PoRtFOLIO

by Lindsay Casey

Disclaimer: This analysis was originally written as part of a media relations assignment to follow the work of an assigned journalist for a certain time period and get an idea of the kind of work they do and what kind of stories interested them.

Montreal’s Konrad Yakabuski has been covering politics, business and culture in Quebec for the Globe and Mail since 1996. Whilst following his work and becoming familiar with his chosen subjects, it is easy to see that Yakabuski’s informative and stimulating articles provide an in-depth look into the world of Quebecois issues. Often standing up for the underdog, his genuine care for the desires and needs of both businesses and residents comes through in his writing, and his articles do their best to provide concrete solutions to the problems burdening the sometimes overlooked province.

A passionate writer, he takes on stories close to his own heart and is not afraid to let his personal opinions shine through. Sometimes working in his favour, and sometimes leaving the audience questioning and wanting more, his no-nonsense style and well researched articles get his points across in a logical and understandable manner.

Working as a political reporter in Montreal for some time before joining the Globe and Mail, Yakabuski has a tendency to let his own political opinions bleed into his content. Since he writes opinion columns, his biases are apparent in his writing, and rightly so. But he also manages to remain impartial where need be. For example, in the Focus section of the Saturday, January 20, 2007 edition of the Globe and Mail Yakabuski offers an informative peek into the life of Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion, without going into the subject’s federalist views as much as one might think he would.

Speaking of Stephane Dion’s federalist views, it should be noted that Yakabuski seems to lean towards the Quebec nationalist camp. He is fiercely defensive of Quebec’s status as a nation, but not completely in support of separatism, as, in his own words, the debate concerning
Quebec’s status as a separate society is a “minefield.”

He takes time in his writing to deftly examine trends in business and politics; however, he does tend to leave out pertinent opposing arguments. For example, in an article on Hydro-Quebec’s development plans (Sept. 27, 2006), he cites all the positives in the plan, but fails to mention both the negatives and the opposing side’s stronger arguments. Unfortunately, this is a somewhat common theme in Yakabuski’s columns, as he seems to spend much of his time championing
Quebec’s fiscal policies and successes without mentioning its subsequent failures.

Stories that appeal to Konrad Yakabuski carry political weight. They may consist of environmental, financial, or cultural issues, but whatever they may be, they are always provocative. Issues regarding the sovereignty of Quebec, the business climate and French culture are at the top of Yakabuski’s list. Not content to give out tidbits of information, when he is enamoured by a story, he really sinks his teeth into it. His scathing review of Zone Libre’s Radio Canada documentary on the Alberta oil sands (Jan.25, 2007) is a fine example of this. The article debunked Radio Canada’s report and asked many questions.

When pitching a story to Yakabuski, some questions to ask would be: does this contain information that could have an effect on the lives of Quebec residents or business owners? Does this story have political merit? If it does not concern French Canada in some way, then he is not the journalist to pitch to. He does not write about fluff or feel-good stories; the pitch must have a solid backbone. If pitching a story concerning business - particularly, oil and environmental business - politics, or entertainment relating to Quebec culture, then it is likely he would pick it up if it was presented in a clear and concise manner.

Konrad Yakabuski is a journalist worth reading. While some readers may not agree with his unforgiving honesty and ruthless personal opinions, his business-oriented, insightful opinions offer a unique perspective into French Canadian life and culture.

For more information on Konrad Yakabuski please visit: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinions/columnists/Konrad+Yakabuski.html