Don Jamieson
Encyclopedia
Donald Campbell Jamieson, PC
(April 30, 1921 – November 19, 1986) was a Canadian
politician, diplomat and broadcaster.
Jamieson was born in St. John's Newfoundland
. His father was a newspaper editor, and his grandfather was a fisherman who settled in Newfoundland from Scotland
.
before starting a career in broadcasting. He was Newfoundland's best known radio and television personality.
In 1945, he became the first Newfoundlander to sit in the press gallery
of the Parliament of Canada
, reporting on the negotiations that led to Canada inviting Newfoundland to join Canadian Confederation
. During the two referendum
s on the question in 1948, Jamieson vehemently campaigned in opposition to Newfoundland joining Canada, favouring an economic union with the United States
instead. The Party for Economic Union with the United States was lead by Chesley Crosbie
and Jamieson became known as "my father's voice" according to John Crosbie
.
, for a new radio station in St. John's. He eventually established a private radio network in Newfoundland, and the island's first television station CJON-TV
. While Stirling was heavily interested in the business aspect, Jamieson became known to Newfoundlanders as the host of the nightly News Cavalcade. The program featured a main news segment, weather and an extended interview that included guests from Howie Meeker
to Joey Smallwood
. He became president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters
in 1961, and remained in that position for four years. During his time as president Jamieson traveled the country extensively and also recorded daily 'minute-torials' that were 60 second long commentary broadcasts recorded at CJON which were nationally distributed via the CAB and subsequently syndicated across Canada. Jamieson was also involved in the transition of the Board of Broadcast Governors
changing over to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada
. He was re-elected in the 1968 election
, and joined the Cabinet of Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
as Minister of Defence Production. In 1969, he became Minister of Transport
retaining that portfolio until 1972 when he became Minister of Regional Economic Expansion. In 1976, he became Secretary of State for External Affairs
.
He was re-elected in the 1979 election
that brought down the Liberal government. Jamieson then moved to provincial politics, winning the leadership of the Newfoundland Liberal Party
one month before the June 1979 provincial election
. Jamieson's Liberals were defeated, and he resigned as provincial party leader in 1980.
In 1982, he was appointed Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and served until 1985. “His fund of political anecdotes and Newfoundland stories made him a firm favourite with the Queen,” - published in The Daily Telegraph
in 1986.
He returned to Newfoundland to run his broadcasting interests before dying of a heart attack
in 1986.
, Joe Clark
, William Rompkey, Mike Duffy, Richard Cashin
, John Crosbie
, Edward Roberts
, Mary Hodder
, Don Hollett, Scott Andrews
, Scott Simms
, Chris Dunn, Bill Callahan, Jim Furlong and Gerry Phelan. The film also includes insights from Jamieson's children: Heather Jamieson, Donna Jamieson Sittmann, Roger Jamieson and Debby Jamieson Winters as well as his brother's Bas Jamieson (long time host of the well known Open Line program heard on VOCM
) and Colin Jamieson. The film was shot in six locations that included St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
, Swift Current, Marystown, Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador
, Ottawa
and Montreal
. It is narrated by Brian Tobin
and set to air on NTV (CJON-DT) in the fall of 2011.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(April 30, 1921 – November 19, 1986) was a Canadian
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...
politician, diplomat and broadcaster.
Jamieson was born in St. John's Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. His father was a newspaper editor, and his grandfather was a fisherman who settled in Newfoundland from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Early life and Confederation
He worked for Newfoundland's Department of Rural Reconstruction, as a bookkeeper, and as a sales manager for Coca-ColaCoca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
before starting a career in broadcasting. He was Newfoundland's best known radio and television personality.
In 1945, he became the first Newfoundlander to sit in the press gallery
Press gallery
The press gallery is the part of a parliament, or other legislative body, where political journalists are allowed to sit or gather to observe and then report speeches and events...
of the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
, reporting on the negotiations that led to Canada inviting Newfoundland to join Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
. During the two referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s on the question in 1948, Jamieson vehemently campaigned in opposition to Newfoundland joining Canada, favouring an economic union with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
instead. The Party for Economic Union with the United States was lead by Chesley Crosbie
Chesley Crosbie
Chesley A. Crosbie was a Newfoundland businessman and politician.Crosbie belonged to a prominent St. John's family involved in hotels, fish exporting, insurance, shipping and manufactring...
and Jamieson became known as "my father's voice" according to John Crosbie
John Crosbie
John Carnell Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC is a retired provincial and federal politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
.
Broadcasting
In 1951, he obtained a licence, in partnership with Geoff StirlingGeoff Stirling
Geoffrey William Stirling is a Canadian businessman. Stirling, along with other members of his family, owns several media outlets in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador under the corporate brand Stirling Communications International...
, for a new radio station in St. John's. He eventually established a private radio network in Newfoundland, and the island's first television station CJON-TV
CJON-TV
CJON-DT is a Canadian English language television station broadcasting on channel 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional transmitters and cable coverage throughout the province. It is known on-air as NTV, for Newfoundland Television...
. While Stirling was heavily interested in the business aspect, Jamieson became known to Newfoundlanders as the host of the nightly News Cavalcade. The program featured a main news segment, weather and an extended interview that included guests from Howie Meeker
Howie Meeker
Howard William Meeker, C.M. is a former right winger in the National Hockey League, youth coach and educator in ice hockey and television sports announcer as well as a former Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament...
to Joey Smallwood
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
. He became president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters was the national voice of Canada's private broadcasters, representing the vast majority of Canadian programming services, including private radio and television stations, specialty, pay and pay-per-view services....
in 1961, and remained in that position for four years. During his time as president Jamieson traveled the country extensively and also recorded daily 'minute-torials' that were 60 second long commentary broadcasts recorded at CJON which were nationally distributed via the CAB and subsequently syndicated across Canada. Jamieson was also involved in the transition of the Board of Broadcast Governors
Board of Broadcast Governors
The Board of Broadcast Governors was a Canadian arms-length government agency created in 1958 to regulate television and radio broadcasting, originally taking over that function from the CBC. It was replaced by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 1968....
changing over to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
Political life
Jamieson entered politics by successfully contesting a 1966 by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. He was re-elected in the 1968 election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
, and joined the Cabinet of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
as Minister of Defence Production. In 1969, he became Minister of Transport
Minister of Transport (Canada)
The Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada...
retaining that portfolio until 1972 when he became Minister of Regional Economic Expansion. In 1976, he became Secretary of State for External Affairs
Secretary of State for External Affairs (Canada)
Canada's Secretary of State for External Affairs was, from 1909 to 1993, the member of the Cabinet of Canada responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations and the former Department of External Affairs...
.
He was re-elected in the 1979 election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
that brought down the Liberal government. Jamieson then moved to provincial politics, winning the leadership of the Newfoundland Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...
one month before the June 1979 provincial election
Newfoundland general election, 1979
The 39th Newfoundland general election was held on 8 June 1979 to elect members of the 38th General Assembly of Newfoundland, the tenth general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.-Results:...
. Jamieson's Liberals were defeated, and he resigned as provincial party leader in 1980.
In 1982, he was appointed Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and served until 1985. “His fund of political anecdotes and Newfoundland stories made him a firm favourite with the Queen,” - published in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
in 1986.
He returned to Newfoundland to run his broadcasting interests before dying of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1986.
Just Himself: the Don Jamieson Story
His grandson, Joshua Jamieson, produced, directed and wrote a documentary titled "Just Himself: the story of Don Jamieson", which was developed over a three year period and produced by Odd Sock Films Inc. in association with m0xY Productions. The documentary features interviews with Paul MartinPaul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
, William Rompkey, Mike Duffy, Richard Cashin
Richard Cashin
Richard Joseph Cashin, PC, OC is a lawyer and former Canadian politician and trade union leader....
, John Crosbie
John Crosbie
John Carnell Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC is a retired provincial and federal politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
, Edward Roberts
Edward Roberts
-External links:**...
, Mary Hodder
Mary Hodder
Mary Hodder is a former Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Burin-Placentia West in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1996 to 2003 as a member of the Liberal Party.-References:...
, Don Hollett, Scott Andrews
Scott Andrews (politician)
Scott Andrews is a Canadian politician. He was elected to represent the Newfoundland and Labrador electoral district of Avalon in the 2008 Canadian federal election. He is a member of the Liberal Party...
, Scott Simms
Scott Simms
Scott Simms is a Canadian politician. He is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor.-Early life:...
, Chris Dunn, Bill Callahan, Jim Furlong and Gerry Phelan. The film also includes insights from Jamieson's children: Heather Jamieson, Donna Jamieson Sittmann, Roger Jamieson and Debby Jamieson Winters as well as his brother's Bas Jamieson (long time host of the well known Open Line program heard on VOCM
VOCM (AM)
VOCM is an AM radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, broadcasting at 590 kHz. Owned by Newcap Radio, VOCM first went on the air in 1936. October 19, 2011 marks 75 years of broadcasting for VOCM...
) and Colin Jamieson. The film was shot in six locations that included St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Swift Current, Marystown, Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador
Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador
Burin is a town on the Burin Peninsula in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Burin Peninsula is often affectionately nicknamed "The Boot" due to its resemblance to the footwear when seen on a map, with the town of Burin located near the "heel". Burin is approximately 318 km...
, 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...
and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. It is narrated by Brian Tobin
Brian Tobin
Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...
and set to air on NTV (CJON-DT) in the fall of 2011.