Michel Auger
Encyclopedia
For the political columnist see Michel C. Auger
. For the politician see Michel Auger (politician)
Michel Auger (born 1944) is a Canadian journalist
. He was a crime reporter with Le Journal de Montréal
and spent 42 years in journalism, starting out as a freelancer before becoming well known for covering organized crime
, including years of strife between rival motorcycle gangs in the province of Quebec
. Auger became nationally known when, in 2000, he was shot six times in the back during an attack outside the newspaper office.
, Auger started off freelancing stories, but gravitated towards crime reporting, where he made his mark on the journalism industry as a reporter who could communicate with both the police and the criminal element in the pursuit of stories. Over the years, he wrote on topics including the Mafia
, criminal gangs and other topics, including the long and bloody conflict through the 1990s between rival Quebec motorcycle gangs, the Hells Angels
and the Rock Machine
.
In the midst of that conflict, around 11 a.m. on September 13, 2000, Auger was in the Le Journal parking lot when an assailant came up behind him and shot him six times in the back. Despite his wounds, Auger was able to call 911 and summon help, and remarkably recovered from the injuries, despite doctors being unable to remove three of the bullets. Police have continued to investigate the shooting, but have not made any arrests.
Auger has also written several books on crime and crime reporting, including his memoirs, The Biker Who Shot Me http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771008788 and The Encyclopedia of Canadian Organized Crime http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771030444 with Peter Edwards.
Auger's work has been recognized with a number of awards, including one from the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
,http://www.cjfe.org/releases/2000/awardsn23.html the National Newspaper Association and the Quebec government.
On August 28, 2006, Auger announced his retirement from daily reporting. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/08/28/auger-retire-crime.html He intends to continue to write columns, as well as work on television projects and more books.
Michel C. Auger
Michel C. Auger is a Québécois journalist. He is a political columnist for Le Soleil, though until April 2006 he worked for Le Journal de Montréal...
. For the politician see Michel Auger (politician)
Michel Auger (politician)
Michel Auger was a Canadian politician, farmer and mill owner. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1882 federal election as an Independent Liberal for the riding of Shefford. He was defeated in the 1878 election; however, it is not known which party he was affiliated with...
Michel Auger (born 1944) is a Canadian journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He was a crime reporter with Le Journal de Montréal
Le Journal de Montréal
Le Journal de Montréal is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is the largest-circulation French-language newspaper in North America. Established by Pierre Péladeau in 1964, it is owned by the Sun Media division of Quebecor Media. It is also Canada's largest tabloid...
and spent 42 years in journalism, starting out as a freelancer before becoming well known for covering organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
, including years of strife between rival motorcycle gangs in the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Auger became nationally known when, in 2000, he was shot six times in the back during an attack outside the newspaper office.
Career
As a young reporter in his home province of QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Auger started off freelancing stories, but gravitated towards crime reporting, where he made his mark on the journalism industry as a reporter who could communicate with both the police and the criminal element in the pursuit of stories. Over the years, he wrote on topics including the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
, criminal gangs and other topics, including the long and bloody conflict through the 1990s between rival Quebec motorcycle gangs, the Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
and the Rock Machine
Rock Machine
Rock Machine, or The Rock Machine M.C., is an outlaw motorcycle gang with six Canadian chapters, six United States chapters and eight chapters in Australia. Formed in 1986 by Salvatore Cazzetta, a former friend of Hells Angels Quebec chapter president Maurice Boucher, the Rock Machine competed...
.
In the midst of that conflict, around 11 a.m. on September 13, 2000, Auger was in the Le Journal parking lot when an assailant came up behind him and shot him six times in the back. Despite his wounds, Auger was able to call 911 and summon help, and remarkably recovered from the injuries, despite doctors being unable to remove three of the bullets. Police have continued to investigate the shooting, but have not made any arrests.
Auger has also written several books on crime and crime reporting, including his memoirs, The Biker Who Shot Me http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771008788 and The Encyclopedia of Canadian Organized Crime http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771030444 with Peter Edwards.
Auger's work has been recognized with a number of awards, including one from the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression is a Canadian non-governmental organization supported by Canadian journalists and advocates of freedom of expression. The purpose of the organization is to defend the rights of journalists and contribute to the development of press freedom throughout the...
,http://www.cjfe.org/releases/2000/awardsn23.html the National Newspaper Association and the Quebec government.
On August 28, 2006, Auger announced his retirement from daily reporting. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/08/28/auger-retire-crime.html He intends to continue to write columns, as well as work on television projects and more books.