June Callwood

Location: Ontario | Profession: Journalist

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June Callwood 1947

June Callwood is one of Canada’s most beloved and respected journalists. After beginning her career with the Brantford Expositor, she went on to become a core Macleans magazine staffer during its heyday in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the host of In Touch on CBC and the author of books such as Emma (1984) and Portrait of Canada (1991). Callwood is Canada’s most famous social justice activist, having founded PEN Canada, the Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation and Casey’s House, a Toronto hospice for those with AIDS.

June Callwood

What They Said

“It never occurred to me that I would come to Toronto and take a run at being a writer. What I needed to do was get married and have babies. But since I was 17, it looked like that would have to wait. Anyway, any time I was dating someone they went overseas and got themselves killed. One day, the Toronto Star saw my byline in the Brantford Expositor and told me that if I came to the city they’d give me $25 a week. I was out the door in two seconds.

When I arrived at the Star, I looked about twelve years-old. I hadn’t developed as a woman yet. They were aghast about what they’d done, hiring someone without asking her age. So they made me a secretary. Within two weeks, they could see I couldn’t do it and fired me.

I went to the Toronto Telegram and applied there. But they had the same reaction. “We have a secretary position,” they said. I knew I couldn’t keep doing that, so I went off to join the Air Force instead. I told them I wanted to fly fighter planes. And they told me I could be a secretary.

So I went back to the papers. There was only one left: The Globe and Mail. I went in to the office around lunch hour. There didn’t seem to be anyone around, so I just walked into the Managing Editor’s office. His secretary would have screened me, but she wasn’t there. I just stood there in his office. Eventually, he looked up and said, “You look like you’re looking for a job.” I told him my story - or at least some of it - and he said “if you’ll cover the Ontario Medical Association Convention at the Royal York Hotel and write about it for the Monday paper, we’ll see how you do.”

Down I went with my little notepad. They were having simultaneous workshop meetings, like they always do, and I couldn’t follow any of the speeches. It was horrible. Luckily though, I met Don Carlson from the Toronto Star. I said to him, “I don’t know how to write this and I’m on probation from the Globe.” He said he would write it for me and he did. And The Globe hired me. Now why would I be a feminist?

I earned my money later though.”