Jeff Fillion

Media - radio career

Jeff Fillion (full name Jean-Francois Fillion) began his career in his home town of Chicoutimi in the late 1980s working for CFIX-FM. Most of his reputation comes from his stint, from 1997 to 2005, as morning man with radio station CHOI-FM in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. He developed over time a strong following, and at his peak, had more than twice as many listeners as his nearest competitor. However, his very controversial and politically incorrect comments, combined with those of André Arthur, resulted in the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) refusing to renew the station's licence in July 2004. The station and license were bought by RNC Media in June 2007 without interruption to its broadcasting.

He was fired on March 17, 2005, in the fallout of the trial from Sophie Chiasson against him and his then-employer. The judgement was particularly severe, with the judge noting that the comments made by Jeff Fillion regarding Miss Chiasson were "sexist, mean, incited hatred, were without cause, wounding and injurious. These comments are a threat to the dignity and honour of human kind in general and particularly to Miss Chiasson."[1]. The participants in the radio show (Fillion and gang) referred to the plaintiff as "a consummate liar," "a cat in heat," as well as "a leech on (hockey player) Alexandre Daigle," "an airhead" and repeatedly suggested Chiasson used sex to get jobs. [2] Miss Chiasson was awarded $340,000 CAD in punitive damages. [3]. After numerous rumours to the effect that he would be hired by other radio stations in the Quebec City market (which turned out to be unfounded) or by a satellite radio group, he announced his intention of launching a subscription-only Internet radio service. RadioPirate.com was launched on March 17, 2006, exactly a year after he was fired by CHOI-FM. His radio show was also broadcast on XM Satellite Radio, channel 156 until his contract was nullified on August 11, 2011 by the newly merged Sirius XM Canada. His internet station still lives today and a free light version is also available. Fillion was hired by Bell Media and was back on the air beginning March 3rd, 2014 with his show:"Jeff Fillion" on NRJ 98.9, a Quebec city radio station.

On April 19 2016, Fillion was suspended indefinitely by Bell Media for a tweet that he posted about an interview that Alexandre Taillefer had given to Guy A. Lepage on the French Canadian show "Tout le monde en parle (Quebec)". In his tweet, Fillion implied that Taillefer was blaming the company Amazon.com for the suicide of his son, something that Taillefer had not done. Although he rapidly deleted his tweet, Fillion was suspended by Bell Media after Taillefer, while being interviewed by Paul Arcand, publicly questioned the fact that Bell Media was still employing him.

On April 20th, 2016, Bell Media announced that Fillion was not an employee anymore.

Political and social views

His politics are a mix of conservatism and libertarianism.

He rejects separatism not for any real attachment to Canada but more because of his perception that sovereignty would only help to increase socialism in Quebec. His father, Gilbert Fillion, was a one-term Member of Parliament for the Bloc Québécois, in the riding of Chicoutimi from 1993 to 1997.

He is an avid critic of the way media treat global warming. He recognizes the presence of global warming but suggests that human action has little to do with it.

Fillion is an amateur of popular economics, wishing to improve the basic level of economics knowledge of Quebecers.

He was an avid critic of the mayor Andrée Boucher who, he believes, kept the city in a state of dust. He believes that NHL hockey should come back to Quebec City, notably by an ownership effort from Red Bull. He proposes that a new arena should be built in a public-private partnership, a project similar to what led Winnipeg to build the new MTS Centre.

Jeff Fillion claims that a new breed of Quebec politicians should regroup, notably identifying leaders such as ex cabinet member Joseph Facal, economist Nathalie Elgrably, radiologist Gaetan Barrette and political reporter Michel Hébert.

2009 Mayoral bid

In October 2009, Fillion announced he would run against current Quebec City mayor, Regis Labaume. His program consists of getting new infrastructures for the city and better spending ethics. He placed second against incumbent mayor, Regis Labeaume, with 8.6% of the votes cast.