FREEDOMCURRENT CENSORSHIPTOREAD ISSUES IN CANADA BOOK AND PERIODICAL COUNCIL 2014 volume 30 Jessie Housty Bringing Books to Bella Bella Code of Silence Shushing Librarians and Archivists Delay and Deny Muzzling Canada’s Scientists Web of Intrigue Borderless Electronic Surveillance 30th Anniversary Section 30 Challenged Books and Magazines PLUS www.freedomtoread.ca | #FTRWeek | @Freedom_to_Read Scatological Kids’ Lit Get Involved Books Children Love and Ideas for Educators Parents Loathe FREEDOMTOREAD2014 This year’s Freedom to Read review marks the thirtieth anniversary of its publication and of Freedom to Read Week in Canada. It was 1984 when the Book and Periodical Council, through its Freedom of Expression Committee, first published this annual review to explore the freedom to read in Canada and elsewhere and to inform and assist booksellers, publishers, librarians, students, educators, writers and the public. To commemorate Freedom to Read’s thirtieth anniversary, some of our writers have cast a look back over the past three decades. Franklin Carter describes challenges to 30 publications and looks at the origins of Freedom to Read Week. Jason Openo traces his life from his teen years as a book borrower to his career as a public librarian and considers the changing landscape of the librarians’ profession. Mark Bourrie and Pippa Wysong each cast a critical eye at the restrictions placed on the ability of government librarians, archivists and scientists to freely share information. Charles Montpetit examines how artists and writers can fall victim to censorship, especially if the material is deemed violent in nature. Ann Curry takes a more lighthearted look at what adults hate but children love in “scatological” children’s literature. Finally, the “Get Involved” section provides exercises and resources for teachers, librarians and students. This and previous issues of Freedom to Read, as well as appendices and other resources, are available at www.freedomtoread.ca. We hope you enjoy this issue. Book and Periodical Council THE BOOK AND PERIODICAL COUNCIL (BPC) WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP OF FREEDOM TO READ WEEK 2014: Canadian Library Association THE BPC WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND IN-KIND DONATIONS: Manitoba Library Association reva pomer design Nunavut Public Library Services THE BPC THANKS THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR SPONSORSHIP: ARC POETRY MAGAZINE, CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE, CANADIAN AUTHORS ASSOCIATION, CANADIAN LITERATURE, DESCANT MAGAZINE, THE FIDDLEHEAD, GROUNDWOOD BOOKS, HOUSE OF ANANSI PRESS, THE INTERNATIONAL FREE EXPRESSION REVIEW, MAGAZINES CANADA, THE NEW QUARTERLY, CHARLES PACHTER, PRISM, STUDIES IN CANADIAN LITERATURE. THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY PRODUCING THE KIT AND POSTER AND MAINTAINING THE WEBSITE: CATHERINE BARANDIARAN, ELIZABETH CAMERON, FRANKLIN CARTER, ANNE MCCLELLAND, PEGGY MCKEE, SCOTT MITCHELL, MARG ANNE MORRISON, REVA POMER, ELIZABETH RAYMER AND SANDRA RICHMOND. WE ALSO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION COMMITTEE: RON BROWN, FRANKLIN CARTER, SANDY CRAWLEY, BRENDAN DE CAIRES, TERI DEGLER, BRIANNE DIANGELO, KATE EDWARDS, AMANDA HOPKINS, DAVID KENT, HOLLY KENT, MARK LEIREN- YOUNG, ANNE MCCLELLAND, MARG ANNE MORRISON (CHAIR), REVA POMER, JANE PYPER, ALVIN SCHRADER AND ERIN STROPES. THE BPC, ALONG WITH THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION COMMITTEE, THANKS ALL WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 2014 FREEDOM TO READ KIT. THE BPC GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE SUPPORT OF ITS MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS AND THE CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS. ™ 2014 FREEDOMTOREAD Contents EDITOR Elizabeth Raymer CONSULTING EDITOR Franklin Carter CREATIVE DIRECTOR/POSTER DESIGN Reva Pomer EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BPC Anne McClelland CONTRIBUTORS Mark Bourrie, Donna Bowman, Ron Brown, Elizabeth Cameron, Ann Curry, Ethan Gaiser, Alexa Iwanic, Hilary McLaughlin, Charles Montpetit, Jason Openo, Shelagh Paterson, From left: Malala Yousafzai, Dieu Cay and Jessie Housty Julie Payne, Alvin M. Schrader, 4 Position Statement: Freedom of 33 Teaching Tough Topics Ken Setterington, Philip Slayton, Expression and Freedom to Read By Ken Setterington Pippa Wysong 4 Book and Periodical Council 34 2013 Awards © Book and Periodical Council 2013 Members 2013–14 No part of this publication may be reproduced, 36 Surveillance Without Borders stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in 5 NewsBytes By Philip Slayton any form or by any means without prior written By Franklin Carter permission of the Book and Periodical Council or, 37 Access to Information in Crisis in the case of photocopying or other reprographic 8 Heiltsuk Cultural Architect: By Julie Payne copying, a licence from the Canadian Copyright Jessie Housty in Conversation 38 Ontario Inches Toward Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). By Elizabeth Raymer Please credit the Book and Periodical Council on any Anti-SLAPP Legislation copies of kit materials. 11 Classified: The Silencing of By Ron Brown The opinions expressed in Freedom to Read Librarians and Archivists 38 The School Library as Intellectual 2014 do not necessarily reflect the official By Mark Bourrie Freedom Fighter views of the Book and Periodical Council or its member associations. 13 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: By Shelagh Paterson ISBN 978-0-9739099-9-9 Scientific Research Under Wraps 39 Intellectual Freedom Questioned: By Pippa Wysong Challenges to Library Resources Please send your comments and ideas for and Policies in Publicly Funded future issues of Freedom to Read to the 16 Censoring Violence in Book and Periodical Council, Suite 107, Entertainment Media: Canadian Libraries in 2012 192 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2C2. Who Are the Real Victims? By Alvin M. Schrader Phone: (416) 975-9366 Fax: (416) 975-1839 By Charles Montpetit and Donna Bowman E-mail: [email protected] Visit www.freedomtoread.ca for more information. 18 Bums, Poops and Pees: 41 Book Profiles: Dear Sir, I Intend Why Children Love and Adults to Burn Your Book; The War on Censor Scatological Children’s Science; Banned on the Hill; Books Black Code By Ann Curry By Hilary McLaughlin 20 The Provocative and Profane: A Librarian Looks Back over Get Involved Three Decades of Challenges By Jason Openo 43 Ideas for Educators 22 The Origins of Freedom 43 Get Involved in Freedom to Read to Read Week Week By Franklin Carter 43 Get Involved Online 23 Dear Teacher: An Open Letter 44 Talk It Up from Margaret Laurence to Schoolteachers 44 Activity: Freedom to Read 2014 Quiz 24 30 Challenged Publications By Franklin Carter 45 Activity: Host an Event 30 Telegram from the BPDC to Alice 46 Winning Student Essays and Video Munro, Janet Lunn and June from the Calgary Public Library’s Contest, 2013 Poster Image: The Painted Flag, Callwood Charles Pachter, acrylic on canvas, 31 Meanwhile in Quebec … 47 Activity: Word-Search Puzzle 1986. By Charles Montpetit 48 Activity: Acrostic POSITION STATEMENT thebpc FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREEDOM TO READ BOOK AND PERIODICAL COUNCIL A statement of the basic tenets of the Freedom of Expression Committee The Book and Periodical Council is the umbrella of the Book and Periodical Council organization for Canadian associations that are or whose members are primarily involved with the writing, editing, translating, publishing, producing, “Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms . distributing, lending, marketing, reading and thought, belief, opinion, and expression.” selling of written words. — Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms MEMBERS 2013–14 FULL MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS Freedom of expression is a fundamental right of all Canadians, and freedom to read Access Copyright is part of that precious heritage. Our Committee, representing member organizations Association of Canadian Publishers and associations of the Book and Periodical Council, reaffirms its support of this Canadian Authors Association vital principle and opposes all efforts to suppress writing and silence writers. Words Canadian Library Association and images in their myriad configurations are the substance of free expression. Canadian Publishers’ Council The freedom to choose what we read does not, however, include the freedom to Editors’ Association of Canada choose for others. We accept that courts alone have the authority to restrict reading League of Canadian Poets Literary Press Group of Canada material, a prerogative that cannot be delegated or appropriated. Prior restraint Magazines Canada demeans individual responsibility; it is anathema to freedom and democracy. Periodical Marketers of Canada As writers, editors, publishers, book manufacturers, distributors, retailers and Professional Writers Association of Canada librarians, we abhor arbitrary interpretations of the law and other attempts to limit The Writers’ Union of Canada freedom of expression. ASSOCIATE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS We recognize court judgements; otherwise, we oppose the detention, seizure, Association of Book Publishers of British destruction or banning of books and periodicals—indeed, any effort to deny, repress Columbia or sanitize. Censorship does not protect society; it smothers creativity and precludes Association of Manitoba Book Publishers open debate of controversial issues. Book Publishers Association of Alberta Endorsed by the Book and Periodical Council BookNet Canada February 5, 1997 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Canadian Copyright Institute Ontario Library Association Organization of Book Publishers of