Quote, unquote

Culture has an altogether different meaning in Paris -- for a start, one is allowed to mention it.

Late last month, at Festival America in the Parisian suburb of Vincennes, about 50 writers from across the New World were invited by French publisher Francis Geffard to celebrate "the novel." It was at this convivial first stop on my inaugural book tour that a Canadian diplomat told me of a recent order from the Prime Minister's Office. Apparently, the word "culture" is not to be used in government-speak any more -- embassy workers are to refer instead to acts of "public diplomacy."

-- from a column by Noah Richler in the Globe and Mail on Saturday.

Good grief!