Quebec DJ sacked for “club of fags” comment
A Canadian shock jock has been pulled from the airwaves for making homophobic comments about the Parti Quebecois and its local candidates during an election campaign.
Saguenay radio host Louis Champagne fell foul of the authorities at popular radio station CKRS when he described the Parti Quebecois as a “club of fags.”
Champagne also said that local factory workers would not vote for gay candidates, which outraged a trade union representing employees in the region.
Corus Quebec, which owns CKRS, has suspended Champagne indefinitely, pending further investigation.
In a press release on Tuesday, Corus branded the DJ’s views ‘unacceptable,’ and stated that they do not reflect the company’s opinion.
The DJ’s remarks provoked a public debate about homophobia in politics, as the Parti Quebecois is Quebec’s main social democratic and separatist party.
Its leader, Andre Bosclair, is openly gay, as is the local candidate for Saguenay, Sylvain Gaudreault.
Last Sunday, Bosclair seemed visibly distressed by attacks on his sexuality.
As PinkNews.co.uk reported, the party leader pleaded for tolerance, but became too emotional to continue his speech.
Bosclair became the first openly gay leader of a major political party in North America when he was elected as party chief in November 2005.
Many political observers agree that 40-year-old Boisclair’s sophistication and pitch for tolerance could be unattractive for voters in more conservative, rural areas.
But before Champagne’s remarks Boisclair’s sexuality had remained below the surface.
Polls have shown that more than 90% of Quebecers are not opposed to a gay Premier of Quebec.
Andre Boisclair was the youngest member ever elected to the Quebec National Assembly at 23 years old.
At that time he also had a reputation as a party animal in Quebec City’s night-life scene.
The Parti Quebecois advocate independence from Canada and the formation of their own French-speaking state in Quebec.
The French-speaking Canadian province is due to hold their general election on March 26.
