Christie Mary Blatchford (1951–2020)
Journalist • Author • Broadcaster
Class of 1970
Born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Christie Blatchford was truly a force to be reckoned with. Her family moved to Toronto when her father became manager of the North Toronto Memorial Arena, making North Toronto C.I. her school of choice. Remembered by classmates as a determined “spitfire,” she graduated in 1970 and went on to study journalism at Ryerson, where she was named the program’s leading graduate.
During an exemplary career, Blatchford achieved the rare feat of working for all four major Toronto newspapers. She broke barriers at The Globe and Mail in 1973 as Canada’s first female sports reporter, later bringing her sharp wit and tenacity to the Toronto Star, The Sun, and the National Post. A fearless writer, she also authored several non-fiction books, including Fifteen Days: Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army. Based on her time embedded in Kandahar, Afghanistan, the book won the 2008 Governor General’s Literary Award.
Blatchford’s voice was also a staple on CFRB 1010 radio. Her accolades included a National Newspaper Award and the George Jonas Freedom Award. Her final career achievement was her induction into the Canadian Journalism Hall of Fame in December 2019. Too ill to attend the ceremony, she received the award at her bedside from Mayor John Tory. An avid runner and climber who had scaled Ben Nevis shortly before her diagnosis, Christie passed away in February 2020, leaving a legacy of courage and unvarnished truth.