For a journalist who spent 20 years covering Belgium, Moscow and London, coming to Canada in 1999 was like, as one of David Ljunggren’s colleagues in London put it, committing professional suicide.
“You’ll be writing one story every two weeks about moose, maple syrup and beavers,” they teased him at a farewell party. "[Canada] is rightly seen as civilized and peaceful and that is why some journalists think the country is not interesting." — David Ljunggren, Reuters
Ljunggren, the national political correspondent for Reuters, says Canada “is rightly seen as civilized and peaceful and that is why some journalists think the country is not interesting.”
Michel Viatteau, Canada-Bureau Chief of Agence France-Presse, goes further, saying that the quiet and happy personality of Canadians has even dulled the media’s way of covering politics. “Aggressive” is never a word Viatteau would use to describe his Canadian counterparts.
For most foreign correspondents covering Canada for their home media organizations, no task is as challenging as reporting from Parliament Hill. They say they have had to be creative to be able to find stories about Canada that resonate with their home audiences.
Yang Shilong of Xinhua, China's state news agency, arrived in Canada four years ago, fresh from the battlefields in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and says he suddenly found there was not much to report home. “It’s peaceful and it’s prosperous. Everybody seems to enjoy life here,” he says.
It is not that Yang does not appreciate the easy way of living in Canada, but he is more excited chasing breaking news, which was part of his daily routine as a foreign correspondent in countries such as Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and the United States.
Yang Shilong, Xinhua News Agency
But Yang has found his way to deal with the ‘no news’ challenges in Canada. “I’ve learned to write about everyday life. You have to go into the communities, to talk to the people, to find stories of human interest that will be relevant to readers in China.”
He keeps his eyes on stories about innovations, such as the story of a young man he met in Montreal who started his own business by moving furniture and light articles with a bicycle, instead of using trucks. “For a person who cares about the environment, it’s a good way to find fulfillment.”
What impressed Yang most is the message that “you can establish yourself by using original ideas to cater to the needs of the people and the society.” Yang says this kind of entrepreneurship sets a good example for young people in China, who are narrowing down their career choices to jobs in the public sector.
Stories from the Chinese community are also Yang’s priority. “I write about new immigrants from China — their life, how they adapt to the new environment and how they continue to connect to their homeland.”
For Ljunggren, finding good stories in Canada means delving deeper into a topic, asking pointed questions and grilling cabinet ministers at off-the-record lunches. “If you’re prepared to put in the effort, there is no excuse for not having a fairly good idea of what’s really going on here,” he says.
According to Ljunggren, people want to read about Canadian environmental issues, how the country is responding to the Kyoto Protocol and the oil sands pollution in Alberta, and how global warming is melting the Arctic ice.
“If there's a weak link, you might suspect it would be domestic politics. Just as few people here can name the leaders of Belgium or Burundi, it's perhaps hard to imagine that everyday events on Parliament Hill would generate much excitement in Berlin or Beijing,” he says.
Having navigated different political systems in countries such as the United Kingdom and Russia, Viatteau knows how to cover political dynamics in Canada.
He finds his niche writing stories about Quebec, which is of cultural proximity to his home audience.
“Comparing Ottawa and Montreal’s different stance on climate change is an interesting perspective when we look at what Canada will bring to the table in Copenhagen.”
On day-to-day politics, Viatteau sees his Canadian counterparts as being polite and kind, too careful not to hurt politicians. “If a politician doesn’t answer a question directly, they just let him or her slip off and won’t ask that question ever again.” "Canadian politics is more of domestic values. Politicians tend to focus more on their own communities." – Yang Shilong
“Canadian politics is more of domestic values. Politicians tend to focus more on their own communities,” Yang says, adding that it is difficult to find issues discussed during Canadian elections that will be of interest to readers in China. “For me, and also for other foreign journalists here, that’s a challenge.”
Politics is one subject Igor Borisenko of Itar-Tass, the Russian news agency, barely touches, except in extreme cases. “It is tough to explain to a Russian reader the internal politics of Canada, except general elections,” says the veteran journalist, who has put in 30 years on the job, reporting from Washington, London and Moscow, before coming to Canada three years ago.
Igor Borisenko, correspondent of Itar-Tass, says he rarely writes about Canadian politics.
To Borisenko, news stories should be of interest to his Russian readers.
“It is interesting to write stories on Canadian culture, history and sports. Because Canada is Russia’s neighbour, historical and cultural stories usually appeal to Russian readers. The forthcoming Olympic Games certainly is of great interest to Russian readers. These are stories I look out for in Canada,” he says.
Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan is another story Ljunggren finds important.
“It is a big story because Canada’s reputation was that of a peace-keeping country, but this government has changed everything. Now Canada goes to war and has lost 133 soldiers so far in Afghanistan. At the end of the day, it will cost the country about $18 billion. The question is whether it is worth it,” Ljunggren says.
He sees Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan as part of the wider debate. “The country’s image has changed. Canada is less visible on issues for which it was known in the past and now people are beginning to ask, ‘Where is Canada?’”
