John Downing


John Downing is an author, reporter, editor and columnist, most notably writing for the Toronto Telegram and later the Toronto Sun.

Life and career

John Henry Downing, Junior, was born June 10, 1936 in Toronto, Ontario, to J. H. Downing, an east-end doctor who chaired the Toronto Board of Education in 1938, and to Lena, a Toronto Bible College graduate as a medical missionary. He was orphaned at 5 and raised by relatives. He married Mary Horvat of Hamilton in 1961. They have three sons, John Henry III of Aliso Viejo, California; Brett, of Etobicoke; and Mark, of Dalian, China. There are four grandsons.

Education

He graduated from Weston Collegiate in 1955 and received his journalism diploma from Ryerson Institute of Technology in 1958. He was an editor on the Ryersonian newspaper and SAC president. In 1972 he received a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. He studied environmental science and urban geography at University of Toronto.
He authored the official Ryerson history in 1975 and served on board committees, presidential and journalism search committees, and task forces revising the Ryerson University Act and photography courses.
He served on advisory journalism committees at Ryerson and Humber College, and lectured.

Journalism

He was editor of the Whitehorse Star in 1957, and reporter and editor on the Toronto Telegram from 1958 to 1971. He was a "Day Oner" of the Toronto Sun first as a daily columnist and then as the Editor from 1985 to 1997.

Professional Associations

John Downing has been president of the Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto Press Club and Press Clubs of Canada, and director and governor of the Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Runnymede Health Care Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Ontario Safety League, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
He has eight writing awards from the Toronto Police Association, three writing awards in safety, St. John's Ambulance Priory Honor, Centennial Medal from the Governor General of Canada, and service medal from Toronto City Council for chairing advisory committees.
President of the Toronto Press Club in 1973 and in 1974, he was president of the Association of Canadian Press Clubs and made the Michener Award presentation to Governor General Jules Leger. From 1990 to 1993, he was involved with the first years of the Canadian Journalism Foundation. He was chair from 1992 to 1996 of the Canadian delegation to the world’s oldest media forum, the International Press Institute, where senior journalists from more than 60 countries fight censorship through conferences and publications

Safety


John Downing was a director of the Metro Citizens’ Safety Council and originator of the motion that the council buy equipment for the Metro Police in a pilot project called Reduce Impaired Driving in Etobicoke. This program expanded through the council into Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere, the first of the annual RIDE programs.
He campaigned for child safety seats and received four Ontario Safety League writing awards from 1983 to 1986. He became an OSL director and received its Distinguished Service Award in 2009.
He raised money for a new ambulance for St. John Ambulance and in 1983 received the St. John Priory Award from Governor General Ed Schreyer.
He has written chapters for books on the CNE and Toronto politics, two political biographies, and articles for Time, Macleans and other publications. He appeared on the CBC, CityTV, the Global Television Network, CFTR and CFRB.
Downing has been credited with popularizing the term "Red Rocket" for the Toronto Transit Corporation's streetcars.

Images

Chronology