Globe and Mail Top 100 book of the year.

Dr. Mark Bourrie's academic writing has been published in Canada and The Second World War: Essays in Honour of Terry Copp the Global Media Journal and the Canadian Journal of Communication. Dr. Bourrie has won several major media awards, including a National Magazine Award, and has been nominated for several others. His academic writing has been published in Canada and The Second World War: Essays in Honour of Terry Copp (Geoff Hayes et al, eds, Wilfrid Laurier Press, 2012), the Global Media Journal and the Canadian Journal of Communication. His journalism has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the National Post, Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen, and most of the country’s major newspapers and several magazines including Toronto Life and Ottawa Magazine. He is also a consultant on propaganda and censorship at the Canadian Forces Public Affairs School.

Want to learn more about Mark Bourrie?

Relevant articles

Dr. Bourrie is a well-known media critic who provides commentary on a range of media-related activities. He has authored and posted articles on his website, FairPress.ca, covering various topics including Canadian media, government, and current events. Among the topics he covers is WE Charity, with a specific focus on Jesse Brown's harassment of the charity, as well as Tawfiq Rangwala's recent book What WE Lost.

‍Farewell, Charlie Angus. We’ll Clean Up the Damage You Caused

"Sorry, Charlie, your time in Parliament is almost up. And that’s good news for Canadians."

‍The Fifth Estate’s Troubling Litigation History

"This is a follow-up to my earlier posts about the Fifth Estate’s dubious coverage of WE Charity, a “kick ‘em when they’re down” exercise that happened after most of Canada’s mainstream media gleefully dismembered Canada’s most successful children’s charity."

SLAPP Happy

"I first got hooked on the WE Charity issue when, after Jesse Brown posted his first major attack on the charity in early 2019, a friend posted on Twitter that the piece on Canadaland was a “nothingburger” smothered in Jesse Brown hype sauce."

Mark Bourrie

When The Fifth Estate went from Journalists to Activist Defendants

"When do journalists stop acting in the public interest and start working to push their own agendas? When do reporters stop covering news and start making it?"

‍What WE Lost: A Review

"Tawfiq Rangwala has written a well-researched, solid account of the destruction of the WE movement in Canada. It’s remarkably clearly written. Rangwala is a lawyer who could have gone too deeply into the weeds of corporate and legal jargon, but What WE Lost is compelling and very readable..."

The attempted murder of the Kielburgers

"First, a little re-intro. I am a former journalist, now practicing law and writing researched non-fiction books. I hold a PhD in History, as well as a law degree and a Master’s degree in journalism. I’m a four-time National magazine Award nominee, winning once for a feature on a wrongly-accused man."

Mark Bourrie

WE Charity Sues the CBC’s “The Fifth Estate”

"We Charity issued a release last week saying it had filed a massive lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation."

‍Canadaland’s WE obsession: Foreshadowing Jesse Brown’s Attempt to Take Down a Children’s Charity

"The next chapter in the bizarre saga of Canadaland trying to take down a children’s charity is about to be written."

‍How long can Jesse Brown keep up his vendetta against a children’s charity? (Hint: It’s not over)

"I was in Toronto in early May for the 2019 Toronto Watchdog Workshop on investigative journalism. The weekend event included several excellent panel discussions including Julian Sheer on Mastering the Investigate Interview,..."

Jesse Brown and Canadaland should be removed from the NewsMedia Council

"Jesse Brown, in his March 17, 2019, podcast of Canadaland spent much of the hour pressing the NewsMedia Council to remove a member paper for irresponsible reporting."

‍Dissecting the Shame Wizard Part II: I will give $10,000 to anyone who can prove that Canadaland isn’t simply false news

"Yes, it’s a very snappy headline. Lawyers should have flashbacks to law school and the Carbolic Smoke Ball case. Journalists and other people who read this might wonder why I would risk my money. Because there is no risk."

‍Jesse Brown hits The Rock

Self-professed Shame Wizard Jesse Brown fired another shot into his own foot last week. Then, as he usually does, reloaded and shot the other one.

It’s about Jesse Brown’s money

"The Government of Canada’s proposed $600 million media tax credit has dominated news blogs and chatrooms. At the heart of the criticism is whether the temptation of dollars will influence coverage of the government."

Theresa Kielburger v. Canadaland et al

With the lifting of Canada’s last COVID-19 related mandates on October 1, Canadians are taking stock of the collateral damage inflicted by the pandemic.

‍We get letters — Re: Jesse Brown and WE

"From a senior school administrator in Ontario:Thank you for your recent article concerning the journalism of Canadaland, especially as it related to its articles about and against Free the Children and WE."

The media often gets criminal law wrong

"I wrote a series of articles last summer on Canadaland’s dismal attempt to trash one of this country’s most important and valued charities. Today, I am posting an example of a piece where a Canadaland writer got the story right."

‍Jesse Brown’s latest flop: making $20 by attacking a charity

"I didn’t start this site to talk about Jesse Brown. It’s really supposed to be about the intersection of media, law and politics. But damn, when Canadaland is bad, it’s really the worst political/news site in Canada."

Mark Bourrie

‍What WE Lost: A Review

"Tawfiq Rangwala has written a well-researched, solid account of the destruction of the WE movement in Canada. It’s remarkably clearly written. Rangwala is a lawyer who could have gone too deeply into the weeds of corporate and legal jargon, but What WE Lost is compelling and very readable..."

The Attempted Murder of the Kielburgers

"First, a little re-intro. I am a former journalist, now practicing law and writing researched non-fiction books. I hold a PhD in History, as well as a law degree and a Master’s degree in journalism. I’m a four-time National magazine Award nominee, winning once for a feature on a wrongly-accused man."

Mark Bourrie

‍Jesse Brown’s latest flop: making $20 by attacking a charity

"I didn’t start this site to talk about Jesse Brown. It’s really supposed to be about the intersection of media, law and politics. But damn, when Canadaland is bad, it’s really the worst political/news site in Canada."

Mark Bourrie

WE Charity Sues the CBC’s “The Fifth Estate”

"We Charity issued a release last week saying it had filed a massive lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation."

‍Canadaland’s WE obsession: Foreshadowing Jesse Brown’s Attempt to Take Down a Children’s Charity

"The next chapter in the bizarre saga of Canadaland trying to take down a children’s charity is about to be written."

‍How long can Jesse Brown keep up his vendetta against a children’s charity? (Hint: It’s not over)

"I was in Toronto in early May for the 2019 Toronto Watchdog Workshop on investigative journalism. The weekend event included several excellent panel discussions including Julian Sheer on Mastering the Investigate Interview,..."

Jesse Brown and Canadaland should be removed from the NewsMedia Council

"Jesse Brown, in his March 17, 2019, podcast of Canadaland spent much of the hour pressing the NewsMedia Council to remove a member paper for irresponsible reporting."

‍Dissecting the Shame Wizard Part II: I will give $10,000 to anyone who can prove that Canadaland isn’t simply false news

"Yes, it’s a very snappy headline. Lawyers should have flashbacks to law school and the Carbolic Smoke Ball case. Journalists and other people who read this might wonder why I would risk my money. Because there is no risk."

It’s about Jesse Brown’s money

"The Government of Canada’s proposed $600 million media tax credit has dominated news blogs and chatrooms. At the heart of the criticism is whether the temptation of dollars will influence coverage of the government."

Theresa Kielburger v. Canadaland et al

With the lifting of Canada’s last COVID-19 related mandates on October 1, Canadians are taking stock of the collateral damage inflicted by the pandemic.

‍We get letters — Re: Jesse Brown and WE

"From a senior school administrator in Ontario:Thank you for your recent article concerning the journalism of Canadaland, especially as it related to its articles about and against Free the Children and WE."

The media often gets criminal law wrong

"I wrote a series of articles last summer on Canadaland’s dismal attempt to trash one of this country’s most important and valued charities. Today, I am posting an example of a piece where a Canadaland writer got the story right."

‍Jesse Brown hits The Rock

Self-professed Shame Wizard Jesse Brown fired another shot into his own foot last week. Then, as he usually does, reloaded and shot the other one.

Frequently asked questions