News Release
FOR RELEASE AT 9:30 A.M., C.S.T., JUNE 3, 1980
REGINA -- President Lloyd Barber announced today a $500,000 national
appeal campaign to provide essential capital and support funds to the
School of Journalism and Communications at the University of Regina.
Dr. Barber told a news conference that the Fund has been named
The James M. Minifie Fund in honor of the outstanding contributions to Canadian
journalism by Minifie, a graduate of Regina College and the University of
Saskatchewan, and a Rhodes Scholar, who died in 1974 after a distinguished
journalistic career.
Mrs. Gillian Wadsworth Minifie of Victoria, author of Minifie's
Washington and a forthcoming biography of Minifie, will serve as an Honourary
Patron of the Fund. Mrs. Minifie is donating a number of priceless artifacts
to the University of Regina to be known as the Minifie Collection.
His Honour Lt.-Gov. Irwin McIntosh has also agreed to serve as an
Honourary Patron, and Dr. Hugh Keenleyside, former Canadian Ambassador,
and life-long friend of the late Minifie, will be Honourary Chairman of
the Campaign.
James M. Minifie grew up on a homestead at Vanguard, near Swift
Current, Sask. When he was 16 he concealed his age and served in Europe
during the First World War. His career as a journalist began in 1929 when
he joined the staff of the New York Herald Tribune as a reporter.
In 1930 he was appointed Paris correspondent. In the Second World
War Minifie was wounded and lost an eye in the Nazi bombing of London.
Transferring to Washington, he joined the Office of Strategic Services.
At war's end Minifie began his long association with the CBC as its
Washington correspondent.
Minifie built up a large following of devoted admirers and was the
author of several books which received wide acclaim.
Overtaken by illness in 1968, Minifie moved to Victoria, B.C., where
he died in 1974.
Dr. Keenleyside wrote at the time: "Day after day for more than
15 years his commentary on events in the United States, and the significance
of those events for Canada and the world, came to us with authority, wisdom,
sympathy, and humour. He stood alone among Canadians at the top of his
profession."
Publicity and Information Services, University of Regina, 584-4402 . . 2 The Director of the School of Journalism and Communications at the University, Ronald C. Robbins, is the foLmer manager of editorial resources for the CBC Television News. He was in charge of the overseas bureaus, including Washington, D.C., where James M. Minifie represented the CBC for many years.
Other members of the Campaign Committee are Donald G. Campbell, chairman of Maclean-Hunter Ltd., Toronto; Clark Davey, publisher of The
Vancouver Sun; Fred W. Hill, chairman of McCallum-Hill Ltd., Regina;
Al Johnson, president of the CBC, Toronto; Alex Jupp, vice-president of
The Molson Companies, Toronto; Ross Munro, retired publisher of The Montreal
Gazette; Knowlton Nash of CBC National News, Toronto; J. Patrick O'Callaghan, publisher of the Edmonton Journal; Robert B. Purvis, president of Inter-Ocean
Grain Company Ltd., Winnipeg; Dr. G. A. R. Rice, president and general manager of Sunwapta Broadcasting Ltd., Edmonton; Lloyd Robertson of CTV National
News, Toronto; Dr. Reid Robinson, Dean of Arts, University of Regina; and
Ivor Williams, editor of The Leader-Post, Regina.
-30-
FOR RELEASE AT 9:30 A.M., C.S.T., JUNE 3, 1980
For further information:
Jim Osborne: 584-4402 352-0731
Ron Robbins: 584-4420 527-5350