‘One of the good guys’

Former Free Press editor lived for journalism and lively debate

By: Janine LeGal

A prolific writer and old-school journalist, Christopher Murray Burt, known to everyone as Murray, advocated for the rights of journalists around the world to report the news objectively. He explored topics with curiosity, interest and enthusiasm, and thrived on inciting discussion on everything from comparative politics to ethics in journalism. Burt was committed to learning and getting at the truth.

Active with the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, Burt was also the president of the Manitoba branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society, past president of the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) and regularly wrote a Commonwealth column.

He was secretary of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada advisory board, Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel of the 78th Fraser Highlanders, a senator of the 166th Battery RCA (Kenora), and a director of both the Royal Military Institute (Manitoba) and The Intrepid Society.

Burt died on May 11 at age 90.

Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, his dream to pursue journalism led him first to London, U.K., before he moved to Canada, where he landed at the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. He met his wife of 64 years while there, and together they raised their family in Ontario, where he worked at the St. Catharines Standard and then at the Globe and Mail in Toronto.

Eventually relocating to Winnipeg, he enjoyed many years as the managing editor of the Winnipeg Free Press.

His wife Betsy recalled how important newspaper reading remained right into his sunset years, and how it was a main event during the pandemic. “He read the Free Press every morning and re-edited it every morning,” she chuckled.

The couple met through his role at the Moose Jaw Times-Herald, where he worked for well-known Canadian broadcaster Peter Gzowski. New to the community, Betsy, originally from Regina, didn’t know anyone and wanted to meet as many people as she could, so she started bowling and joined the local theatre group. At the very last moment one of the lead actresses couldn’t make it to play her part.

Although she’d been painting and building props as set designer, she agreed to take on that major role in Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. Subsequently forgetting her lines and mixing up scenes, it was Burt in the audience as theatre critic.

“There he was. It was a bad review, but a truthful one,” she remembered.

Attending the wrap party at the end of its run proved a catalyst for the two newcomers to Moose Jaw to begin dating.

“He was always a happy person,” she said. “His passion was journalism. He wanted to make sure whatever was out there was reported on truthfully. His feeling was you can’t quote a person unless you can find it in three different places. That was proof of the truth,” she continued, adding that three of his cousins worked in old-style journalism. “I think they had printer’s ink in their blood.”

Passionate about human rights, Burt’s work with the CJA was an important part of his far-reaching and lifelong impact, saving lives with the many stories he made sure were told. He worked with people worldwide to ensure freedom of the press and access to international learning, and helped raise money and increase resources for those who needed assistance.

“He nurtured an awful lot of young journalists, teaching at the University of Winnipeg, and working with the John Dafoe Foundation,” Betsy said. “His legacy is all the work that he did for the Commonwealth, human rights branch, and journalists association.”

When Burt and his wife arrived in Winnipeg they didn’t know many people. Betsy began throwing parties as a way to make connections with the newspaper staff, parties that quickly gained in popularity, hosting up to 70 people in their Waterloo Street home.

In his later years, Burt enjoyed time in his family cottage on the lakeside property in Kenora.

“No matter who stopped by, he had regular and constant friends from Winnipeg. Murray would be chirping away, ‘I’m going to be 90.’ He was using a walker then. We had wine and cheese that day in November,” she said, recalling that all of the neighbours popped over to wish him a happy birthday.

“He had done everything he wanted.”

“I thought he was funny,” said his daughter, Katherine Grimshaw. “He always loved to entertain, and loved to be the host of parties. Dinners were always where he loved to inspire debate. He would put Conservatives next to Liberals. I’d hide in the kitchen and clean the dishes and listen to the conversations. With no shortage of Conservatives in Manitoba, the conversation was always really lively, but not as divisive as it is now. It never got sour. If it looked like it was going that way, he would use his humour and keep it light. If it was dull he would play devil’s advocate.

“He taught me to see both sides of a story,” said his daughter.

“He was super proud to be a Canadian,” Katherine continued. “He loved Canada. He loved Winnipeg, the people, and that sense of big city feel, and small town vibe.”

Writer and editor Jenny Gates met Burt through the Down Under Club of Winnipeg for expat Aussies and Kiwis.

“When I arrived here from Australia in 1994, it was no surprise that he was very involved with the club, given his New Zealand heritage and his advocacy for the Commonwealth,” Gates said, adding Burt inspired many fellow club members to attend various Commonwealth events, including the annual Commonwealth Day reception at Government House.

“When we invited Murray to pen a full-page column in the club’s monthly newsletter, he enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity. And for more than a decade, Commonwealth Corner shared important news and updates because, in his words, ‘The Commonwealth name and significance is too rarely mentioned in daily news.’”

Burt’s skills as a writer and storyteller kept his colleagues informed and entertained.

“All of us in the club will remember Murray as a lovely guy who was quick with a story, who laughed often, and was easy to engage in conversation,” Gates said. “He was always kind, generous and funny, and he got on with everyone. Definitely one of the good guys.”