Normand Lester
Encyclopedia
Normand Lester is a Quebec investigative journalist. Though he built his reputation through investigations of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
(CSIS), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) and the Canadian Forces
, he is best known for the controversy created in Canada after the publication of his book Le Livre noir du Canada anglais
("The Black Book of English Canada") in 2005.
, France
from 1983 to 1986.
In 1986, he was posted as parliamentary correspondent in Ottawa
. He began to investigate and study the activities of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
, which had been created that year to take over duties formerly under the aegis of the RCMP. This would be the beginning of a long string of reports, some shocking, on the activities of CSIS, lasting twelve years. He investigated Claude Morin
, cabinet minister and close advisor to René Lévesque
and also a paid informant of the RCMP.
After the publication of the first part of the trilogy that is Livre noir du Canada anglais
, Radio-Canada suspended him from his work on November 18, 2001, citing a lack of partiality.
A few days later, the SSJB awarded him the Prix Olivar-Asselin for both his courage and excellence in investigative journalism. On December 5, 2001, after 35 years of service, Lester quit Radio-Canada. Since then, he has written for various newspapers, such as le Devoir
.
In 2002, TVA
hired him as a news commentator. In September 2005, he decided to quit for a similar job at TQS, with Jean-Luc Mongrain
.
In 2006, he co-authored with Robin Philpot
a book denouncing the actions of Option Canada
, one of the organizations supporting the No side in the 1995 Quebec referendum
. The actions of this group were alleged to have violated Quebec provincial laws and several key players in the organization would later be investigated for links to the sponsorship scandal
. http://ledevoir.com/2006/01/10/99338.html
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
(CSIS), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) and the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, he is best known for the controversy created in Canada after the publication of his book Le Livre noir du Canada anglais
Le Livre noir du Canada anglais
Le Livre noir du Canada Anglais is a series of three polemic books written by Quebec journalist Normand Lester...
("The Black Book of English Canada") in 2005.
Biography
He started his career in journalism in 1964. Two years later, he was working for Radio-Canada, in which he found himself posted around the Western world, being posted, for example, in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1983 to 1986.
In 1986, he was posted as parliamentary correspondent in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. He began to investigate and study the activities of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
, which had been created that year to take over duties formerly under the aegis of the RCMP. This would be the beginning of a long string of reports, some shocking, on the activities of CSIS, lasting twelve years. He investigated Claude Morin
Claude Morin (PQ)
Claude Morin is a politician from Quebec, Canada and was the Parti Québécois Member of the National Assembly for the electoral district of Louis-Hébert, from 1976 until his resignation in 1981....
, cabinet minister and close advisor to René Lévesque
René Lévesque
René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
and also a paid informant of the RCMP.
After the publication of the first part of the trilogy that is Livre noir du Canada anglais
Le Livre noir du Canada anglais
Le Livre noir du Canada Anglais is a series of three polemic books written by Quebec journalist Normand Lester...
, Radio-Canada suspended him from his work on November 18, 2001, citing a lack of partiality.
A few days later, the SSJB awarded him the Prix Olivar-Asselin for both his courage and excellence in investigative journalism. On December 5, 2001, after 35 years of service, Lester quit Radio-Canada. Since then, he has written for various newspapers, such as le Devoir
Le Devoir
Le Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician, and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910....
.
In 2002, TVA
TVA (TV network)
TVA is a privately owned French language television network in Canada. The network is currently owned by Groupe TVA Inc. , a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media...
hired him as a news commentator. In September 2005, he decided to quit for a similar job at TQS, with Jean-Luc Mongrain
Jean-Luc Mongrain
Jean-Luc Mongrain is a Canadian journalist and news anchor. He is currently the news anchor of his own talk show called Mongrain on LCN .-Background:...
.
In 2006, he co-authored with Robin Philpot
Robin Philpot
Robin Philpot is a Quebec journalist and electoral candidate for the Parti Québécois.- Background :Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, where his father Roderick Philpot was an alderman of the city of Fort William, Philpot is a graduate of Fort William Collegiate Institute and earned degrees in...
a book denouncing the actions of Option Canada
Option Canada
Option Canada was a Montreal-based lobby group established some eight weeks before the voting day of the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty. According to registration papers filed with both the Canadian and Quebec governments, the private group was incorporated by executives of the Canadian...
, one of the organizations supporting the No side in the 1995 Quebec referendum
1995 Quebec referendum
The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should secede from Canada and become an independent state, through the question:...
. The actions of this group were alleged to have violated Quebec provincial laws and several key players in the organization would later be investigated for links to the sponsorship scandal
Sponsorship scandal
The sponsorship scandal, "AdScam", "Sponsorship" or Sponsorgate, is a scandal that came as a result of a Canadian federal government "sponsorship program" in the province of Quebec and involving the Liberal Party of Canada, which was in power from 1993 to 2006...
. http://ledevoir.com/2006/01/10/99338.html