Minifie Lectures
Annual Minifie Lecture
James M. Minifie, one of Canada's most courageous and illustrious journalists, was born in Burton-on-Trent, England in 1900. His father was a hay and feed dealer who joined the adventurous pioneers then emigrating to Canada in 1909. The family homesteaded at Vanguard, near Swift Current, Saskatchewan.
As a boy, James M. Minifie shared in the sparse comforts and many hardships of early prairie life. His father had led the campaign for the tiny school where young James attended lessons after early morning farm chores. At the age of 16, he talked his way into the Canadian Army, serving in Europe during the First World War.
On his return to Canada at the conclusion of hostilities, he attended Regina College, forerunner of the University of Regina. He went on to the University of Saskatchewan, graduating in 1923; studied at Oriel College at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; and finished his education at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Minifie's career as a journalist began in 1929 when he joined the staff of the New York Herald Tribune as a reporter, subsequently becoming their Paris corespondent. During the Spanish Civil War, he was captured by Franco's forces and returned to Paris when released. Later, he went to Rome to report on Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator.
In the Second World War, Minifie reported the Battle of Britain from London. While watching an air raid during the Blitz, shattered glass from the blast of a German bomb cost him an eye. Transferred to Washington, he joined the Office of Strategic Services and at war's end was awarded the American Medal of Freedom for his contributions to the Allied cause.
Then began James M. Minifie's long association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as their Washington correspondent. For 15 years, first on radio, then on television, he built up a large following of devoted listeners and viewers who waited for the famous, "This is James M. Minifie ..."
He wrote several highly regarded books before being overtaken by illness in 1968. Moving to Victoria, B.C., because of poor health, he died in 1974.
In June 1980, the James M. Minifie Fund was set up to help support the School of Journalism at the University of Regina. The fund has provided the school with modern facilities for classes in all aspects of journalism.
Tax deductible donations are welcome -- for details please contact the Head of the School of Journalism.
To order a hard copy of any previous year's speeches please contact:
School of Journalism
University of Regina
Regina, SK
S4S 0A2
Phone: (306) 585-4420 Fax:: (306) 585-4867
journalism@uregina.ca
RECENT LECTURES
Terry Milewski (2009)
"The Unseen Muzzle: How Timidity, Self-Censorship and Libel Chill Work Their Magic."
Carol Off (2008)
"The Canadian Narrative: Time for a Rewrite"
PREVIOUS LECTURERS
Clark Davey (1982)
William Stevenson (1983)
Charles Lynch (1984)
Joe Schlesinger (1985)
Helen Hutchinson (1986)
Allan Fotheringham (1987)
Ann Medina (1988)
Peter Gzowski (1989)
Patrick Watson (1990)
Eric Malling (1991)
Pamela Wallin (1992)
June Callwood (1993)
Arthur Kent (1994)
Valerie Pringle (1995)
Peter Mansbridge (1996)
Lloyd Robertson (1997)
Rex Murphy (1998)
Adrienne Clarkson (1999)
Wendy Mesley (2000)
Linden MacIntyre (2001)
Haroon Siddiqui (2002)
Alanna Mitchell (2003)
Evan Solomon (2004)
Kevin Newman (2005)
David Halton (2006)
Edward Greenspon (2007)
Carol Off (2008)
Terry Milewski (2009)
