Canada’s establishment media won’t tell it like it is — or how it could be.
National newspapers are owned by billionaires or U.S. hedge funds, the CBC has become afraid of its own shadow, and social media platforms are swimming in ugly clickbait.
They not only misrepresent our most pressing issues, but they leave people hopeless about ever changing them.
The Breach is our response — an independent media outlet producing critical journalism to help map a just, viable future. We provide a platform for voices you won’t often find in the establishment media and investigations, analysis and video content about the crises of racism, inequality, colonialism, and climate breakdown—and what to do about it.
Imagine coverage that doesn’t dismiss social movements proposing bold policies like defunding the police or Landback, but gives them proper airtime.
Imagine journalism that doesn’t channel anger toward the working poor, refugees, Muslims, Indigenous and Black people, but aims squarely at the corporate class.
Imagine reporting on the climate crisis that doesn’t focus on doomsday scenarios or small tweaks to the status quo, but on political transformations that are urgent, beneficial and entirely realistic.
A more honest, adversarial approach to journalism
The billionaire-owned media and our public broadcaster have long peddled the claim that they’re objective, but most people have stopped buying it. In a world of injustice, no one — and especially not journalists — can be truly neutral or impartial. “Objectivity” becomes merely a cover for uncritical reporting or a muzzle on those speaking simple truths about power and privilege.
The Breach practices a more honest journalism: rigorous in our reporting and evidence-gathering, fair in our arguments and judgements, but transparent about our views and values.
We believe journalism can be credible while still open about its commitments: to inspire action, tell stories about people remaking society, and amplify visions of a new world to win together.
Our name: a hopeful signal sent into the dark
We work to live up to our name, whether that’s by prying public-interest documents from the clasp of powerful institutions or rupturing old stories that suggest little is politically possible.
“Breach” has another, less expected connection to our journalistic mission. It refers to the joyous sight of whales leaping and splashing onto their backs, in waters across the three coasts of these lands.
As scientists have recently noticed, breaching is how whales in fact communicate: the impact generates sounds underwater to invite other whales kilometres away to join them in shifting direction.
Like the best stories, it’s a long-range message — a hopeful signal sent into the dark.
The Team
- Managing Editor
Martin Lukacs - Coordinating Editor
Saima Desai - Senior Journalist
Desmond Cole - Producer
Katia Lo Innes - Contributing Editors-at-large
Moira Peters
Dawn Paley
Cara McKenna
- Senior Video Editor
Henri-Julien Rabalais - Senior Video Producer
Emma Buchanan - Director of Operations
Amanda Siino - Financial Coordinator
Monique Willis - Board
Firoze Manji
Angus Wong
Dru Oja Jay
Laith Sarhan
Diana Bronson
Sarah Nankivell
- Columnists
Pam Palmater
El Jones - Visual Designer
Ella Sabourin - Designer
Kevin Lo - With support from
Indiegraf Media
Populus Cooperative
Awards & Recognitions
Digital Publishing Awards: General Excellence in Digital Publishing – Small Publication 2024
“We were truly impressed by The Breach‘s transformative journalism with a hint of criticism. It’s a young publication, but has made a name for itself with original investigations and socially-engaged analysis, punching above its weight.”— Digital Publishing Awards Jury
Canadian Online Publishing Awards: Best Video Content 2023 – Gold
Canadian Online Publishing Awards: Best Continued Coverage of a Story 2023 – Silver
Big Pharma: After pharma lobbying, minister intervened to suspend drug-price reform
Support The Breach
The Breach relies on sustaining members to produce investigations, video, and analysis. Please consider a monthly contribution of one hour’s wages today!
The Breach is incorporated federally in Canada and provincially in Quebec as a non-profit organization.
