Rogers Publishing president Brian Segal has issued a statement responding to controversy from the recent Maclean’s October 4 cover with the headline story “The Most Corrupt Province in Canada” accompanied by an image of the Québec Winter Carnival’s Bonhomme mascot carrying a suitcase overflowing with cash.



The cover has stirred controversy and accompanying press everywhere from the Montréal Gazette to the House of Commons where one MP likened the cover image to being “on par with a photo of the Queen of England made up as a prostitute,” according to an article in the National Post.

Segal’s written statement in full:

“The cover of this issue and the feature story clearly offended some readers, and this has been the subject of much debate," said Brian Segal, President, Rogers Publishing. "As a company we own a broad range of media properties across the country and editorial independence is an important cornerstone of our management philosophy. While challenging at times, this means we do not interfere with the editorial direction or content of our media properties in any way."   

"On behalf of the company, we sincerely regret any offence that the cover may have caused. We value all of our customers and their perspective. Quebec is an important market for the company and we look forward to participating in the dynamic growth of the province and its citizens."