Freedom of Press Fight Brewing Over Maclean’s Article

Senator Vivienne Poy is advocating that government funding to the magazine be withdrawn over its “Too Asian?” article.

Maclean’s must have known it was courting controversy when it ran a story suggesting some Canadian universities have too many Asian students, and now that outrage has reached all the way to the Senate. Senator Poy has called on Heritage Canada to cut funding to the periodical because of its “divisive” and “increasingly unprofessional journalism,” which she says has offended large portions of the country. Heritage Canada retains the right to cut funding to publications that publish offensive content, which it defines as “material that is denigrating to an identifiable group.” In 2010-2011 Maclean’s will receive $1.5 million from the government. Critics say cutting funding to the magazine would violate freedom of the press.