Bruce Allen (manager)
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Bruce Allen is a Canadian music talent manager who represents a number of popular Canadian musicians including Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé. In 1985, Allen spear-headed the charity supergroup Northern Lights, who recorded the song "Tears Are Not Enough" in support of Ethiopian famine relief.[1]
Bruce hosted SoundOff, a popular call-in talk show in Vancouver for much of the 1990s.
He can currently be heard weekdays on CKNW 980 at 12:15 p.m. with his segment Reality Check and he can also be heard Friday mornings on the Larry & Willy Morning Show on CKLG.
[edit] Controversy Stemming from the CKNW Reality Check Show
The September 13, 2007 Reality Check show generated controversy due to what many people felt were discriminatory or racist comments. The transcript of the show is as follows:
I'm Bruce Allen. This is CKNW and this is your "Reality Check". If I didn't know any better it would seem there's been a lot of immigrant bashing going on in the past few months. A month ago, the Sikh community was all up in arms over Passport Canada, refusing to issue passports to three Sikh kids because they were wearing religious headgear for the photos. The children were wearing those handkerchiefs which are knotted at the top of the head to keep their hair intact. That incident came on the heels of an immigration plan that was in the works, to have Sikhs with the surname Singh or Khan to change those names, so as to avoid administrative mistakes. Too many Singhs, too many Khans - that was the problem. And now we've got a controversy over the fact that Elections Canada has said that it's all right to have Burqa-covered Muslim women vote in elections when it's very clear that voters have to be able to be identified when going to the polls. All of these issues join the list that contains the turban-wearing Mounties problem and the one where the motorcycle rider was angry that he had to wear the helmet - as it was impossible to get it on over his turban. This is all very simple. We have laws in this country. They are spelled out and they're easy to get a hold of. If you're immigrating to this country and you don't like the rules that are in place, then you have the right to choose not to live here. But if you choose to come to a place like Canada, then shut up and fit in. We are a democracy, but it seems, more and more, that we are being pilloried by special interest groups that just want to make special rules for themselves. This is easy to solve: these are the rules, there is the door. If you don't like the rules, hit it. We don't need you here. You have another place to go: it's called home. See ya. I'm Bruce Allen and this is the Giant CKNW Newstalk 980.
The CRTC has received almost 300 written complaints prompted by the broadcast, including one from Liberal MP and former minister for multiculturalism Raymond Chan.[2] Chan has also called for Allen to resign his position with the ceremonies planning committee of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
In an apparent attempt to quell the ongoing controversy, Bruce Allen provided a "Rebuttal" to the previous piece on September 26, 2007. The transcript of the show is as follows:
I'm Bruce Allen. This is CKNW and this is your "Reality Check". I wasn’t going to talk about my rant of September 13th ever again. It was over with – 90 seconds out of my life. A few complaint letters – same old, same old. But then something happened. That rant began to take on a life of its own, where one week later – one week – a couple of political motivated individuals decided they should take this rant and twist into something more controversial. The rant of September 13th was the opposite of what others in our province are pinning their political objectives on. First of all, if anyone really heard what I was saying, instead of just focusing on the phrase “shut up and fit in” they would have heard this. So I’ll say it slowly this time: (quote) If I didn’t know better, it would seem to be there’s been a lot of immigrant bashing going on these past few months (end quote). I then proceeded to cite three examples of how I perceive two immigrant groups were being bashed. This offended me. The first example had to do with Sikh children being denied passport photos because of what they were wearing on their head. I called this religious headgear a handkerchief – this is incorrect – it is not a handkerchief, it is a patka, or a turban. Like I said on the Christie Clark show, at the time, and I’m saying it again today: If I offended anyone, I apologize. But where did the handkerchief word come from? Oh, surprise, surprise, the Vancouver Sun, in an article written by Kelly Sinoski on August 17th. I didn’t hear Kelly Sinoski being labeled a racist or that the Vancouver Sun was promoting hatred. The next thing the agitators focused on was the mispronunciation, on my part, of the name Kaur. At the time, I pronounced it Khan, due to a typo. Khan is a Muslim name, not a Sikh name. The name came up when I ridiculed the immigration department for considering making those with the surname of Singh or Kaur change them to avoid administrative mistakes. I find this idea to be ridiculous and, if imposed, would be race bashing. The idea of burqa-covered Muslim women possibly not being allowed to vote is the next example of race bashing that I cited. In 2007, the very idea that this could ever be considered is absurd. And to me would be race bashing. These were all stories covered in the national press from coast to coast. From there I went on to cite a ten year old, but long settled dispute as to whether turbans should be allowed to be worn as a Mountie, and another one where the motorcyclist wanted to be able to ride his bike without a helmet because he couldn’t fit one over his turban. Let me make it perfectly clear: these disputes have been settled and I agree with how they were settled. I have no problem with Sikhs wearing turbans in the RCMP. We all read about it. Old news? Yes. Played to the hilt in the media? Yes. Racial? No. And then I talked about the laws in this country, how they were spelled out, easy to get a hold of. And that if you want to come to this country, or any other country, as a visitor or an immigrant, you should respect them. I should know. My grandparents immigrated to this country. And then the phrase that some people are focusing on, the quote was: “If you chose to come to a place like Canada, then shut up and fit in.” Too harsh? OK. At worst, the wrong choice of words. My mail tells me that most Canadians support immigration and want the multi-cultural experience but also want their new neighbors to respect the customs and laws of Canada. Most people who immigrate to Canada come here because they left homeland to search for a better life. The rules of Canada will be ever-changing, as they should be, and our new arrivals will and have a say on they evolve. So imagine my surprise and shock when I open my door to get the Sunday paper and see a copy of the Province with a headline: “Furor Erupts after Radio Comment.” What furor? Because the media needed a story so they fabricated one? Because this radio station and their high-paid talk show hosts dragged this story out – so for once they have something controversial to talk about and didn’t have to climb off the fence to create it? Because politicians who were currently out of favor have something to twist around to hopefully help them move up the food chain? And so it goes, once again. People are listening, and not hearing. Those with an agenda prey upon that and feed the uninformed. I am the product of immigrants, most of us are. Canada would not be the great country that it is without immigration – that’s a given. But when the media misquotes and is being fueled by malcontents, we stir up the situation where only the media benefits. The story should have been still born. And for a week it was. But when politics entered the picture, the gloves were off. I go back to the first line of the piece: “If I didn’t know better, it would seem there’s been a lot of immigrant bashing going on these past few months.” People heard, but didn’t listen. The furor has been manufactured for political gain. The only good thing coming out of this is <incomprehensible> dialogue. People are talking. Many are talking to me and I have learned a great deal. As long as we talk with open mind Canada will be a better place. But we can not let the politicians play their game at our expense. I’m sick of the misinformation, the obvious promotion of political agendas and the words “racist” and “hate mongering” being used to describe my commentary. And so it dragged on. The calls from my job. Both at CKNW and VANOC. Oh that’s really good. “I don’t like your opinions, so you should lose your job.” “I don’t like your opinion so I’m going to threaten your life.” “I don’t like your opinion so I’m going to vilify you.” You’re allowed to disagree, but at least get your facts right. Give your head a shake. Stop and take time to listen to the entire comment. “If I didn’t know better, it would seem there’s been a lot of immigrant bashing going on these past few months.” Bruce Allen and this is the Giants CKNW Newstalk 980.
