Since I don’t want to be the only person not talking about it, I should mention the big news this week that Céline Galipeau will take over from Bernard Derome in Quebec’s most prestigious news position, anchoring Radio-Canada’s Téléjournal, starting next year. This ironically comes after the Quebec council on the status of women went all pissy on RadCan for moving Dominique Poirier and Pascale Nadeau out of their current jobs. (Nadeau takes over as weekend host of the TJ, and Poirier is considering her options, which include Ottawa Bureau Chief.) The council issued a statement today saying it’s totally cool with this appointment.
So is Josée Legault, who writes today that Quebec is a leader in putting female faces in its news broadcasts.
As for the anglo TV broadcasts, while CBC is still relegating women mostly to the sidelines, Global has Jamie Orchard and (currently-on-mat-leave) Amanda Jelowicki, and CTV has, of course, The Great Mutsumi Takahashi, plus the team of weatherbabes, reporterbabes and weekend anchorbabes (including Lori Graham, who’s currently hosting Good Morning Canada from Montreal).
This isn’t the first time the CSF and its president Christiane Pelchat have put their foot in it. Last year, it famously suggested that the Quebec charter be changed to include a hierarchy of rights, putting equality of the sexes above freedom of religion. It also suggested (and continues to suggest) that people in professional positions such as teachers be prohibited from wearing any visibly religious symbol, except for crosses, of course, because Christianity is the One True Religion.
That said, RadCan hasn’t given a satisfactory explanation for why Nadeau and Poirier are being tossed around. By all accounts they’re very capable journalists and anchors. Were they unpopular? Are new shows being launched to take their places? Do they have to fit Jean-Luc Mongrain in there somewhere? What’s the deal?
UPDATE: Poirier says she won’t move to Ottawa and is quitting RadCan.
UPDATE (June 18): The Globe and Mail covers Galipeau vs. Thibault.
Well, I am sad that Pascale Nadeau won’t be there during the week. She is sucha fun person to watch and listen to, always delightful in my opinion. Oh well, at least she’ll still be there on the weekends.
Same for Bernard, I enjoy his style, but Celine is excellent as well, so it’s not the end of the world for me, I guess.
In all fairness, woman or not Dominique Poirier was given the big chair on RDI and she blew it. I found her unwatchable, akin to a French Katie Kouric, not as much but close enough.
I quite like Celine and Bernard. Indeed, at the risk of losing my anglo street cred, I much prefer RadioCanada’s “Telejournal” to “The National”: fewer lifestyle stories, more substantial reporting, and few if any mentions of Toronto make it my prefered evening newscast.
Galipeau, Derome, Nadeau… Quite frankly, why should anyone care so much about an anchorman/anchowoman? While everyone in Québec is concerned about the anchors of Radio-Can, the federal government is pushing Bill-61 without anyone even noticing it in ‘La belle province’. TV, newspapers, blogs, it’s all the same. What’s going on with the Québec coverage of Bill-61? Is everyone sleeping or what? Have you guys read the small prints of this law? ‘Ma patrie’ should really start reading Michael Geist a little more… Oh sure, everything looks good on the outside. But wait until you see what’s hiding underneath. You’ll stop laughing.
Well, I am sad that Pascale Nadeau won’t be there during the week. She is sucha fun person to watch and listen to, always delightful in my opinion. Oh well, at least she’ll still be there on the weekends.