Methodology

How Morning Record Conducts Clinical News Audits

Morning Record applies a forensic methodology to national reporting. Our work is not commentary, advocacy, or opinion journalism. It is a structured audit process designed to evaluate claims made in public discourse against primary data, fiscal reality, and institutional record.

This page explains how our reporting is produced.

1. The Forensic Lens

Most modern news coverage is narrative-first: events are framed emotionally, selectively contextualized, and reinforced through repetition.

Morning Record applies a forensic lens, separating reporting into two distinct layers:

• Narrative — how an event is described, framed, or emphasized
• Baseline Reality — what the primary data, records, and math demonstrate

Our reporting focuses on establishing the baseline first.

2. Source Hierarchy

All Morning Record audits rely on primary or near-primary sources wherever possible.

Our preferred source hierarchy is:

1. Official Records
   • Parliamentary transcripts (Hansard)
   • Federal and provincial budgets
   • Statistics Canada datasets
   • Auditor General reports
2. Primary Documents
   • Legislation
   • Regulatory filings
   • Court records
   • Government contracts
3. Secondary Reporting
   • Used only to contextualize how narratives are being presented
   • Never relied upon as sole evidence

Articles that cannot be supported by verifiable primary sources are not published.

3. Clinical Audits

Each Morning Record article is structured as a Clinical Audit, not a traditional news story.

A typical audit includes:

• Claim Identification
  What is being asserted in public discourse?
• Source Verification
  Where does the claim originate?
• Data Review
  What do the underlying numbers, documents, or records show?
• Fiscal Impact (when applicable)
  What is the measurable cost, allocation, or budgetary consequence?
• Narrative Comparison
  How does the dominant narrative align — or conflict — with the data?

4. Taxpayer Math

Where public funds are involved, Morning Record presents Taxpayer Math.

This means:

• Calculations are shown explicitly
• Assumptions are stated
• Units (per-capita, annualized, multi-year) are clearly defined
• No rhetorical language is used to exaggerate impact

Whenever possible, readers can review the math directly within the article.

5. Language & Tone Standards

Morning Record uses clinical, non-emotive language by design.

We avoid:

• Loaded adjectives
• Moral framing
• Alarmist or click-driven headlines

Headlines are written to describe what was measured, not how readers should feel about it.

6. Independence & Non-Advocacy

Morning Record does not endorse:

• Political parties
• Candidates
• Ideological movements

Our role is to document, audit, and preserve record — not to persuade.

When multiple interpretations exist, they are presented transparently and attributed to their source.

7. Reproducibility

A core principle of our methodology is reproducibility.

A reader with access to the same public records should be able to:

• Verify our citations
• Replicate our calculations
• Reach the same baseline conclusions

Where uncertainty exists, it is explicitly noted.

8. Ongoing Review

Our methodology is reviewed periodically to reflect:

• Changes in public data availability
• Advances in verification standards
• Reader feedback identifying errors or omissions

Updates are logged transparently.

Effective Date: December 2025