| Hon. Pamela Wallin | |
|---|---|
| Pamela Wallin in 2008 | |
| Senator from Saskatchewan | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2, 2009 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 10, 1953 Wadena, Saskatchewan |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Divorced |
| Profession | journalist, diplomat, corporate board member |
| Religion | Spiritualism |
Pamela Wallin, OC, SOM (born April 10, 1953) is a former Canadian television journalist and diplomat. On January 2, 2009, she was seated in the Canadian Senate, where she sits as a Conservative.
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Wallin was born in Wadena, Saskatchewan, and is of Swedish descent. After obtaining a degree in psychology and political science from the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus (now the University of Regina), she began her career as a social worker at the Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary. Politically, she was a member of The Waffle, a left wing faction of the New Democratic Party. She has no children of her own, however, she has one goddaughter.
The following year, she began her career in journalism, joining CBC Radio's news division. In 1979, she joined the Ottawa bureau of the Toronto Star. In 1981, she joined CTV and became cohost, with Norm Perry, of Canada AM. In 1985, CTV named her its Ottawa bureau chief. She later rejoined Canada AM, hosting alongside J.D. Roberts.
In 1992, CBC Television hired Wallin in a highly publicized move. For many years, The National had been followed by a 40-minute nightly newsmagazine, hosted by Barbara Frum, called The Journal. However, as a result of Frum's death in February 1992, the CBC wanted to revamp and reposition its entire approach to news programming.
In the fall of that year, Wallin and Peter Mansbridge debuted as the cohosts of Prime Time News. Instead of the old segregation of Mansbridge reading the news on The National, followed by Frum introducing documentary and current affairs features and interviewing newsmakers on The Journal, the new show featured Wallin and Mansbridge as equal hosts of the whole package. As well, the new show aired at 9 p.m., one hour earlier than the old National/Journal tandem.
The show fared poorly in the ratings, and by 1994, had returned to its old format and time slot, with Mansbridge reading the news, followed by Wallin hosting a magazine segment which eventually took on the name The National Magazine. In 1995, Wallin was replaced as host of The Magazine by Hana Gartner.
Following her dismissal from CBC News, Wallin created her own production company, and launched a daily interview series called Pamela Wallin Live. Airing on CBC Newsworld and, in some years, on the CBC's main network as well, Pamela Wallin Live was a highly successful series which featured Wallin interviewing newsmakers, celebrities and other interesting personalities in a manner similar to CNN's Larry King Live. The show ran for four years before Wallin moved to the cable network TalkTV.
In 2000, Wallin hosted the Canadian edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. She was criticized by some observers for compromising her journalistic integrity, but noted in response that as an interviewer and television producer, she was no longer working as a journalist in the traditional sense of the word.
In 2001, Wallin, along with then-Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley, was one of the organizers of the "Canada Loves New York" rally for Canadians to show their support after the September 11, 2001 attacks (Manley ran in the New York City Marathon in 2001, a contributing factor to organize the rally). In 2003, Wallin and Senator Jerry Grafstein were honored by the Canadian Society of New York for their ongoing commitment to strengthening the ties between Canada and the United States. In 2001, Wallin spoke publicly about her battle with colon cancer.
Wallin has also published two books, Since You Asked (ISBN 978-0679310082) and Speaking of Success (ISBN 1552633705), and has made cameo appearances on the Canadian comedy series Royal Canadian Air Farce and Corner Gas.
On June 25, 2002, Wallin's television career came to an end when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien advised Governor General Adrienne Clarkson to appoint Wallin to a four-year term as Canada's Consul General in New York City, her first diplomatic posting. Afterward she became a senior advisor to the president of the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas in New York.
In March 2007, she was appointed the seventh Chancellor of the University of Guelph, being installed in June of the same year,[1] and she is also now a corporate director of CTVglobemedia and sits on the Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan, chaired by former cabinet minister John Manley.
On January 2, 2009, Wallin was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.[2] A major controversy arose after her appointment when she said she was a big proponent of an elected Senate despite being appointed. She has pledged to step down and run as a candidate when Saskatchewan holds its first Senate election, which Premier Brad Wall has promised to do.[3] She was also appointed by the Governor-General as an honorary Colonel of the Canadian Air Force.[4]
In 1994, her home town of Wadena, Saskatchewan named its major street Pamela Wallin Drive in her honour. In 1999, she was inducted into the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, and in 2007 was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.[5] In 2008, Toastmasters International announced that Wallin would be that year's winner of their Golden Gavel award, to be presented at their annual conference in August.[6]
Wallin has received 13 honorary degrees, including from Athabasca University, the University of Lethbridge and the University of Windsor.
| Academic offices | ||
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| Preceded by Lincoln Alexander |
Chancellor of the University of Guelph June 2007- |
Incumbent |
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