Provocation for the nation: Maclean's slammed for calling Quebec "most corrupt province"
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| October 4 edition |
[This post has been updated]Maclean's magazine has provoked a good deal of anger with its October 4 cover story saying that Quebec is the most corrupt province in Canada. Clearly intended to have exactly that reaction, the story by Quebec correspondent Martin Patriquin got immediate response from across the country, according to a story in the Montreal Gazette and other sources.
Parti Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe sent an open letter to the media saying, in part
"Unfortunately, this attack is representative of a belief widely held in Canada that Quebec is racist, corrupt and always looking for a handout. It appears that the only group in Canada that can be singled out in this way, the only group that can be insulted, is Quebecers."
Quebec Vice-premier Nathalie Normandeau told reporters it was completely unacceptable and a "senseless" attack:
"Enough with the Quebec-bashing," Normandeau told reporters. "The magazine takes on our institutions, our history, our symbols, our events. Enough is enough, we are not going to tolerate this."
Liberal MP Marc Garneau said the story was “sensationalism.”
“I found this shocking. It’s not worthy of a Canadian magazine. It’s an image that divides the nation.”[Update: The controversial issue was sold out in Montreal by Sunday, according to a story in the Toronto Sun.]
[ More reaction to come, doubtless.]
Labels: Maclean's
posted by D. B. Scott at
12:51 am
8 Comments:
It's little Kenny White's tired modus operandi, nothing more. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
That's Ken Whyte to you. Ihe issue sold out on the newsstand? I think the man's not deserving of such derision, especially from someone who can't even spell his name properly.
The best way to divide the country is doing exactly what macleans has done with the cover, keep on the good work dude, here in quebec we agree 50% of what macleans is saying but putting le bonhome carnaval on the cover is weird since all of this mess right now is due to jean charest, also take notice that if there is so many commisions going around, is that journalists are doing their job by reporting about it.
White? Whyte? By any spelling it means a smart team
Point of view presented
Controversy follows
Sales increased
Brand name enhanced
Magazine medium validated
Bravo
Yes, you're quite right -- I did misspell Ken's surname. And of course, as you so elegantly imply, a spelling error does render my admittedly ad hominem critique completely meritless. And, as you so cleverly observe, your claim that the newsstand sales were excellent is de facto evidence that the cover story was indeed brilliant, and that Quebec is inarguably the most corrupt place in Canada, if not the entire planet.
Glad that you could join us, Mrs. Whyte. And again, apologies for misspelling your son's name.
"Mrs. Whyte" did not say that the strong newsstand sales are evidence that Quebec is inarguably corrupt. Fascinating you read that into "her" comment, though.
face it, Jean Charest on the cover would be a non-dynamic and would rate very low on the point-of-purchase.
Maclean's did its job.
Unfortunately those of us outside Quebec are unable to touch their distinctive culture's territory with a ten-foot pole for fear of seeming divisionist.
Really the predictable Whyte bashing is getting tired. And a close reading of Maclean's over the past couple of years shows the magazine spares no sacred cows -- of any political stripe. To suggest Whyte and his crew are neo-con/Harperite/rightist/unCanadian (choose one ore more) stooges simply ignores what they're indeed putting on their pages.
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