QUILLBLOG

Stephen Harper vs. the Gillers

Globe and Mail television critic John Doyle used his column yesterday to go after Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his quip about “ordinary Canadians” and the excesses of fatcat artists. While the issue is only tenuously tied to TV, Doyle takes a notably impassioned stand, writing in the form of a j’accuse.

There you were on Tuesday, saying this: “I think when ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see a gala of a bunch of people at, you know, a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers claiming their subsidies aren’t high enough when they know those subsidies have actually gone up – I’m not sure that’s something that resonates with ordinary people.”

As Doyle points out, Harper undoubtedly had in mind the Giller Prize – which, of course, is largely paid for by a private donor and a major commercial bank, and not taxpayers’ hard-earned dough.

But just in case, for this year’s Gillers be sure to dress down.