The Jan Wong controversy refers to a claim made by Jan Wong on September 16, 2006, three days after a shooting at Dawson College in Montreal. Canada's nationally distributed newspaper of record, The Globe and Mail, published a front-page article titled, "Get under the desk," by Jan Wong."Le racisme sournois du Globe & Mail" by Michel Vastel, Blog for L'actualité, September 18, 2006. In the article, Ms. Wong controversially linked all three Quebec school shootings of the last two decades—1989 École Polytechnique Massacre (15 deaths), 1992 Concordia University Massacre (4 deaths), and 2006 Dawson College Shooting (2 deaths)—to the purported alienation brought about by "the decades-long linguistic struggle" within the province. Public outcry and political condemnation soon followed in many venues. In response, a Globe and Mail editorial attempted to minimize the controversy as a "small uproar" over journalistic freedom, but this caused further condemnation. Jan Wong maintained her perspective and wrote extensively about the whole experience in her book Out of the Blue, A Memoir of Workplace Depression, Recovery, Redemption and, Yes, Happiness.
Article Wong suggested that the school shootings might have been related to the fact that the perpetrators were not old-stock French Québécois: (Marc Lépine was half-Algerian, Valery Fabrikant was a Russian Jew, and Kimveer Gill was of Indian heritage); and they had been alienated by a Quebec society concerned with "racial purity." Citing the history of the use of the antiquated"Charest seeks Globe apology over notion culture a factor in school shootings" by the Canadian Press, The Gazette, September 19, 2006, retrieved September 20, 2006"Les « pures laines » coupables ?" by Antoine Robitaille, La Presse, September 19, 2006. term "pure laine," ("pure wool"), Wong postulated the existence of a uniquely Québécois brand of racism, writing: "Elsewhere, to talk of racial ‘purity’ is repugnant. Not in Quebec."
The article also portrayed school shootings in Canada as a Quebec phenomenon, citing Jan Bryan, columnist for the Montreal Gazette, saying, "Three doesn’t mean anything. But three out of three in Quebec means something." It also presented the Montreal anglophone community as a small-town, close-knit community.
Public reaction Hundreds of letters of complaints were received by The Globe and Mail."Today’s Quebec", Editorial, The Globe and Mail, September 21, 2006. As in Barbara Kay's case, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society (SSJB) lodged a complaint to the Quebec Press Council. SSJB president Jean Dorion declared "There is no obsession for racial purity in Quebec, definitely not. [...] The expression 'pure laine' is absolutely obsolete." The blogosphere soon saw a flood of posts against Wong's allegations.Google blogsearch, retrieved September 21, 2006
Wong received hate mail, including racist comments about her Chinese ethnicity and post containing excrement. She also received a death threat that resulted in Wong's family contacting the police.
Journalistic reaction A number of Quebec journalists denounced Wong's article. French-born journalist Michel Vastel, in his blog for the news magazine L'actualité, called the article "deceitful racism" and the interpretation "repugnant". His opposition was advanced again in a following Journal de Québec piece by Vastel."La semaine de toutes les hontes" by Michel Vastel, The Globe and Mail, September 23, 2006. Wong's article was condemned by federalist La Presse editorialist André Pratte (in a letter to the Globe"’Pure laine’ is simply pure nonsense" by André Pratte, The Globe and Mail, September 20, 2006. and a La Presse editorial),"Un journal national ?" by André Pratte, La Presse, September 22, 2006. journalists Michel C. Auger"L'arrogance" by Michel C. Auger, La Presse, September 21, 2006, retrieved September 21, 2006 of Le Journal de Montréal, Michel David"Mieux que le verglas!" by Michel David, Le Devoir, September 21, 2006. and Michel Venne"Le droit de nous définir" by Michel Venne, Le Devoir, September 25, 2006. (sovereigntist) of Le Devoir, Alain Dubuc"Le crime de Jan Wong" by Alain Dubuc, La Presse, September 23, 2006. (federalist), Vincent Marissal,"La tribu" by Vincent Marissal, La Presse, September 21, 2006. Yves Boisvert"La loi 101 qui tue" by Yves Boisvert, La Presse, September 20, 2006. and Stéphane Laporte"What’s wrong, Mrs. Wong ?" by Stéphane Laporte, La Presse, September 21, 2006. of La Presse, Josée Legault"It was outrageous for Globe writer to attack Quebecers" by Josée Legault, The Gazette, September 22, 2006. (sovereigntist) of The Gazette, Jean-Jacques Samson"Délire de journaliste" by Jean-Jacques Samson, Le Journal de Québec, September 21, 2006. of Le Soleil, sovereigntist militant and author Patrick Bourgeois"La maison de verre de Jan Wong" by Patrick Bourgeois, Le Québécois, September 21, 2006. of Le Québécois, Gérald Leblanc,"Fin de la récréation!" by Gérald Leblanc, La Presse, September 22, 2006. retired journalist of La Presse and Joseph Facal,"Le Canada réel" by Joseph Facal, Le Journal de Montréal, September 27, 2006. Journal de Montréal columnist and former Parti Québécois minister.
Although the Gazette called it "nonsense" in an editorial,"Nonsense about language", Editorial, The Gazette, September 20, 2006. it found the reaction to be out of proportion, as did Lysiane Gagnon from La Presse, who nonetheless called the theory "delirious"."L’exploitation d’une calomnie" by Lysiane Gagnon, La Presse, September 21, 2006. Gazette journalist Don Macpherson wrote: "By the standards of Wong’s article, one could just as easily blame the [three] shootings on federalism, since all three happened to occur while the Quebec Liberals were in power". He advanced that, on the contrary, the tragedy and the controversy around Wong's article had shown a remarkable unity between French and English-speaking Quebecers."Tragedy brings us together", by Don Macpherson, The Gazette, September 21, 2006. Barbara Kay, author of the "Quebecistan" controversy, herself criticized Wong, calling the analysis "bullshit". Jack Jedwab, Executive Director of the Association for Canadian Studies in Montreal and former Executive Director of the Quebec Region of the Canadian Jewish Congress, noted that the expression "pure laine" was "no longer quite common". He also called the analysis "nonsense". The Globe and Mail remarked that "[i]n English Canada, unsurprisingly, the response has been considerably more muted". However, on September 28, 2006, Warren Kinsella wrote a harsh criticism of Wong's work in The National Post."Jan Wong, disgrace to journalism" by Warren Kinsella, The National Post, September 28, 2006. Kinsella was born in Montreal.
Political reaction Micheline Labelle, director of the Centre de recherche sur l’immigration, l’ethnicité et la citoyenneté (CRIEC, "Centre for research on immigration, ethnicity and citizenship") at the Université du Québec à Montréal stated that she saw in the arguments something akin to "neoracism", that is to say, a generalization of a cultural trait applied to a given population. "For less than that, minorities go to the courts", she said.
On September 19, 2006, the Canadian Press reported that federalist Premier of Quebec Jean Charest demanded an apology, calling the article a "disgrace". He sent an open letterOpen letter by Jean Charest, The Gazette, September 19, 2006, retrieved September 20, 2006 to the Globe vigorously defending Quebec's society and its language protection.
Conservative Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper described Wong's argument as "without foundation". He sent the Globe a similar letter. "These actions (the killings) deserve our unqualified moral condemnation, not an excuse for printing prejudices masked in the language of social theory," Harper wrote."Harper takes Wong to task for column" by Alexander Panetta, CNEWS, September 20, 2006, retrieved September 20, 2006 Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair declared that the journalist had, on the intellectual level, "slipped into the dregs" ("glissé dans les bas fonds")."Le Globe and Mail se défend", Société Radio-Canada, retrieved September 21, 2006 Former Premier of Quebec Bernard Landry declared to La Tribune "if she is of good faith, she will have to apologize [...] It is incredible that it is still possible today to convey such delirious opinions on Quebec. Especially in an era when Quebec is more cosmopolitan than ever. [...] It is insulting for Quebec and dishonouring for Canada. In the same way as if I saw a similar article about Ontario in La Tribune, I would be ashamed for La Tribune.""«Elle devra s'excuser», dit Landry" by Jean-Pierre Boisvert, La Tribune, September 21, 2006, retrieved September 21, 2006
Cameroon-born Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament Maka Kotto issued a declaration at the House of Commons of Canada stating "to pretend that there could be a link of any kind of cause-and-effect between the dramatic episode of Dawson College and Bill 101—described as infamous by the journalist—pertains of a defamatory delirium disconnected from the Quebec reality. [...] Quebec is an inclusive, welcoming society where it is pleasant to live. As an immigrant, I felt very rapidly welcome there and I deplore that the openness of the Quebec people can be put into question." He invited the federal government to denounce the writings of Jan Wong as well."Charest exige des excuses du Globe and Mail" by Jocelyne Richer, Canadian Press, September 19, 2006. On September 20 the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion requesting an apology "to the Quebec people" for the column."Harper dénonce à son tour le Globe and Mail" by the Canadian Press, La Presse, September 20, 2006, retrieved September 20, 2006 Denis Coderre, the Liberal MP who tabled the motion, called the column "classless"."One of Harper's own MPs made same comments PM dubbed prejudiced" by Isabelle Rodrigue, Canadian Press, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, September 21, 2006, retrieved September 22, 2006 "People feel there's a sort [...] of trend.", he said. "I think that it's enough. We're not "Quebecistan", we're not a people that ostracizes, we're a model of integration."Radio report, Société Radio-Canada, retrieved September 22, 2006 Coderre was in the group of politicians attacked by Barbara Kay in the "Quebecistan" controversy, also accused of "Quebec bashing". Marie-Hélène Paradis, press attaché of Quebec Minister of Immigration Lise Thériault, said "No data can support what Ms. Wong advances." She declared that such allegations feed "the type of fast judgements that lead to discrimination."
Despite having voted for the motion, Conservative Member of Parliament Daniel Petit declared that there might be a link, as Wong suggested. "I think that the billion [dollars] that we put in [the Canadian gun registry] should have been put into education and integration of immigrants in Montreal", Petit said. Dimitri Soudas, press attaché for Conservative Prime Minister Harper, said "The comments of Mr. Petit are unacceptable, he should retract them and it does not reflect in any case the position of the government", adding that Petit was met by the Prime Minister's cabinet on the subject. MPs of the House of Commons criticized him for his statements, including Michel Gauthier, of the Bloc Québécois, and Denis Coderre, of the Liberal Party of Canada, who demanded apologies. He offered them promptly. "I made inappropriate remarks," Petit said in a statement. "I withdraw them entirely because you cannot draw any link between the integration of immigrants in Quebec and the terrible tragedy at Dawson College.""Un député de Québec tient des propos semblables à ceux de Wong" by the Canadian Press, La Presse, September 21, 2006, retrieved September 21, 2006
Globe and Mail editorial response