TORONTO (ap) – Peter Gzowski, a longtime national radio broadcaster and prolific author, died Thursday of emphysema, his family announced. He was 67.
A newspaper columnist, author of 16 books and founder of a golf tournament that raised money for literacy programs, Gzowski was best known to Canadians as the gravelly, smoky voice that hosted the three-hour CBC Morningside program on Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Radio for 15 years, until 1997.
Prime Minister Jean Chretien called Gzowski an ”unforgettable presence, who will be terribly missed.”
Gzowski smoked for 50 years before quitting in 1999, and recently recorded video footage for a Canadian Lung Association anti-smoking campaign. He also wrote about battling his tobacco addiction.
His Peter Gzowski Invitational golf tournaments raised millions of dollars in aid of literacy.
Gzowski was survived by his former wife, Jennie, five adult children and longtime companion Gillian Howard.
January 24, 2002
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien issued this statement on the news of the death of award-winning Canadian broadcaster Peter Gzowski:
“I was deeply saddened to learn that Peter Gzowski had passed away. He was an unforgettable presence, who will be terribly missed from sea, to sea to sea.
While his talent and insight were enough, in themselves, to earn him a place in the front rank of Canadian journalists and broadcasters, what truly set Peter Gzowski apart was the national resonance of his style and approach. In a country as vast and diverse as ours, he accomplished the singular feat, through his incomparable 15 years as host of CBC Radio’s Morningside, of becoming something of a common Canadian point of reference.
With his signature gravelly voice, wry wit and unflagging curiosity about, and affection for, the nuances and eccentricities of Canadian life, Gzowski was a welcome part of every day for his legions of fans. He also touched the lives of countless Canadians through his tireless championing of the cause of literacy.
Aline joins me in extending our sincerest condolences to Peter Gzowski’s family and his many, many friends.”
