pitches & submissions
The Canada Files welcomes unsolicited pitches for news analysis or investigative articles. In order to be considered for submission, we kindly ask that you submit a brief pitch (max. 300 words) outlining your topic, content, sourcing and overall plan.
Pay rates are $100 CAD for a news analysis and $150 CAD for an investigation (pieces incorporating ATIPs are very much valued by TCF). TCF will cover the cost of filing ATIPs for longer-term articles.
Please ensure that all submissions are original.
The Canada Files will accept the following forms of submission: investigations and news analysis. We are also open to the idea of accepting alternative projects, where applicable (must submit in advance).
Guidelines
We ask that submissions follow some basic stylistic guidelines:
Please refrain from using phrases such as “I” and “me”. This doesn’t apply for op-eds.
For first-time writers, we suggest limiting your work to 1,000 words. Maximum word limit is 2,500 words.
If your pitch is accepted, then prepare and send us a first draft.
Adhere to Canadian Press (CP) style.
Use subheadings to break up longer pieces.
Include hyperlinks to substantiate assertions and references.
Given that we are a socialist, anti-imperialist news site, we encourage all writers to take a look at the following guidelines before submitting their work, which outlines our content and vision here at The Canada Files. We also encourage such writers to follow these guidelines when submitting their pitches. If you have a topic, go for it, but if you don’t here’s some topics we would enjoy receiving pitches on:
Topics we are looking for
Any original foreign policy topics coming from Access to Information Processing requests.
The actions of pro-imperialist lobby groups and think tanks in Canada.
The actions of the Canadian military, security agencies and CIDA, in Canada and around the world.
Canadian involvement in provoking Russia’s Special Military Operation in Ukraine/how Canada shaped post-Maidan coup Ukraine.
Activities and campaigns waged in Canada by right-wing diaspora groups, to influence Canadian foreign policies (such as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress or Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project). Any campaigns they support or initiate abroad are also of interest
Look at world institutions (e.g. ICC, World Bank, IMF) and how Canada is influencing policy and decision making.
Coverage of relevant foreign policy events, and Canadian imperialism around the world. Include Canadian sanctions applied abroad.
Foreign interference in Canada from the US and other supposed allies of Canada.
Canadian imperialism towards the Caribbean and Latin America.
Critiques of Canadian media's generally pro-imperialist news coverage. Some left media’s imperialist stances.
Canadian imperialism towards Africa and Asia (includes South Asia, East Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia and North Asia).
Canadian political parties & the operatives within them (potentially) connected to foreign governments or large corporations with influence on other countries affairs.
The Canadian colonial settler state and its genocidal policy against Indigenous Nations and and as manifested in imperialism abroad.
The pro-imperialist stances or actions taken by mainstream political parties in Canada.
Actions of Canadian mining companies in Africa and South America (Bolivia etc.) in particular. Other areas of the world are of interest as well.
Canadian “soft-imperialism” / imperialism around the world: supporting Canadian corporations in violating human rights, predatory trade deals, targeting of local Indigenous populations to extract resources, critical looks at Canadian imperialism.
To submit your pitches and/or alternative projects you would like to do that has not been previously listed, please email aidan.jonah@thecanadafiles.com
Thank you, we look forward to hearing from you!
Reprints
Writers may license their article to be reprinted after publication in The Canada Files as it appeared in its final edited form, 24 hours after original publication, in The Canada Files, provided that The Canada Files is acknowledged as the original publisher.
Those who republish The Canada Files articles must include this sentence at the bottom of each article, in bold.
"The Canada Files is a socialist, anti-imperialist investigative news site covering Canadian foreign policy. Please consider setting up a monthly donation through Donorbox.”
Recommended Readings
Al Giordano, How to Write a News Story, Narco News (School of Authentic Journalism), February 24, 2010.
Justin Podur, Left-wing punditry: Doing & presenting political analysis, Killing Train, October 23, 2008.