thecommentary.ca, On the Line with Steve Paikin

Steve Paikin

Monday, 30 May 2005

Bestselling author and television personality Steve Paikin has written a new book, Public Triumph, Private Tragedy: The Double Life of John P. Robarts (Viking, 2005), a fascinating look at the life and times of the former Ontario premier. He joined Joseph Planta to talk about Robarts's successful career, as well as his tragic private life.

You will need the Real Player to listen to the interviews. If you don't have it, you can download it at http://www.real.com.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

He was the 'Chairman of the Board.' No, not Frank Sinatra, but John Parmenter Robarts, prime minister of Ontario from 1961 to 1971. They didn't call them premiers back then. His is a fascinating story of how hard work made for a successful career in public life, and how hard living made for a less than successful private life. Amongst law reform in Ontario, GO Transit, a new community college system, the Ontario Science Centre, and more, were failed marriages, a son's suicide, illness and stroke, and his own suicide in 1982. This remarkable life is the subject of a new book, Public Triumph, Private Tragedy: The Double Life of John P. Robarts, $35.00 CDN, published by Viking. The author Steve Paikin joins me on the line this morning.

Steve Paikin is the best-selling author of The Life, and The Dark Side, and he's covered politics for over 20 years. He's toiled in print, and at the CBC, where I remember watching him on Midday whenever I'd come home from school for lunch. He's been with TV Ontario since 1992, co-hosting their flagship current affairs program Studio 2 since 1994; and their foreign affairs series, Diplomatic Immunity since 1998. Which incidentally has its season finale this Friday, 03 June 2005, with two special guests, former secretary of state Henry Kissinger; and former US National Security Advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski. Please welcome to THECOMMENTARY.CA, Steve Paikin; Good morning, Mr. Paikin.

Weblinks:

Steve Paikin: http://www.stevepaikin.com/