Patrick Watson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the singer-songwriter, see Patrick Watson (musician).

Patrick Watson, C.C. (born December 23, 1929) has been a prolific and outspoken Canadian broadcaster, author, commentator and television producer for five decades. Born in Toronto, Watson attended the University of Toronto and graduated with an MA, then completed his doctorate in Michigan.

Watson first achieved national fame (and in some quarters, notoriety) as the co-producer and with Laurier LaPierre an on-camera host of the CBC television current affairs program This Hour Has Seven Days in the 1960s. Watson went on to write, edit and/or produce The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Witness to Yesterday, The Watson Report, The Canadian Establishment series, the Historica Foundation's Heritage Minutes, The Canadians: Biographies of a Nation and The Struggle for Democracy series. The latter has since aired in over 40 countries around the world. Watson also hosted the CBC's business program Venture when it was first launched in 1985.

Watson was Chairman of the CBC from 1989 until 1994. He was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto on June 14, 2004 and was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada on October 21, 1981, then promoted to Companion on October 26, 2002. Watson continues to write, lecture, advise and work in many capacities in broadcasting from his current home in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Watson has also dabbled in acting in Canadian productions such as the made-for-TV movie, Countdown to Looking Glass and The Terry Fox Story.

Few in his various audiences realize his slight limp was caused by the amputation of his left leg above the knee in 1960 following an automobile accident. He has often assisted the Canadian disabled community, including serving as Honorary Chair of the Canadian Amputee Sports Association and Chairman Emeritus of the Canadian Abilities Foundation.