Panic, sadness and anger: Authors and publishers of young adult books fear that the teachers’ strike planned parallel to next week’s Montreal Book Fair will deprive them of significant sales.
The reason? Nearly 18,000 primary and secondary students planned to attend the Montreal Book Fair on November 22nd, 23rd and 24th during school hours. The cancellation of school trips means that several thousand students will be prevented from attending.
Although he supports the professors’ demands 100%, Tristan Demers, creator of the comic strips “Gargouille” and “Les Minimaniacs”, is disappointed.
Photo provided by Julien Faugère
“Teachers love us very much, but ultimately their unions do not want to take into account the losses that the strikes are causing their best allies […]. In my opinion they are shooting themselves in the foot. If they did otherwise, we would be with them on the picket lines. We also teach your students the joy of reading and writing.”
“It is important”
“There is still panic,” admits Andréanne Hovington, marketing and communications coordinator at Éditions Les Malins, which publishes, among other things, “The ABC of Girls.” As a children’s book publisher, it is important to us that there are school mornings and schools. The book fair accounts for a large part of our sales. It’s pretty important for us.”
“I feel worry and sadness. Children are directly deprived of this access, at least those who had to go there with their schools,” says children’s book author Claudia Larochelle, who recently launched La doudou sur le pot.
Carl Lessard
“It is certain that the teachers’ strike will have a major impact on everyone involved in the book fair, including organizers, distributors, publishers and, above all, children’s book authors. […] Significant loss of income is to be expected for everyone involved,” commented the management of the Quebecor Book Group, which includes the publishers La Bagnole and Le Petit Homme.
The book fair has proposed various measures to address the possible consequences. “We have found a way to offer free access to all parents traveling with us,” explains the general director of the book fair, Olivier Gougeon. These young people are welcomed into a school morning structure as if they were coming with their school.” (see other text)
A little hope
Despite the situation, Mariève Talbot, president of La Court Escale Publishing Group and board member of the Montreal Book Fair, remains positive.
“Of course we are aware that it can have an impact,” she explains. We are confident that the book fair’s measures will help address the decline in school attendance.”
Ben Pelosse / JdeM
“If we don’t want young people to turn to screens during this strike, I think reading and books are the ideal refuge,” says Catherine Girard-Audet, author of the series The Complicated Life of Léa Olivier. Visit us as often as possible!”
The Montreal Book Fair in solution mode
In light of the teachers’ strike, the Montreal Book Fair is doing everything in its power to encourage the arrival of the 18,000 expected students.
In this context, the event maintains all its activities. On the 22nd, 23rd and 24th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. entry is free for one adult accompanied by up to 5 children. It has also been suggested that schools give children tickets so they can go accompanied by a parent or guardian. There will also be jobs.
“I think it’s unfortunate because those who have fewer resources will suffer the most,” laments Olivier Gougeon, general director of the Montreal Book Fair. Children further away, perhaps from disadvantaged backgrounds. I hope that people can still organize themselves thanks to this offer. For everyone else, I want to say: There is no excuse.
Courtesy of White Bubbles
“I want the conflict to be resolved,” he added. If this does not happen, we want to say to the people of Montreal: use the salon to participate in the activities and discover authors.”
The Montreal Book Fair takes place from November 22nd to 26th. For full details click here.