Note to CTV newswriters

Hardly earth-shattering, but there was a funny moment Monday night (March 9) when CTV TV anchor Lloyd Robertson commented on the night's quirky story, a little piece on feel-good nationalism in the wake of the Vancouver Olympics. The piece raised the possibility such nationalism would have a lasting effect - or not. Thing was, the story by CTV's national correspondent Geneviève Beauchemin based in Montreal, originated in Quebec and showed images of Montrealers partying with the Maple Leaf after the gold medal men's hockey game, as well as interviews with people in the streets there. It examined the extent of pro-Canada feelings in Quebec, showing in contrast an establishment or two flying the Fleur-de-lys. In his wrapup, Robertson noted: "Well, it looks like the nationalists are getting a break in Quebec. Let's see how they use it."

That's weird, I thought, it doesn't make sense to say the advantage  goes to the nationalists when the report suggests the opposite. In Quebec, nationalist means Quebec nationalist. It took a second to understand his meaning. Right, he means federalists.

I wouldn't have been confused by a similar report originating in Toronto or Vancouver, but for anybody who's lived in Quebec, "nationalist" is a freighted word.

Comments

[Andrew]

I think Lloyd Robertson's comment was his own spur-of-the-moment idea, and not written in the script.