N.S. premier restores legislature scrums amid accusations of assault on press freedom – Halifax [Video]

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has agreed to resume taking part in media scrums in the legislature after facing accusations he was curtailing press freedom.

Two weeks ago, Houston ended the long-standing tradition of government ministers having informal exchanges with media — known as scrums — outside the legislative chamber.

His government decided journalists should instead gather in a government building across the street and wait for cabinet ministers to appear at a designated time. Houston said this arrangement would allow reporters from outside the city to join the questioning via online link.

But the move prompted a boycott of the formal media availabilities by some members of the press gallery and was labelled a “frontal assault on press freedom” by the Canadian Association of Journalists.

During a meeting Thursday with press gallery representatives, Houston agreed that he and his ministers will return to participating in scrums, but the location …