Small Dead Animals
Small Dead Animals (SDA) is an award-winning Canadian blog, focusing largely on politics (Canadian, U.S., British and international) from a conservative perspective. Saskatchewan-based blogger Kate McMillan founded the blog and remains its primary contributor.[1]
The main page of Small Dead Animals carries this message:
- Why this blog?
Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. - This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me."
Small Dead Animals was voted Best Canadian Blog in the Weblog Awards for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.[2] In 2008, SDA was narrowly voted Best Conservative Blog in North America over Ace of Spades HQ.[3]
Defamation
In 2008, human rights lawyer Richard Warman sued McMillan, Ezra Levant, Kathy Shaidle and the National Post over links to comments criticizing him at a Canadian internet forum, freedominion.ca. The National Post settled with Warman soon after the suit was launched and, in June 2015, Shaidle, Levant and McMillan all settled in exchange for undisclosed amounts and the issuance of public retractions and apologies.[4] McMillan posted the following apology on her blog:
Apology to Richard Warman
Material previously appeared here in which a guest blogger made an allegation that Mr. Richard Warman had posted a bigoted attack on the internet against Senator Anne Cools. I have no evidence that this is true and I retract it and apologize to Mr. Warman for it without reservation.— Kate McMillan[5]
Memorable phrases
The Libranos
McMillan coined the phrase "The Libranos" (a play on "liberal" and "Sopranos") to refer to the Liberal Party of Canada in light of the sponsorship scandal.[6] A year later, a photograph of two Conservative MPs with a poster-sized version of a Western Standard cover based on her concept[7] sparked a national controversy when Joe Volpe likened the MPs to Ku Klux Klan members.[8][9]
Coverage in media
Small Dead Animals has received some press coverage from the Toronto Sun, including:
- Publishing a letter from a soldier's widow after he died in a training exercise and the media became intrusive during and before the funeral.[10]
- Commenting negatively on Alberta Progressive Conservative premier Ralph Klein's slide to the left.[11]
- Criticizing a no-jail sentence for Paul Coffin, who was involved in the sponsorship scandal.[12]
- Noting Celine Dion's choice of pronouns when discussing Hurricane Katrina on Larry King Live.[13][14]
McMillan and some other Canadian bloggers provided commentary on the 2006 Canadian elections to the CBC[15] and BBC News.[16] SDA and McMillan have been mentioned on the floor of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.[17][18]
References
- ^ Norman Geras (22 July 2005). "The normblog profile 96: Kate McMillan". normblog. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ "The 2004 Weblog Awards: Best Canadian Blog". WeblogAwards.org. "The 2005 Weblog Awards: Best Canadian Blog". WeblogAwards.org. "The 2006 Weblog Awards: Best Canadian Blog". WeblogAwards.org. "The 2007 Weblog Awards: Best Canadian Blog". WeblogAwards.org.
- ^ "The 2008 Weblog Awards: Best Conservative Blog". WeblogAwards.org.
- ^ "Ezra Levant apologizes to human rights lawyer Richard Warman". The Georgia Straight. June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ McMillan, Kate. "Apology to Richard Warman". Small Dead Animals. Kate McMillan. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Kate McMillan (April 3, 2004). "The Libranos". Small Dead Animals.
- ^ "The Shotgun Blog: The Libranos". Western Standard. April 27, 2005.
- ^ "From Saskatchewan Blog To Parliament Hill". Small Dead Animals. May 3, 2005. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ "Klan comments land Liberal minister in firestorm". CBC News. May 5, 2005. Archived from the original on 14 May 2007.
- ^ "Best of the blogs: What's hot and on the web". The Toronto Sun. 27 April 2006.
- ^ "Best of the blogs: What's hot and on the web". The Toronto Sun. 4 April 2006.
- ^ "Best of the blogs: What's hot and on the web". The Toronto Sun. 21 September 2005.
- ^ Kate McMillan (10 September 2005). "My Heart Will Go On". Small Dead Animals. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ "Best of the blogs: What's hot and on the web". The Toronto Sun. 13 September 2005.
- ^ For example: Kate McMillan (January 21, 2006). "Prime Minister Wile E. Coyote". CBC.
- ^ "Viewpoints: Canada election bloggers". BBC News. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ "Twenty-fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Debates and Proceedings" (PDF), Saskatchewan Hansard, vol. XLVIII, no. 5A, p. 126, 14 November 2005
- ^ "Twenty-fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Debates and Proceedings" (PDF), Saskatchewan Hansard, vol. XLVIII, no. 11A, p. 374, 23 November 2005