The Maple’s editorial direction and decision-making is shaped by the values we hold as a publication.
The Maple is an entirely reader funded publication that puts the working class first. We’re fiercely critical and dedicated to investigating stories and exploring ideas no one else will.
Honest and transparent.
We believe in being transparent with our readers about who we are, what we do and how we report the news. We believe that our readers deserve to know the truth, and we strive to be as honest and transparent as possible in all of our reporting and analysis.
Transparency Reports. Every year we publish transparency reports that show readers where we get our funding, what we do with it, our impact, our diversity goals and more.
Writer Rates. We aim to pay freelance journalists who work with us a fair wage, delivered in an easy and timely manner. Moreover, all of our rates for writers are made public on our website.
Our Perspectives. We don’t hide our political perspective behind a veil of “neutrality.” Our editors and reporters are largely socialist. We approach every story with a commitment to fair reporting and factual rigour, but we do not pretend that our journalists are empty vessels with no beliefs.
Independent.
We are proud to be entirely reader-funded and answer to no one but our readers. We believe that independence is crucial to producing public-interest journalism, and we are committed to maintaining our independence.
No Advertising. We refuse to accept advertising dollars. Too often, media publications become reliant on ad revenue from corporations and their journalism is influenced to maintain that revenue.
No Outside Funding. We do not accept any outside funding, whether from an investor, sponsor, institution, political party or otherwise. The absence of a higher authority to influence our coverage allows us a degree of editorial independence that is rare.
Reader-Funded. All of our revenue to operate our publication comes from readers. Not only does this allow us to refuse advertising and outside funding, it also pushes us to engage with readers and be accountable to them.
Adversarial.
We believe that challenging institutional power is an essential part of our role as journalists. We are not afraid to ask tough questions and hold those in power accountable for their actions.
Non-Partisan. We examine political parties without favour or fear. Whether Conservative, Liberal, NDP, or Greens, you can expect our team to critically investigate and uncover the facts.
Not Afraid to Explore Controversial Issues. We look at stories and issues even when it is unpopular to do so. Take for instance our foreign affairs coverage that challenges mainstream thinking.
Well-researched.
We believe that our stories must be grounded in facts and rigorous research. We are committed to providing our readers with accurate and reliable information that they can trust.
Fact-Driven. We adhere to rigorous journalistic standards, which are publicly available for all to view.
Freedom Of Information Journalism. Our team is continuously sending out freedom of information requests to uncover information buried in government bureaucracy.
Creating Public Resources. Our team does research-intensive work to create public resources, such as our database of politicians who have real estate investments or our historical records of newspaper endorsements.
Unique.
We strive to bring ideas and stories to our readers that would otherwise not be told. We believe that diversity of thought and perspective is essential to a healthy democracy and are committed to representing a wide range of voices and opinions.
Telling Stories No One Else Will. There are some topics that Canada’s establishment media leaves untouched. Whether it’s politicians’ connections to big business, how corporate greed drives everyday problems or reporting on Canada’s role in global conflicts and international exploitation, we’re not afraid to tell these stories.
Boosting Unheard Voices. We feature the stories of everyday people, the underrepresented and marginalized voices, who are often ignored by the corporate press.
Critical Perspectives That Challenge Your Thinking. We’re not here to be an echo chamber. We want to look at things from new angles, provide analyses you haven’t heard before and be a platform for ideas that don’t get airtime anywhere else.
Internationalist.
We believe that issues relating to Canada are not confined to Canada. We are committed to critically examining Canada’s place in the world and how it impacts people at home and abroad. We believe that a global perspective is essential to understanding the complex issues facing our world today.