June Callwood
Encyclopedia
June Rose Callwood, was a Canadian journalist, author and social activist. She was born in Chatham
, Ontario
and grew up in nearby Belle River.
, her high school where she was editor of the school paper. She dropped out of school to work for the Brantford Expositor
. In 1942, she was offered a job with The Globe and Mail
and moved to Toronto. She married journalist Trent Frayne
two years later, but continued to use her own surname because The Globe and Mail at that time did not employ married women.
She ultimately left the Globe and Mail to raise a family but later resumed her career by becoming a freelance journalist, writing books and magazine pieces, many for Maclean's. Callwood ghost-wrote
close to ten autobiographies for such prominent Americans as broadcaster Barbara Walters
, film director Otto Preminger
and Dr. Charles William Mayo
.
Callwood entered television journalism, hosting the series In Touch on CBC Television
from 1975 to 1978. She also hosted two series, National Treasure and Caregiving with June Callwood, for Vision TV
.
Callwood's career was marked by a strong concern for social justice
, especially on issues affecting children and women. She became one of Canada's most famous social justice activists, founding or co-founding over 50 Canadian social action organizations including youth and women's hostels. She founded Casey House (a Toronto hospice for people with AIDS
), PEN Canada
, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
, and Feminists Against Censorship
.
In 1978, she was made a member of the Order of Canada
. She was promoted to Officer in 1985, and promoted again to Companion in 2000. In 1988, she was awarded the Order of Ontario
. In 2004, the City of Toronto noted its intention to name a street in Callwood's honour. Callwood requested that an existing street not be renamed for her, and specified that it be a new or currently unnamed street near a school or a playground. The street is June Callwood Way and is in the neighbourhood of Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue.
In 2004, Callwood went public about her battle with cancer
. She refused treatment and continued to be active, but ultimately succumbed to the disease in the morning of April 14, 2007. Callwood was last seen on TV on April 2, 2007 in the CBC show The Hour, interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos
.
In July 2005, a Toronto park was named after Callwood. A professorship in social justice was also established at Victoria College, University of Toronto
in her honour. A biography, written by Anne Dublin and entitled June Callwood: A Life of Action, was published in March 2007.
as he returned home from Queen's University
. Callwood's death came only days before the 25th anniversary of her son's death.
Callwood had one sister, Jane Labbe (née Callwood) who lives with her husband Marcel Labbe in Northern Ontario.
Callwood had five grandchildren: Marie, Emma, Lucy, and Jack Manchester (children of Jesse); and Bree Fitzgerald (daughter of Jill).
Callwood obtained her pilot's licence in the late 1940s and maintained the licence throughout her life.
Callwood was an atheist throughout life. She stated in a very last interview that she still did not believe in God nor an afterlife, but instead believed in kindness.
Chatham, Ontario
Chatham is the largest community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Formerly serving as the seat of Kent County, the governments of the former city of Chatham, the county of Kent, and its townships were merged into one entity known as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in 1998.Located on...
, 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....
and grew up in nearby Belle River.
Early life and career
Callwood began her journalism career at Brantford Collegiate InstituteBrantford Collegiate Institute
Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School, also known as simply "Brantford Collegiate Institute" or "BCI", is a secondary school in the city of Brantford...
, her high school where she was editor of the school paper. She dropped out of school to work for the Brantford Expositor
Brantford Expositor
The Brantford Expositor is an English language newspaper based in Brantford, Ontario and owned by Osprey Media Group Inc. a subsidiary of Sun Media...
. In 1942, she was offered a job with The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
and moved to Toronto. She married journalist Trent Frayne
Trent Frayne
Trent Gardiner Frayne is a retired Canadian sportswriter whose career stretched over 60 years."Billy" Frayne, as he was known as a youth, was born to father Homer, who was a railroader for the Canadian Pacific Railway and mother Ella...
two years later, but continued to use her own surname because The Globe and Mail at that time did not employ married women.
She ultimately left the Globe and Mail to raise a family but later resumed her career by becoming a freelance journalist, writing books and magazine pieces, many for Maclean's. Callwood ghost-wrote
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
close to ten autobiographies for such prominent Americans as broadcaster Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
, film director Otto Preminger
Otto Preminger
Otto Ludwig Preminger was an Austro–Hungarian-American theatre and film director.After moving from the theatre to Hollywood, he directed over 35 feature films in a five-decade career. He rose to prominence for stylish film noir mysteries such as Laura and Fallen Angel...
and Dr. Charles William Mayo
Charles William Mayo
Charles William Mayo was an American surgeon, and a member of the board of governors of the Mayo Clinic beginning in 1933. He was the son of Mayo Clinic co-founder Charles Horace Mayo and Edith Mayo....
.
Callwood entered television journalism, hosting the series In Touch on CBC Television
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...
from 1975 to 1978. She also hosted two series, National Treasure and Caregiving with June Callwood, for Vision TV
Vision TV
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic....
.
Callwood's career was marked by a strong concern for social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, especially on issues affecting children and women. She became one of Canada's most famous social justice activists, founding or co-founding over 50 Canadian social action organizations including youth and women's hostels. She founded Casey House (a Toronto hospice for people with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
), PEN Canada
PEN Canada
PEN Canada is one of the 144 centres of International PEN. Founded in 1926, it has a membership of over 1,000 writers and supporters who campaign on behalf of writers around the world who are persecuted, imprisoned and exiled for exercising their right to freedom of expression.Since its founding,...
, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association or CCLA, is Canada's leading national organization devoted to the defence of civil liberties and constitutional rights, both inside and outside the courts. The organization's work focuses on constitutional litigation, law reform, advocating on civil...
, and Feminists Against Censorship
Feminists Against Censorship
Feminists Against Censorship is a large network of women founded in 1989 to present the feminist arguments against censorship, particularly of sexual materials, and to defend individual sexual expression....
.
In 1978, she was made a member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. She was promoted to Officer in 1985, and promoted again to Companion in 2000. In 1988, she was awarded the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
. In 2004, the City of Toronto noted its intention to name a street in Callwood's honour. Callwood requested that an existing street not be renamed for her, and specified that it be a new or currently unnamed street near a school or a playground. The street is June Callwood Way and is in the neighbourhood of Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue.
In 2004, Callwood went public about her battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. She refused treatment and continued to be active, but ultimately succumbed to the disease in the morning of April 14, 2007. Callwood was last seen on TV on April 2, 2007 in the CBC show The Hour, interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos
George Stroumboulopoulos
George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos is a Canadian television and radio personality, best known as the host of CBC Television's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and being a VJ for Canadian music television channel MuchMusic...
.
In July 2005, a Toronto park was named after Callwood. A professorship in social justice was also established at Victoria College, University of Toronto
Victoria University in the University of Toronto
Victoria University is a constituent college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1836 and named for Queen Victoria. It is commonly called Victoria College, informally Vic, after the original academic component that now forms its undergraduate division...
in her honour. A biography, written by Anne Dublin and entitled June Callwood: A Life of Action, was published in March 2007.
Personal life
Callwood and Frayne had four children together: two daughters and two sons. The daughters are noted authors Jesse and Jill Frayne, and the elder son is Brant Frayne. The second son and youngest child, Casey Frayne, was killed on April 19, 1982, when he was 20 years old, by a drunk driver on Highway 401Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
as he returned home from Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
. Callwood's death came only days before the 25th anniversary of her son's death.
Callwood had one sister, Jane Labbe (née Callwood) who lives with her husband Marcel Labbe in Northern Ontario.
Callwood had five grandchildren: Marie, Emma, Lucy, and Jack Manchester (children of Jesse); and Bree Fitzgerald (daughter of Jill).
Callwood obtained her pilot's licence in the late 1940s and maintained the licence throughout her life.
Callwood was an atheist throughout life. She stated in a very last interview that she still did not believe in God nor an afterlife, but instead believed in kindness.
Selected works
- Love, Hate, Fear and Anger — 1964
- Canadian Women and the Law — 1974
- The Law Is Not for Women — 1976
- Emma — 1984
- Emotions — 1986
- Twelve Weeks in Spring — 1986
- Jim: A Life With AIDS — 1988
- The Sleepwalker — 1990
- Portrait of Canada — 1991
- Trial Without End — 1994
- June Callwood's National Treasures — 1994
- The Man Who Lost Himself: The Terry Evanshen Story — 2000 (about CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player Terry EvanshenTerry EvanshenTerrence Anthony "Terry" Evanshen is a motivational speaker and former star receiver in the Canadian Football League.-CFL:...
)
External links
- Casey House website
- June Callwood Centre for Women and Families
- June Callwood biography at Library and Archives Canada
- CBC Digital Archives – June Callwood: Canada's Conscience
- Globe and Mail obituary: Journalist, Activist June Callwood Dies at 82
- CBC Obituary
- CityNews Obituary retrieved April 14, 2007
- Toronto Star Obituary retrieved April 14, 2007
Related video
- June Callwood interviewed about assisted suicide, CBC News: The HourCBC News: The HourGeorge Stroumboulopoulos Tonight is a Canadian television talk show broadcast on CBC Television and hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos. Originally known as The Hour from 2005 to 2010, it first aired on January 17, 2005. The program is currently initially broadcast on CBC Television at 11:05 p.m....
, November 16, 2005 - June Callwood's last interview, on The Hour, April 2, 2007