Time Passages: LT.-Gov. David Onley & Me
I spent a pleasant few hours over at Lt.-Gov. David Onley’s suite this week to chat with him about the year past and a look ahead to 2014. His Honour’s term representing the Queen in Ontario has been extended indefinitely by the prime minister given the minority status of the legislature. He wouldn’t say when he thought the next election will be held — in fact, he can’t by definition of his role.
Year in Review 2013: John Stall’s interview with Ont. Lt.-Gov. David Onley
I always enjoy visiting David and his wife, Ruth Ann, at this time of year in the vice-regal suite for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because the place is so beautifully decorated for the holiday season that it gets me in the mood way more so than cold temperatures or snow. Secondly, because His Honour and I go back a long way — to the early-80s when I hired him to be my producer/researcher for the radio interview show I was hosting at the time on Newstalk 1010. In fact, I got a call this week from a young broadcast journalism student who is working on a story about the challenges of people with physical disabilities being hired by the media. “I just left the lieutenant-governor” he said when I answered the phone. “He told me you would be the best person to speak with because working with you was the first job he was able to land in media.”
At that time Onley and I spent hours together in a tiny little closet of an office brainstorming topics, lining up interview guests and production values for the daily evening show called An Hour with John Stall. As I told the young student, “I didn’t even see David’s disability when he expressed interest in the job.” It was the depth and breadth of his knowledge, curiosity and enthusiasm that made the choice a no-brainer. We spent every day together in that tiny little office for about a year sharing our professional and personal lives. The only time I remember David becoming distracted was when I learned he had fallen in love with a gorgeous country/Christian music singer by the name of Ruth Ann Wallace. I remember how smitten he was and understood why when she first paid a visit to our little cubbyhole of an office.
David left me for Ruth Ann, who he married, and for television where he toiled at CP24 and City before receiving a call from the prime minister of Canada inviting him to become Ontario’s 28th lieutenant-governor.
Great fun to look back again this week.