Ontario NDP Hosts Ethnic Media Roundtable at Queen’s Park, Spotlighting Crisis Facing Community Journalism

Posted on January 29, 2026

The Ontario New Democratic Party convened a rare and emotionally charged ethnic media roundtable at Queen’s Park on January 28, bringing together community journalists, publishers, and political representatives for a candid conversation about the future of multilingual journalism in Ontario. Hosted by Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, the session ran from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Legislative Assembly and focused squarely on the financial precarity facing ethnic newspapers and broadcasters, and the essential role they continue to play in informing immigrant communities.

Opening the discussion, Stiles emphasized that the event was designed first and foremost as a listening session. She acknowledged the demanding schedules of the journalists in attendance and praised the indispensable function of community media, particularly during moments of crisis. She pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a defining example, arguing that many families would not have received accurate health guidance without trusted ethnic outlets translating and distributing critical information. According to Stiles, community media often reached people long before larger institutions were able to respond effectively, delivering science-based updates directly into neighbourhoods where language barriers could otherwise have left residents vulnerable.

Her remarks connected the challenges facing journalists to broader economic and political pressures. She cited ongoing job losses, rising living costs, and international economic tensions, including tariff threats from the United States, as forces contributing to uncertainty across Ontario. In that climate, she argued, the need for reliable journalism is intensifying rather than shrinking. Health care wait times, pressures in public education, and affordability concerns are issues that disproportionately affect immigrant families, she said, and accurate reporting in multiple languages is crucial to public awareness and civic participation. Stiles framed the survival of ethnic media not as a niche concern but as a democratic necessity.

Several NDP members of provincial parliament joined the roundtable and introduced themselves before the floor was opened to journalists. Alexa Gilmore, MPP for Parkdale–High Park and shadow minister for citizenship and multiculturalism, spoke about her personal connection to multicultural identity. She described a childhood shaped by international movement, having been born in Chicago, lived in Belgium, and spent formative years in India. That background, she explained, gave her a deep appreciation for the emotional reality of belonging to multiple cultures at once. Gilmore said storytelling and community identity are inseparable, and she credited ethnic media with preserving those ties while helping newcomers build lives in Canada.

Tom Rakocevic, MPP for Humber River–Black Creek and shadow minister for public and business service delivery, highlighted his own family history of immigration. He recalled his late father’s involvement in community radio that connected listeners to news from their homeland. For many immigrants, he said, culturally specific media provides comfort during transition and allows families to pass language and heritage to future generations. He contrasted Canada’s multicultural framework with assimilationist models elsewhere, arguing that ethnic journalism stands at the forefront of preserving the country’s diversity. He described such outlets as highly trusted sources that often serve as the primary channel of information for entire communities.

One of the most powerful contributions to the discussion came from Logan Logendralingam, publisher of Uthayan News, a longstanding Tamil community newspaper. Logan shared a candid and emotional account of the existential struggle his publication has faced. He described the early days of the pandemic when advertising and revenue streams disappeared almost overnight, leaving Uthayan News with virtually no financial reserves. Logan and his wife found themselves without savings and scrambling to find ways to keep publishing each week. He recounted how a call from a supporter, the father of a colleague, resulted in a $20,000 cheque that helped Uthayan News stay afloat. He described that moment as almost divine intervention, underscoring just how precarious their situation had become.

Logan explained that in previous years there had been as many as seven Tamil newspapers serving the community, but that number has since fallen to three, illustrating the broader contraction ethnic media faces. He painted a picture of a media landscape where printing invoices must often be paid immediately, eliminating the possibility of credit terms that newspapers once relied on, and where industries that once advertised regularly, such as real estate, have faced downturns that further reduce crucial ad revenue. Logan emphasized that Uthayan News and outlets like it now heavily depend on occasional government advertising from municipal, provincial, and federal levels just to survive week to week.

Despite these financial challenges, Logan stressed that Uthayan News maintains a commitment to publishing high-quality, relevant journalism every week. He pointed out that while the publication is a weekly rather than a daily, its role remains vital, delivering stories that might otherwise never reach the Tamil community. Logan’s testimony illustrated not only the financial strain but the emotional weight carried by those who work in ethnic media: journalists who devote their lives to informing others often do so while sacrificing financial stability.

During his remarks, Logan also reflected on moments when mainstream recognition of ethnic journalism mattered deeply. He recounted a story where his front page coverage of an important international speech reached audiences abroad, such as in London, England, demonstrating the reach and influence ethnic newspapers can have when they are able to operate. Yet, even with that impact, Logan explained that financial struggles persist, with revenue rarely enough to cover overdrafts let alone build reserves.

Leader Marit Stiles responded to Logan’s reflection by recognizing how unusual it is for journalists to openly share personal struggles. She remarked that community media professionals are so often focused on telling others’ stories that they rarely speak about their own challenges. Stiles thanked Logan for his honesty and emphasized the importance of building policies that support ethnic media’s sustainability. She also noted that political leaders must recognize the indispensable service these outlets provide in connecting communities to civic life.

Throughout the roundtable, the discussion shifted between policy considerations and deeply personal testimonies. Participants reiterated that ethnic media serves as more than a business sector; it is a pillar in the multicultural fabric of Ontario. Reliable news in multiple languages helps ensure that immigrant families stay informed about health, safety, legal rights, government services, and community events, information that can otherwise be inaccessible.

While the roundtable did not conclude with firm commitments or funding announcements, it established a platform for ongoing dialogue about the future of ethnic journalism in Ontario. Publishers left with a sense that their struggles were understood at a political level and that their voices could shape how government engages with community media going forward. For Logan Logendralingam and his colleagues at Uthayan News, the event represented recognition of a fight not just for survival, but for the preservation of a democratic and culturally rich information ecosystem.

In closing, the roundtable underscored a shared recognition among journalists and politicians alike: the survival of ethnic media is essential to ensuring that all Ontarians, regardless of language or background, can participate fully in the civic life of the province. The discussions at Queen’s Park highlighted a commitment to explore support structures that can safeguard this critical sector for future generations.