BIOGRAPHY

Peter Carlyle-Gordge was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, on Feb. 19th 1947 and was educated at Deighton Country Primary School and later at Huddersfield New College, a boys-only grammar school. He went to Manchester University in 1965 and graduated with an Honours degree in Economic and Social Studies in 1968, later returning for a postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies in Government.

He has three children: Christie, living in Kent, England; Julian and Adrian, both living in Winnipeg. He was divorced in 1996. He emigrated to Canada in 1968 and lived in England between 1983 and 1986; and between 1987 and 1990, when he returned to Canada.

He has four grandchildren, all in England. His brother and mother live in Yorkshire and he has a sister in Cambridgeshire, as well as one in Toronto, Ontario.

 

AWARDS

In February 2003 Peter was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for service to Canada and the community. The award was created by the Governor-General of Canada and is given for outstanding public services.

 

CAREER

Journalism: He began his career as a feature writer, travel editor and finally assistant foreign editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. Later he was a producer with Information Radio and CBC Radio in Winnipeg and he also broadcast frequently on the local, national and international networks of CBC Radio and of Radio Canada International. He also used to do guest editorials on CJAY Television and has appeared on television many times.

He has been a former Manitoba correspondent for United Press International, Time Canada, The Financial Post and, from 1978 to 1983 was Manitoba correspondent for Macleans Magazine. In those five years he covered many stories and wrote over 200 articles for Macleans.

He has written for scores of papers and magazines in North America and Britain. Included on the list are:

Time Canada, Macleans, Chatelaine, Canadian Geographic, Canadian Business, The Financial Post, Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg Sun, Winnipeg World Magazine, International Business News, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun, London Free Press, Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Huddersfield Examiner, San Francisco Chronicle, People Magazine, Financial Post Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Canadian Retailer, Daily Express, Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, Bristol Evening Post, Wakefield Express, Halifax Courier, Bradford Telegraph and Argus, Coin World, Winnipeg Homes, Going Places, Prairie Messenger, Office Equipment and Methods, Hub Magazine, Our Voice, Trade and Commerce Magazine, CBC Radio Magazine, I.W.A. Journal, Journal of Physiotherapy, Business Man Magazine, Journal of the University of Manitoba Alumni, Manitoba Nature, Western Canada Water; and many others.

Peter still writes for a number of publications on a freelance basis. These include the Winnipeg Free Press and several smaller magazines. He writes a monthly column for a publication based in Alberta but circulated across Canada.

 

BOOKS

Peter rewrote and edited the book, Paths To Freedom, the personal account of Bob Kellow, a wartime member of the Dambusters’ team who was shot down and escaped from occupied Europe.

His own writing appears in the book Kaleidoscope, published by the Book Society of Canada; and in the book Winnipeg Eight (1982: Queenston House). His 20,000 word essay in the latter was a profile of Joyce Milgaard and was the first time any writer said in print that her son David was not guilty of murder: he was released ten years after the book came out and was finally awarded $10 million for the 23 years he wrongly spent in jail.

The last chapter of the book Murderous Women (Headline Books) by Toronto Star writer Frank Jones is devoted to Peter’s investigative work in the Katie Harper murder case; his investigative work on the Milgaard murder case appears in A Mother’s Story (Doubleday) by Joyce Milgaard (please see a brief review of the book here); and in the book When Justice Fails (McClelland & Stewart) by Karp and Rosner.

Peter’s book Lady Mary of Mossley Hill, a social and family history of the Wilson family of Moose Jaw, was launched in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, in June 2002 as well as in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a couple of months later. The book chronicles the life of millionaire publisher and actor Larry Wilson, who died in Mexico early in 2002. He left his fortune to fund Arts scholarships in Saskatchewan and also donated a downtown building in Moose Jaw, which will form the hub of a new $7 million cultural centre, due to open in 2004.

 

INTERVIEWS

Over the years he has interviewed thousands of people from all walks of life. Some of the more notable include:

Former U.S. First Lady, Ladybird Johnson, writer Dame Daphne du Maurier, former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres, actor Patrick MacNee of The Avengers, Canadian Governor-General Edward Schreyer, Premier Sterling Lyon, Canadian writer W.O. Mitchell, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Guyana Prime Minister Cheddi Jagan, British writer and broadcaster Malcolm Muggeridge.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS

From 1971 to 1975 Peter was director of Continental Public Relations, a division of the national company, Foster Advertising. As such he developed and executed complete public relations programs for such clients as: City of Winnipeg, Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Bar Association, Boeing of Canada, Bristol Aerospace, Host Rent-a-Car, Brandon University, Great-West Life Assurance, Winnipeg Convention Centre, Lakeview Properties and many others.

He has also done public relations work in the past for a variety of clients, including Bristol, Myers, Squibb Ltd., Health Canada, University of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba and Manitoba Blue Cross.

 

VOLUNTEER WORK

  • In the early 1980’s, Peter was appointed Honourary Press Secretary to the Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, the Hon. Pearl McGonigal, who represents The Queen in Manitoba. As such he met regularly with Her Honour, attended functions at Government House and advised her on media relations.
  • He has also acted as prairie region director on the national executive of the Periodical Writers’ Association of Canada and took an active part in organizing its national convention in Winnipeg. He also acted as local president of the Manitoba chapter of this organization.
  • In the health field he has been a board member of the Manitoba AIDS Hospice, Gio’s Cares (which provides gifts to people living with HIV) and is a board member of Village Clinic Inc., Manitoba’s main community health clinic dealing with HIV issues. He is immediate past president of the clinic and has also acted as its secretary, public relations chair, vice-president and president. He was also co-chair of the clinic’s annual HIV fundraising initiative, the mass skydive known as Icarus.
  • Peter also acted as coordinator of the annual World AIDS Day memorial service at the Metropolitan Community Church in Winnipeg.

 

HOBBIES and INTERESTS

He enjoys walking, swimming, travel, reading and listening to classical music. Gardening is also a favourite pastime, as is being with his children and grandchildren. History, biography and spirituality are often on his reading list.

 

 

 

 

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