"I hate falseness...I hate a lie - the big ones as well as the little tiny ones..." - Barbara Frum

[Canuckistanian]

I just had to post this about Barbara Frum - the mother of David Frum.

David Frum's mother was a Canadian journalist who was COMPLETELY on the other side of integrity from her son David. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her work, having listened to her throughout my young adult life. She interviewed world leaders such as Yasir Arafat, Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher. She died in 1992 of Leukemia.

I am completely mystified how such trash as David Frum could have come from the family of such a respected and principled woman.

"I hate falseness...I hate a lie - the big ones as well as the little tiny ones...and that really fuels me." -Barbara Frum

The untimely death of Barbara Frum in March 1992, at age 54, stunned and saddened Canadians. After a heroic - and very private - battle with chronic leukemia, she left behind a country that loved, respected and admired her. For many Canadians, her face was as familiar as any prime minister's, and when she died it felt like we had lost a bit of ourselves as a country. Her trademark calm and dignity was and still is an example to all journalists; her path-finding in a male-dominated business opened doors for women in the media.

Revealing interviews include: her mother, who unmasks her spirited daughter; Murray, her husband of 35 years, who speaks of their storybook romance and her unfailing commitment to their family; her three children, David, Linda and Matthew; her brother and sister; CBC producer Mark Starowicz; CBC host Mary Lou Finlay and writers Robert Fulford and June Callwood, among others.

The most poignant part of this documentary reveals Frum's courage in dealing with her chronic leukemia. First diagnosed in 1974, only a small circle of friends knew she had it. Frum and her family fought hard to keep it that way. She often worked a grueling 12 to 14 hour day, seemingly undaunted by the cancer. It was her beautiful flower garden that gave her solace and sanctuary against the illness that gnawed at her.

From her CBC Radio days as a national presence on As It Happens from 1971 to 1982, to her highly successful 10 years at the helm of CBC-TV's flagship show The Journal, Frum had a huge following. She spent 18 impassioned, hectic, pioneering years in Canadian broadcasting. On any given weeknight, 1.3 million Canadians tuned in to watch The Journal, where Frum hosted approximately 2,600 shows. From the great to the ordinary, she maintained the same standard of integrity, honesty and toughness of mind. Her thousands of interviews included people from every walk of life - presidents, prime ministers, world leaders.the unemployed fisherman. Each and every interview was different and revealing.

http://www.cbc.ca/lifeandtimes/frum.html

Barbara Frum Classic Clips from As it Happens:
http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/asithappens/classics.html

Other Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Frum
http://www.heroines.ca/people/frum.html
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DF133AF93BA15750C0A964958260

[vanderBeth]

1. How far the apple has fallen from the tree.

It's like Mika and her father. How embarrassed Zbigniew Brzezinski must be.

[Canuckistanian]

2. Ah, I wondered if there was a connection

Yeah, you're right.

You'd think that Zbigniew would have sat down with his daughter as some point and explained what's REALLY happening. She obviously doesn't get the big picture.

I suppose it's a maturity thing.

[Canuckistanian]

3. ..

Kick... just in case people were thinking it was his WIFE and not his mother.

[Canuckistanian]

4. kick