Gzoski, Peter

• From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gzowski
• Wiki Biography:
  • Peter John Gzowski CC (July 13, 1934 – January 24, 2002), known colloquially as “Mr. Canada”, or “Captain Canada”, was a Canadian broadcaster, writer and reporter, most famous for his work on the CBC radio shows This Country in the Morning and Morningside. His first biographer argued that Gzowski’s contribution to Canadian media must be considered in the context of efforts by a generation of Canadian nationalists to understand and express Canada’s cultural identity. Gzowski wrote books, hosted television shows, and worked at a number of newspapers and at Maclean’s magazine. Gzowski was known for a friendly, warm, interviewing style.
  • Gzowski was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Margaret McGregor (née Young) and Harold Edward Gzowski. His paternal great-great-grandfather was Sir Casimir Gzowski, of Polish nobility, who became a prominent engineer in Canada, noted in particular for his work on the Grand Trunk Railway and the Welland Canal. Sir Casimir Gzowski was an aide de camp of Queen Victoria – who knighted him – and briefly acted as the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, when his predecessor died in office.
  • The marriage of Gzowski’s parents ended shortly after Gzowski was born, with Harold Gzowski leaving the marriage for a Depression-era vagabond life. Gzowski and his mother were supported by Harold Gzowski’s family, following Harold Gzowski’s departure. Gzowski’s mother then married Reg Brown, a sales manager of a local textile mill, and the family relocated to Galt, Ontario, in 1939, when Gzowski was five.
  • Gzowski attended the University of Toronto but never graduated; he was later awarded 11 honorary degrees. Midway through university, he took time off to work for the Timmins Daily Press. During his last year, 1956–57, at the U of T, he edited the student newspaper The Varsity. In the spring of 1957, he became city editor of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. After a few months in Moose Jaw, he was hired by the Chatham Daily News. In September 1958, he joined the staff of Maclean’smagazine. When he was 28 he became the youngest-ever managing editor of Maclean’s. In the 1960s he moved to the Toronto Star and became the last editor of The Star Weekly magazine until it was sold in 1968.
  • His first regular radio show was Radio Free Friday, 1969–1970. In 1971 he became the radio host of CBC’s This Country in the Morning. From 1976 to 1978 he hosted the television show 90 Minutes Live on CBC Television. In 1982 he returned to his former morning radio program, which had by now been renamed Morningside, where he remained until 1997.
• Fourth Great Grandson of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=6417
• Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6522037/peter-gzowski