Robert Nielsen is a journalist who is known for his time with the Toronto Star

Toronto Star

The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...

. Nielsen was employed by the newspaper for 33 years and served in several capacities, including as a correspondent, foreign correspondent, chief editorial writer, editorial page editor, investigative reporter and editorial page columnist.

Born in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick

Plaster Rock, New Brunswick

Plaster Rock is a Canadian village in Victoria County, New Brunswick.Located on the Tobique River, the village was founded in 1881 by Hezekiah Day and named for the gypsum found in the area, which is heated to produce plaster.The cliffs across the river from the Tobique Valley High School expose...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, Nielsen attended the University of New Brunswick

University of New Brunswick

The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...

, the University of Maine at Presque Isle

University of Maine at Presque Isle

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is part of the University of Maine System. Located in Presque Isle, UMPI offers studies in social and life sciences, business, recreation, education, and natural sciences. Its campus radio station is WUPI....

 and Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

 as a Nieman Fellow. Nielsen was a columnist for the Telegraph-Journal

Telegraph-Journal

The Telegraph-Journal is a daily newspaper published in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It publishes a hybrid newspaper, serving as a provincial daily while catering to the Saint John audience in its City and Sports sections. The newspaper is published by Brunswick News, owned by J. K. Irving...

of Saint John

Saint John, New Brunswick

City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...

, New Brunswick and also for Influence magazine. Nielsen was awarded a National Newspaper Award for Enterprise Reporting (now categorized as Investigations) in 1974.

Robert Nielsen was retired and lived in the Perth-Andover, New Brunswick area.

He died at age 87 after suffering an aneurysm.