“We've discussed your manuscript, and in the end decided not to proceed. We think it would make a good article in a magazine, but the central story isn't substantial enough for a full-length book.” Jack David, ECW Press

When it became evident that no English-Canada publisher of non-fiction (ECW was one of more than a dozen contacted) would take a chance on Shooting the Messenger, I decided to try Québec publishers. Perhaps a clandestine attempt to circumvent the Constitution so as to deny mainly Québecquers in the employ of the Federal government the right to work in French might spark their interest if tens of millions of stolen taxpayer dollars was not substantial enough.

To improve my chances of finding a publisher I sought an introduction from the Honourable Gille Duceppe.

The conclusion given in the letter to the Leader of the Bloc Québecquois as to why I was dismissed from the Public Service is the one reached by Justice Louis Marceau of the Federal Court of Appeal.

The letter to the Honourable Gilles Duceppe contains no information that is not common knowledge on Parliament Hill.

Shooting the Messenger was already in the hands of the twelve Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the twelve members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages each with two Bloc MPs when I decided to seek Mr. Duceppe’s help in reaching a larger audience with my cautionary tale.  Bernard P.

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Ottawa, Ont.

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June 1, 2009

The Honourable Gilles Duceppe

Chef du Bloc Québécois

House of communes

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Duceppe,

Shooting the Messenger (enclosed) is a true story. It is the story of an employee of the Department of Foreign Affairs who was dismissed from the Federal Public Service for alerting the Commissioner of Official Languages that the Department intended to make English the only official language of work in all our consulates, high commissions, embassies and trade offices. Not even Paris and Brussel were to be spared this clandestine Anglicization.

Without the aid of a lawyer which he could not afford he appealed his firing for having talked to the Commissioner of Official Languages all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Right Honourable Chief Justice Brian Dickson dismissed his appeal with the words “Not a question of national interest.” The same for English-language publishers – not interested.

I believe that Quebecquers and French-Canadians outside the province of Québec would be very interested.

Could you, or a member of your staff recommend [Shooting the Messenger] to a Québec publisher capable of reaching that public and who would be willing to work with my company Boreal Books to produce a quality translation. Boreal Books is willing to grant exclusive rights to the French edition of Shooting the Messenger to a publisher that has the potential of making it a provincial bestseller.

Your assistance in this matter is critical and would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely

_____________________

Bernard Payeur