Guy Fournier, the chairman of the publicly-funded Canadian Broadcasting Corp., has resigned after a column he wrote in a magazine published last week incited an uproar in the Lebanese Canadian Community. The column, published in gossip magazine "7 Jours," contained comments about bestiality and defecation.

These sentences attracted the most scandal: "In Lebanon, the law makes it possible for men to have sexual intercourse with animals as long as they are females. To do the same thing with male animals could lead to the death penalty."

Fournier, 75, apologized on the program "tout le monde en parle" on Sunday, saying he would stop writing the column and focus on this duties as chairman of the CBC. However, the damage was already done.

Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda said in announcing Fournier's resignation in the House of Commons on Tuesday, "He has increasingly lost the confidence of Canada's new government. I inform this House that I have received the voluntary resignation of Mr. Fournier effective today."

Reuters reports that Fournier, an author, producer and journalist, had offended the public before when "he talked at length about the joys of bowel movements" on a community radio station.