CBC News has reversed course on a policy to avoid referring to 9/11 as a “terror” attack without attribution.
Toronto Sun columnist Warren Kinsella first drew attention to the long-standing policy earlier this week following partial publication of a leaked internal memo circulated at the public broadcaster ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks.
The story was subsequently picked up by numerous media outlets, including Fox News and Forbes in the U.S.
Basem Bosra, who has served as CBC News’ Senior Director of Journalistic Standards & Public Trust since 2025, wrote in an editor’s blog late Friday that following renewed “confusion” about how the words “terrorist” and “terrorism” are used in reference to 9/11, it’s changing its guidance.
“After reviewing our current language guidance, we have decided to adjust it to clarify that direct attribution is not required for describing the historic events of 9/11 as terrorism,” Bosra wrote. “We are doing so to remove what has unfortunately (and unintentionally) become an impediment to clarity and public understanding.”
“At the same time, as new acts of politically or ideologically motivated violence occur in our world, we will continue to follow the journalistically sound practice of attributing causes and motivations to officials and experts.”
Earlier Friday, a CBC spokesperson told Broadcast Dialogue it would continue its practice of exercising “extreme caution” around the use of the words, pointing to a 2023 blog from CBC News General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Brodie Fenlon, “How CBC uses the words ‘terrorist,’ ‘terrorism,’” published following the Hamas-coordinated Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
Federal Public Safety Min. Gary Anandasangaree also issued a statement Friday afternoon saying that Ottawa has always recognized 9/11 as “the deadliest terrorist attack in history.”
“Canada’s condemnation of 9/11 as a terrorist attack is not merely a political position — it is written into Canadian law,” said Anandasangaree. “In direct response to the attacks, Parliament passed the Anti-terrorism Act, 2001 (Bill C-36), which gave Canada its first legal definition of “terrorist activity” and made terrorism-related conduct a criminal offence. That legislation reflects Parliament’s own clear-eyed characterization of what happened that day: a deliberate, ideologically motivated terrorist attack on civilians. For nearly 25 years, Canada’s laws and policies have treated it as exactly that.”
“We continue to stand with our American neighbours, and with the families of the 24 Canadians who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.”
