More Bullshit and Lies

I picked up the latest issue of Quill & Quire yesterday, in which there is a little piece called "Canlit award follies: the last 10 years." Apparently, in 2007, "Author and critic Sarah Ellis is asked to leave the GG jury for children's literature (text). The rationale is that having reviewed some of the books under consideration, she, er, probably has opinions about them." Wow, who knew that the Canada Council had such stringent guidelines against conflict of interest? Apparently, they prefer to have jurors who haven't read the books at all, so that they can make a perfectly unbiased decision. Which must be why they replaced Christian Bok with Cyril Dabydeen at the last minute a couple of years ago. The Council is to be congratulated for the consistency of their ethical rectitude.