How a Century-Old Canadian Magazine Became a Lightning Rod for National Controversy and Debate

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1905 to inspire Canadians, Maclean's evolved from a general interest publication into a powerful news magazine. While it shaped national identity through investigative journalism and iconic university rankings, it also became a frequent target of public outrage, legal battles, and boycotts over its provocative editorial choices.

Established by Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean in 1905, the magazine was originally titled The Business Magazine before becoming The Busy Man's Magazine and finally adopting its founder's name in 1911. Under early editors like Thomas B. Costain, the publication gained national stature by covering the First World War and fostering a uniquely Canadian literary voice. By the mid-20th century, editors like W. Arthur Irwin and Ralph Allen shifted the focus toward nation-building, featuring prominent writers such as Pierre Berton and Peter C. Newman, who eventually transitioned the magazine into a weekly news format in 1978.

The magazine's influence is perhaps best known through its annual university rankings, which began under editor-in-chief Kevin Doyle. While these rankings became a mini-franchise, they also sparked intense academic pushback. By 2006, 22 Canadian universities, including the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, refused to provide data to the magazine, citing concerns over the methodology's rigor. A 2016 analysis by University of Windsor professors Stewart Page and Ken Cramer further challenged the rankings, describing the relationship between the magazine's metrics and actual university quality as inconsistent and lacking empirical value.

Beyond academia, Maclean's has frequently courted controversy through its editorial stance on social and political issues. In 2010, a cover story labeling Quebec the most corrupt province drew sharp condemnation from Premier Jean Charest and led to a lawsuit from the Carnaval de Québec. Similarly, the magazine faced accusations of Islamophobia and racial stereotyping, notably following a 2010 article titled 'Too Asian?'. Despite these tensions and the industry-wide shift toward digital media—leading to a move to monthly print editions in 2017—the magazine remains a central, if polarizing, fixture of the Canadian media landscape under its current publisher, St. Joseph Communications.

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