A Statement in Response to Recent Events

Certain events have transpired recently in a bid to discredit one of our authors, Erin Wunker. In case you missed the whole debacle, a screen capture of a recent Facebook post by Erin was acquired, through questionable means, by Angie Abdou, who then sent it to Jonathan Kay who shared it on Twitter in an attempt to discredit Erin, both publicly and professionally. Erin by no means deserved this. It also confirms for us that things happening in the current climate of CanLit have gotten out of hand. To be blunt, we feel that a line was crossed. It distresses us to learn what lengths some people are willing to go to discredit those whose points of view differ from their own. We are also greatly disappointed by their lack of remorse: it is our opinion that since the truth of what happened has been revealed there has been no genuine attempt to properly or publicly apologize to Erin for what has been done to her.

As Erin’s publishers, we wish to publicly state just how upset we are about what has happened. We are very proud to publish Erin and we fully support her; she is a generous, thoughtful and engaged educator, scholar and critic, and we admire and appreciate her many valued attempts to make the world a more equitable and hospitable place through her writing and her role as an editor.

Lastly, we wish to acknowledge that what happened occurred shortly after our announcement about the forthcoming publication of Refuse: CanLit in Ruins, co-edited by Erin Wunker, Julie Rak, and Hannah McGregor. If the actions of Angie Abdou and Jonathan Kay were in any way a response to this announcement, it only affirms for us that the book is more necessary than ever.

Hazel and Jay Millar
Publishers, Book*hug