via Kitsilano, James’s Up in Ontario blog, to be specific. Seems that old church/state separation idea doesn’t go over big with the bigwigs at the Times Colonist. Visit the site to read James’s take on it, along with the original article, plus the breaking news from Sean Holman.
A snippet from Up in Ontario:
Smith wrote a column raising questions about the value of visiting some well-established Victoria tourist destinations and suggested some alternate, free attractions. Tourism industry representatives sought and got a meeting with the Times Columnist publisher, Bob McKenzie, and a day later Smith was sacked.
Now, a commenter on Up in Ontario has objected, saying the story had no place being published at all, as it was an opinion piece. It may or may not have been slanted, but the Times Colonist is no stranger to slants and, as I pointed out, if the tourist attractions are overpriced, that in itself is news. If free attractions that are interesting are available, that, too, is news. And the decision about whether or not a story belongs in the paper rests with the editors, not the local business capos.
As was put very well by a journalism prof on Public Eye Online:
In an interview with Public Eye, associate professor Klaus Pohle, a specialist in media ethics and newspaper management at Carleton University‘s school of journalism, said it wasn’t surprising publisher Bob McKenzie declined to comment on the situation, explaining “I would be totally embarassed to admit” to cancelling such a contract just after meeting with “the vested interests in Victoria…It’s a terrible conflict. A terrible conflict. And it sends a terrible message – not only to the journalists at the paper but to the other media and the readers and the advertisers. It sends a message (to the advertisers) that I can interfere anytime. And that’s a very, very dangerous situation to be in.”
Sure Victoria is a small town, but it’s got at least two horses, and so is too big to be indulging in these Pottersville-type shenanigans, particularly in a CanWest Global publication. Or are they planning to take this strategy national?
raincoaster 
One of the best reasons to read the Economist in Victoria was the Times-Colonist. Feeble in its best days, it hasn’t had a “best” day since Stephen Reid and a friend organized a special event: Victoria’s first running gun battle with police.
Currently, the paper is popular with little old ladies looking to line budgie cages, which in Victoria doubtless accounts for about two-thirds of its circulation.
Since its absorption into the Global media empire, it’s been the Chinese vegetable broth of journalism: nothing you can get your teeth into and little substance. Oh–and half an hour later you’re hungry again.
Opinion in those pages is nothing new, and controversy, one might think, could do no harm. So why fire a reporter for urging tourists to keep their vacations cheap?
Is it because they fear the drain of advertising bucks to the Globe and Mail, or to Monday Magazine?
Hey, Stephen Reid’s a pretty damn fine writer. And a pretty damn fine bank robber, as long as he’s not too high.