N-word: Radio-Canada apologizes

Radio-Canada has apologized for letting someone speak the N-word on the air, while maintaining that it is not obeying the CRTC ruling as such, simply making a civil apology to those it has offended. It’s not promising to ban the word in future, but will warn people that offensive language is impending.

I note that, in its report, La Presse is using the full French version of the word, as part of the title of the Pierre Vallières book which was mentioned on Radio‑Canada. As someone commented here, perhaps the French word hasn’t got quite the same bite as the English one, as it also encompasses “negro” – a word we don’t use any more, but which is not felt to be quite so taboo – I think.

This point is made by Robert Dutrisac in a Le Devoir editorial but he takes it much further, as othr commenters have done recently, making it into a symbol of the difference between English and French speakers and even claiming that the anglos have difficulty with the notion laïcité. It all gets built up into this big pile of righteousness when standing on your right to offend is not a good look for anyone.