| Biography |
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The Honourable Pamela Wallin, O.C., S.O.M. was appointed to the Senate of Canada on December 22, 2008. She is Chair of the Senate's National Security & Defence Committee, serves on both the Veterans Affairs subcommittee and the Special Committee on Anti-terrorism and she is also a member of the Senate's Foreign Affairs & International Trade Committee . She is an Honourary Colonel of the Air Force, appointed August 1, 2009. Senator Wallin serves on several corporate boards, including CTVglobemedia, Gluskin Sheff & Associates, Oilsands Quest, Porter Airlines, and is a member of the BMO Harris Bank Advisory Council. Pamela is the Chancellor of the University of Guelph, a post she assumed in 2007. Following the events of 9/11 Pamela served as Canada's Consul General in New York from 2002-2006. She continues to serve as the Senior Advisor on Canada-US relations at the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas in New York and Washington. At the request of Prime Minister Harper, she served on the special Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan in 2007 - 2008. She also recently served on the special Advisory Panel on the Creation of a Democracy Promotion Agency. Pamela is an Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour. She has fourteen Honorary Doctorates and among many other honors, she has been named to the Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame; she received a national Visionary Award in Canada; and was twice recognized by Queen Elizabeth II for her public service and achievements. In 1995, the citizens of her hometown of Wadena, Saskatchewan dedicated a street in her honor, Pamela Wallin Drive. She is the author of three books, including her best selling autobiography Since You Asked (1998), Speaking of Success (2001), and The Comfort of Cats (2002). The wide-ranging career of the journalist, diplomat, entrepreneur and now a Senator has spanned more than thirty years, several continents, but with a focus always on politics and foreign policy. From CBC radio to the Ottawa bureau of the Toronto Star to CTV where she hosted Canada AM, she went on to become the Ottawa bureau chief, and anchor of the CTV weekend news. And in 1992, she became the first Canadian woman to co-anchor the nightly national television newscast Prime Time News. In 1995, Pamela founded an independent television company, Pamela Wallin Productions, through which she hosted and produced several highly successful nightly interview programs. Her media background has proved invaluable in her subsequent public service.
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CAREER DETAILS:2009Appointment to the Senate of Canada 2006 to PresentSenior Advisor to the President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas Pamela joined the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas in New York as a senior advisor on Canada/US Relations in the Fall of 2006. She assists the Board and elected leadership team with strategic communications, trade and political relations. Corporate Director Pamela serves as a director for several corporations including CTVglobemedia, the largest media company in Canada; Oilsands Quest, a Calgary based exploration company; Gluskin Sheff and Associates, a wealth management firm; Porter Airlines Inc. and on a special Advisory Board for BMO Harris Bank Private Banking University Chancellor Pamela is Chancellor of one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities and research institutions, the University of Guelph. 2002 to 2006CANADIAN CONSULATE Consul General The Prime Minister of Canada appointed Pamela to the position of Consul General of Canada after 9/11. She served a four year term during one of the most challenging times in the relationship between the two nations. 1995 to 2002PAMELA WALLIN PRODUCTIONS President, Pamela Wallin Productions Pamela built her own production company, invested in a studio production facility and created, produced and hosted live, one hour nightly national interview programs. She launched two ground-breaking Internet projects working in partnership with the national newspaper The Globe and Mail and Chapters, then the largest national book chain. Pamela hosted the Canadian edition of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, gaining the highest ratings ever for a Canadian network production, during the time, she authored three books based upon her television career. 1990 to 1993CBC-TV In 1992, Pamela became the first Canadian woman to co-anchor the nightly national television newscast, Prime Time News. 1980 to 1990CTV Parliamentary Bureau Chief (85-90) CTV Ottawa Bureau Chief, CTV Week-end News Anchor, Host Question Period, Chief National Correspondent - as Ottawa Bureau Chief, Pamela ran an operation of 30 reporters and crew, and reported, on air, as the network's Chief national correspondent, and continued to regularly host the morning show, Canada AM; she also produced and hosted the program Question Period (the Canadian version of Meet the Press) and anchored the week-end national news and co-anchored all election and special network coverage. Co-Host, Canada AM (80-85) Recruited by the country's largest television network to co-Host the morning show (the equivalent of Good Morning America, Today). In addition, she reported from international hot spots including the Mid-East, Central America, the Falklands War, economic summits, royal visits, etc.). 1978 to 1980TORONTO STAR Reporter, Ottawa Bureau Recruited by the country's largest newspaper for their Parliamentary Bureau, focusing on political coverage and began guesting on CTV's Question Period (see above). 1974 to 1978CBC RADIO Host and Producer (75-78) Regina/Ottawa morning news and current affairs programs nightly national radio show As It Happens and the weekly news program Sunday Morning. Involved covering federal politics, election and leadership campaigns and international breaking news. Pamela was senior political producer for As It Happens - a program concept later borrowed by PBS which they called All Things Considered. Also served as researcher and producer for Sunday Morning producing feature interviews and documentaries on leading political and literary figures. Pamela was first hired by the public broadcaster to host an open-line radio show . She went on to produce the three hour morning show (singlehandedly)before moving to the nation's capital to produce the morning show there. Also did on-air reporting during that time. 1973 to 1974Human Resources Development Agency Prince Albert Penitentiary Social Worker Recruited out of university to become a government agency social worker in a maximum security penitentiary working with native prisoners and their families on work projects enabling inmates to help support families. |