David L. Humphreys
Encyclopedia
David L. Humphreys is a Canadian journalist
, writer
, lobbyist, and consultant.
. Following his birth, he moved with his family to Alberta
. He was educated at Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario, and at St. John's College in Winnipeg
. He graduated from the University of Manitoba
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1960, and edited the campus paper The Manitoban in 1959-60.
Humphreys began his professional journalism career with the Edmonton Journal
in 1960, where he met and befriended future Prime Minister Joe Clark
, who was then a student at the University of Alberta
and a summer student with the newspaper. He then moved to the Winnipeg Tribune. Humphreys was appointed as News Editor for the Calgary
Albertan in 1964, and became managing editor there in 1966. He moved to London
, England
in 1969 to take a position as European correspondent for FP Publications. He served as Ottawa
bureau chief for The Globe and Mail
. He became the managing editor for the Ottawa Journal
in 1973, but that newspaper folded in the late 1970s.
Humphreys wrote a 1978 biography of Joe Clark entitled Joe Clark: A Portrait (published by Deneau and Greenberg, Toronto, ISBN 0-00-216169-9). The book sold well, appearing in both hardback and softcover (1979 Totem Books) editions, and remains the only significant biography of Clark, who became Canadian prime minister in 1979.
Humphreys then worked as an executive assistant to a federal cabinet minister. In 1980, he founded the Humphreys Public Affairs Group Inc., in Ottawa
, which has specialized in housing and real estate issues. The firm has served both Canadian and multinational companies, as well as public sector organizations, and Humphreys continues to lead the firm.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, lobbyist, and consultant.
Biography
Humphreys was born in Kingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. Following his birth, he moved with his family to Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. He was educated at Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario, and at St. John's College in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. He graduated from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1960, and edited the campus paper The Manitoban in 1959-60.
Humphreys began his professional journalism career with the Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
in 1960, where he met and befriended future Prime Minister Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
, who was then a student at the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
and a summer student with the newspaper. He then moved to the Winnipeg Tribune. Humphreys was appointed as News Editor for the Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
Albertan in 1964, and became managing editor there in 1966. He moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1969 to take a position as European correspondent for FP Publications. He served as Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
bureau chief for 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...
. He became the managing editor for the Ottawa Journal
Ottawa Journal
The Ottawa Journal was a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario from 1885 to 1980.It was founded in 1885 by A. Woodburn as the Ottawa Evening Journal. Its first editor was John Wesley Dafoe who came from the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1886, it was bought by Philip Dansken Ross.The...
in 1973, but that newspaper folded in the late 1970s.
Humphreys wrote a 1978 biography of Joe Clark entitled Joe Clark: A Portrait (published by Deneau and Greenberg, Toronto, ISBN 0-00-216169-9). The book sold well, appearing in both hardback and softcover (1979 Totem Books) editions, and remains the only significant biography of Clark, who became Canadian prime minister in 1979.
Humphreys then worked as an executive assistant to a federal cabinet minister. In 1980, he founded the Humphreys Public Affairs Group Inc., in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, which has specialized in housing and real estate issues. The firm has served both Canadian and multinational companies, as well as public sector organizations, and Humphreys continues to lead the firm.