John Downing
Encyclopedia
John Downing has been an author, reporter, editor and columnist, most notably writing for the Toronto Telegram
and later the Toronto Sun
.
, Ontario
, Downing has a journalism degree from Ryerson (now Ryerson University
where he was student president, lectured and served on board, advisory and search committees) and also studied at the University of Toronto
.
He was editor of the Whitehorse Star
in 1957, and reporter and editor on the Toronto Telegram
from 1958 to 1971. He was a "Day Oner" of the Toronto Sun
first as a daily columnist and then as the Editor from 1985 to 1997.
He has been president of the Canadian National Exhibition
, Toronto Press Club and Press Clubs of Canada, and director and governor of the Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Runnymede Health Care Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
, Ontario Safety League, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
.
He has eight writing awards from the Toronto Police Association
, three writing awards in safety, St. John's Ambulance Priory Honor, Centennial Medal from the Governor General of Canada
, and service medal from Toronto City Council
for chairing advisory committees.
He has written chapters for books on the CNE
and Toronto politics, two political biographies, and articles for Time, Macleans and other publications. He appeared on the CBC
, CityTV
, the Global Television Network
, CFTR (AM)
and CFRB.
Toronto Telegram
The Toronto Evening Telegram was a conservative, broadsheet afternoon newspaper published in Toronto from 1876 to 1971. It had a reputation for supporting the Conservative Party at both the federal and provincial level. The paper competed with the liberal Toronto Star...
and later the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
.
Life and career
Born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Downing has a journalism degree from Ryerson (now Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
where he was student president, lectured and served on board, advisory and search committees) and also studied at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
He was editor of the Whitehorse Star
Whitehorse Star
The Whitehorse Star is one of two newspapers in Whitehorse, Yukon. The Whitehorse Star was founded in 1900 and progressed from a weekly to twice-weekly, three-times weekly during the 1960s, to five times per week briefly around 1980-1983....
in 1957, and reporter and editor on the Toronto Telegram
Toronto Telegram
The Toronto Evening Telegram was a conservative, broadsheet afternoon newspaper published in Toronto from 1876 to 1971. It had a reputation for supporting the Conservative Party at both the federal and provincial level. The paper competed with the liberal Toronto Star...
from 1958 to 1971. He was a "Day Oner" of the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
first as a daily columnist and then as the Editor from 1985 to 1997.
He has been president of the Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
, Toronto Press Club and Press Clubs of Canada, and director and governor of the Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Runnymede Health Care Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority or Office de protection de la nature de Toronto et de la région is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario, Canada...
, Ontario Safety League, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, colloquially called The Royal, is an annual fall fair in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which takes place over two weeks in November...
, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
.
He has eight writing awards from the Toronto Police Association
Toronto Police Association
The Toronto Police Association , founded in 1944, is a labour organization representing the approximately 5,500 uniformed and 2,500 civilian members of the Toronto Police Service in Toronto, Canada...
, three writing awards in safety, St. John's Ambulance Priory Honor, Centennial Medal from the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, and service medal from Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
for chairing advisory committees.
He has written chapters for books on the CNE
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
and Toronto politics, two political biographies, and articles for Time, Macleans and other publications. He appeared on the CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
, CityTV
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
, the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, CFTR (AM)
CFTR (AM)
CFTR, broadcasting under the brand 680News, is an all-news radio station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 680 kHz on the AM dial...
and CFRB.
Chronology
- 1957 - Downing joins Whitehorse Star as Editor
- 1958 - Downing joins the Toronto Telegram first as Reporter then City Editor and Managing Editor
- 1971 - Downing joins the Toronto Sun first as a columnist and later as the Editor
Publications
- Phillips, Nathan and Downing, John. Mayor of All the People, McClelland & Stewart Canada, 1967.