So who’s the new guy?

After a week of sideways glances, furtive phone calls and puzzling introductions, I suppose a proper introduction is in place. I’ve been told three times already that I’m not as cute as the previous editor, however I’m sorry Jasper, there’s not much I can do about that.

Born in Parry Sound, ON, (Bobby Orr’s hometown), I started writing for my hometown paper as a teenager, covering the high school. At 16, full of editorial pomp, I still recall laying into my first politician, who was visiting the high school as part of a Quebec Unity debate. Blissfully ignorant of the Ottawa scene, I was happy I dispatched the ‘rising star’, confident I’d never hear his name again.

Well, that young politician’s name was Stephane Dion, so consider myself humbled. 

After high school, I travelled to Peterborough, ON, to attend Trent University, where I studied English Lit. and Political studies. I suppose I like drama.

Taking a year off to make some money working for a municipality, I then attended Ryerson University in Toronto to study Journalism. I earned a placement at the Toronto Sun Sports department, and stuck it out there for a while, enduring the bile-inducing  charade they call Leafs hockey. 

The experience sent me running to the country, where I lived on a dairy farm for a few years, working for the Gananoque Reporter and the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, before moving to Kingston to work at the Whig-Standard on a maternity backfill. After that contract ran out, I had the option of furthering my career or fulfilling my sense of adventure, so I packed my belongings into my little Honda and accepted a job with the Canmore Leader/Banff Crag & Canyon, sight unseen, where I learned first hand the meaning of mountain town reporting (rule #1: never call anyone on a powder day) before moving over to the Rocky Mountain Outlook. In between, I’ve freelanced for CBC Radio and the Calgary Herald, and slowly began exploring the glowing mountains.

You can thank that experience for dulling my wonder of the elk (I still have dozens of elk pics from early days in Canmore) and tempering my attitude about Alberta puddles... err... lakes.  The mountains are spectacular - perhaps more so than Banff’s I dare say -  and I look forward to getting better acquainted with them.

For a community journalist, I’ve covered my share of municipal council meetings, school boards and even the odd strawberry social. I’ve interviewed two prime ministers, several premiers and a litany of minor and major celebrities, getting the chance to quiz experts and prognosticators. However it’s the story of the everyman -and woman - that keeps me in this business. I’m looking forward to listening and reporting these stories in Jasper. Much like the municipality, The Fitzhugh is still relatively young, however both have a rich and storied tradition to draw upon. 

Please don’t hesitate to call me. I have much to learn about the community, and relish the opportunity to get to know the town. As an editor, I believe the paper should spur discussion and ideas within the community, and reflect the challenges and successes Jasper endures. 

Let’s get started....