Pierre Bourque (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Pierre Bourque is a former journalist and politician in Ottawa, Canada. He is currently an internet entrepreneur, who operates the online news aggragator site Bourque Newswatch.
Bourque was also a part-time radio host at Ottawa news-talk station CFRA
, and has appeared on several other Canadian radio stations. As well, Bourque has been a race car driver in the NASCAR Busch East Series
and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
.
In March 1991, he was appointed to the councils of the city of Ottawa and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton to fill a vacancy, but lost in the election of that November. He ran then for Parliament
in the 1993 Canadian election
as a Liberal
candidate in the Montreal
riding of Rosemont, and lost to Bloc Québécois
candidate Benoît Tremblay
. He subsequently ran for Ottawa city council again in 1994, but was not elected.
His paternal grandfather, E.A. Bourque, is a former Mayor of Ottawa and his maternal grandfather, Marc T. McNeil, is a former sports editor of the Montreal Gazette.
has quoted several of his co-authors as stating that Bourque worked as a researcher, not as an author, on most of the titles bearing his name. Further, RRJ reported that the only book bearing Bourque's name as a sole author, Government Online in Canada, is in fact a compilation of work by a variety of journalists, for which Bourque only directly authored the introduction.
RRJ also found that while Bourque has been the first media source to report a number of major stories, including Jean Charest
's departure from federal politics to lead the Quebec Liberal Party, the retirement of Gilbert Parent
as Speaker of the House of Commons
and the 2000 election call
, Bourque's exclusive scoops have also been wrong on many occasions. For example, in 2000 he inaccurately reported that Canadian Alliance
MP Keith Martin would cross the floor
to the Progressive Conservatives
after Stockwell Day
won the Alliance leadership, that Elsie Wayne
and Mac Harb
would be appointed to the Senate, and that Mike Harris
would retire as Premier of Ontario
that year.
Finally, RRJ found it difficult to verify Bourque's claimed web traffic; in a random sample of 6,500 Canadian internet users in September 2000, not a single one had visited Bourque Newswatch. RRJ also found that almost no major Canadian journalist used Bourque Newswatch as a source, although some admitted to using the site as an aggregator to quickly review the day's mainstream media headlines.
The Bourque Newswatch has been criticized for allegedly allowing advertisers to purchase headlines and to "torque" them in order to highlight a positive news story about itself or a negative story about an opponent.
In June 2007, Bourque began racing in the NASCAR Busch league with the sponsorship of Canada's ruling Conservative Party. Bourque's sale to a political party of logo space on his car further called into question the objectivity of his news clipping site.
Bourque was also a part-time radio host at Ottawa news-talk station CFRA
CFRA (AM)
CFRA is a Conservative talk radio station in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media. The station broadcasts at 580 kHz on the AM band.-History:...
, and has appeared on several other Canadian radio stations. As well, Bourque has been a race car driver in the NASCAR Busch East Series
NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series
The K&N Pro Series East is a regional stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. Races are held at oval tracks ranging from 1/3 to 1 mile in length and on two road courses, 1.53 and 2.45 miles in length...
and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series , commonly abbreviated as NCATS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada that is based from the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.-History:...
.
In March 1991, he was appointed to the councils of the city of Ottawa and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton to fill a vacancy, but lost in the election of that November. He ran then for Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
in the 1993 Canadian election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
candidate in the Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
riding of Rosemont, and lost to Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
candidate Benoît Tremblay
Benoît Tremblay
Benoît Tremblay was a Canadian politician and a member of the House of Commons from 1988 to 1997.-Background:Tremblay was born on 16 March 1948 in Val-Brillant, Quebec...
. He subsequently ran for Ottawa city council again in 1994, but was not elected.
His paternal grandfather, E.A. Bourque, is a former Mayor of Ottawa and his maternal grandfather, Marc T. McNeil, is a former sports editor of the Montreal Gazette.
Controversy
Bourque claims authorship of several books, although the Ryerson Review of JournalismRyerson Review of Journalism
The Ryerson Review of Journalism is a Canadian magazine, published twice annually by final year journalism students at Ryerson University. The magazine profiles personalities, issues and controversies in Canadian media. In addition to the features in the printed magazine, weekly online features...
has quoted several of his co-authors as stating that Bourque worked as a researcher, not as an author, on most of the titles bearing his name. Further, RRJ reported that the only book bearing Bourque's name as a sole author, Government Online in Canada, is in fact a compilation of work by a variety of journalists, for which Bourque only directly authored the introduction.
RRJ also found that while Bourque has been the first media source to report a number of major stories, including Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
's departure from federal politics to lead the Quebec Liberal Party, the retirement of Gilbert Parent
Gilbert Parent
Gilbert "Gib" Parent, PC was a Canadian Member of Parliament. He is best known in his role of Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons between 1994 and 2001....
as Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
and the 2000 election call
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, Bourque's exclusive scoops have also been wrong on many occasions. For example, in 2000 he inaccurately reported that Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
MP Keith Martin would cross the floor
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
to the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
after Stockwell Day
Stockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
won the Alliance leadership, that Elsie Wayne
Elsie Wayne
Elsie Eleanore Wayne is a Canadian politician, and a former Progressive Conservative MP for Saint John.-Political career:In 1977, she was elected to the Saint John municipal council...
and Mac Harb
Mac Harb
Mac Harb is a Canadian Senator and former Member of the House of Commons.-Life and career:Harb was born in Chaat, Lebanon and immigrated to Canada to study at the University of Ottawa. He subsequently worked as an engineer at Northern Telecom and a professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa...
would be appointed to the Senate, and that Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
would retire as Premier of Ontario
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
that year.
Finally, RRJ found it difficult to verify Bourque's claimed web traffic; in a random sample of 6,500 Canadian internet users in September 2000, not a single one had visited Bourque Newswatch. RRJ also found that almost no major Canadian journalist used Bourque Newswatch as a source, although some admitted to using the site as an aggregator to quickly review the day's mainstream media headlines.
The Bourque Newswatch has been criticized for allegedly allowing advertisers to purchase headlines and to "torque" them in order to highlight a positive news story about itself or a negative story about an opponent.
In June 2007, Bourque began racing in the NASCAR Busch league with the sponsorship of Canada's ruling Conservative Party. Bourque's sale to a political party of logo space on his car further called into question the objectivity of his news clipping site.