In April 1969, following his graduation from the University of Toronto, Walsh joined the editorial staff of The Province in Vancouver, British Columbia, as a copy editor and entertainment features writer. In 1972, he became its movie columnist, occupying that position until 1995. Within a year of becoming a full-time film critic, Walsh was being cited as "the city's best movie reviewer." In addition to contributing articles to Vancouver-based magazines B.C. Business Week, Influential Business and Plus, he served as B.C. correspondent to U.S. show business weekly Variety . From 1995 until his retirement in 2010, he worked as production and design editor in The Province Money department. In October 2013, Walsh launched , a website designed as an archive of his extensive film journalism.
Broadcasting
While covering film for The Province, Walsh made weekly television appearances reviewing movies on The Vancouver Show, CKVU-TV, and The 10 A.M. Show on BCTV. Later, he participated as a co-host and interviewer on the weekly Arts Rational, broadcast on Vancouver's CFRO Radio.
Court Appearances
Between 1972 and 1983, years of change in the arts and in society, Walsh made four court appearances in defence of free expression. In 1972, when obscenity charges were brought against a Vancouver East-Side after-hours club that featured nude dancers, he was sworn as an expert witness on contemporary community standards. Presiding JudgeDavid Moffett dismissed all charges. In 1974, a downtown club faced similar charges. Again the judge on the case, Jack McGivern, found for the defence. In 1981, Walsh testified on behalf of the motion picture Caligula in Edmonton, Alberta and in 1983, defended four sexually-explicit feature films released on video in Victoria, B.C.
Politics
In 1998, Walsh joined the now defunct Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to support the leadership bid of Saskatchewan political activist David Orchard. Walsh became a director of the PC party's Vancouver East Riding Association and was its candidate during the 2000 federal election. Running as "a Red Tory with a Green agenda," he finished fourth in a field of 10 candidates.
Science-Fiction Fandom
His reporting on the first Vancouver SF Convention introduced Walsh to what would become a lifelong association with the British Columbia fan community. He covered the second through fourth VCONs for The Province, thereafter attending as a panelist and program participant. He was the event's toastmaster on six occasions and chaired Canvention in 2006.
