WEEKEND DIARY

FREEDOM, OR FINANCIAL FOLLY?
JAMES ADAMS

The folks at Western Standard magazine have to be asking themselves the question that appears on the cover line of their March 13 issue: "What Were We Thinking?"

It's all due to the fallout from the Calgary-based fortnightly's decision in February to publish eight of the 12 Danish cartoons that ignited protests throughout the Muslim world. Western Standard is now fending off a complaint filed by the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada with the Alberta Human Rights Commission -- an action that could cost the magazine $75,000 to fight, according to an on-line appeal for defence funds ("Help Us Defend Freedom") issued this week by publisher Ezra Levant.

As it is, Western Standard is hardly the healthiest business in the world. Billed as "the independent voice of the new west," it's just over two years old and, according to Canadian Advertising Rates and Data, its paid circulation last year was a decidedly modest 30,000, with almost 18,000 of that based in Alberta. (Western Standard claims it gets 8.6 readers per copy -- higher than Reader's Digest, Maclean's or Chatelaine, but about equal to Canadian Living.) Complicating matters is the recent decision by Air Canada to stop distributing 7,000 copies to business-flight passengers and patrons of its Maple Leaf Lounges. At first it seemed Air Canada was just nixing the Feb. 27 issue with the cartoons. However, an Air Canada rep told me that, in fact, it's every issue from here on.

Labels: Alberta, Calgary