Thin skinned Gazoo axes 'toon

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by Kristian Gravenor

Montreal's English language daily has refused to publish an editorial cartoon critical of the Aspers, owners of the Gazette and the CanWest Global media chain. The cartoon, which states that both former owner Conrad Black and current owners are "in it for the money," was deemed unsuitable for the August 31 edition.

"I was told that the timing wasn't right because it was the same day that (publisher Michael) Goldbloom was announcing that he was quitting. They said that the cartoon would make it look like I was taking sides against the ownership," says Terry Mosher, the acclaimed freelance cartoonist known as Aislin. Mosher, who repeatedly roasted former owner Conrad Black, was told that his first attempt to criticize the Aspers would be published sometime in the following days. It wasn't. Censorship came again, two weeks later, as the paper nixed a relatively mild column by regular columnist Lyle Stewart, addressing the recent terrorist attacks. The Gazette did not respond to requests to explain the decisions. Meanwhile, Terry Mosher reminds readers that they can grab an uncensored collection of many Aislin cartoons in the new-on-the-stands In Your Face.