Ian M. Pyatt's Reviews > Off the Record

I have to add a disclaimer of sorts here - I've been listening to and watching CBC for nearly 50 year which means Mansbridge has been part of my news gathering for a good part of his career from his on-location reporting (I was at the Berlin Wall when it was still up on GR11 field trip in 1976 and walked along Juno Beach and walked in and around the Vimy Memorial and one tunnel at Vimy Ridge on a GR10 field trip in 1975 -both trips made easier since my dad was in the Canadian Military and we lived on a base in Germany)

As I read through the book I was amazed at how many world-changing events he has been apart of. Now all events weren't catastrophic (wars, 9/11) or heart-wrenching (boat people, Princess Di's death) but these were offset by t his trips to the Arctic and learning about climate change and the discovery of the ships from the Franklin Expedition and covering some significant Royal events.

When he had group photos of himself and oh-so-many other CBC newscasters it made my realize that I had seen so many of them over the years, mostly on Federal Election night.

The most moving part of the book for me was the chapter on "Canada". I'll leave that as a teaser so my GR friends will have to read the book.

Recommended for a great read by a well-respected journalist.