Jim Munson

Liberal Senator Jim Munson grew up on the south shore of the Restigouche River in Campbellton, New Brunswick. Jim's father was a United Church minister and not shy about expressing his opinions on or off the pulpit. As a result Jim's awareness of the world extended far beyond northern New Brunswick and when he graduated from high school Jim actively searched for a job in radio. He found one as a news reporter at CJLS Radio in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia at the princely sum of $32 per week and his first interview was with John G Diefenbaker who happened to come to Yarmouth to campaign in a by-election. For the next 39 years Munson's career in journalism took him from the centre of the FLQ Crisis in 1970 to being in Tiananmen Square during the brutal massacre of students to the sidelines of the Iran/Iraq war. In 2002, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien hired Jim Munson as his Director of Communications and one year later, nearing the end of his term Chrétien appointed him to the Senate where he represents the constituency of Ottawa-Rideau Canal. In his 9 years in the Senate, Munson has been championing issues related to the well-being of children, children with autism and the Special Olympics.
Catherine Clark spoke to Jim Munson about his life Beyond Politics.