Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay a special tribute to former CBC Radio broadcaster Bill McNeil, who died Wednesday, January 29, at the age of 78.
Mr. McNeil spent 42 years at CBC before retiring in 1995. He was best known for hosting the shows Fresh Air and Voice of the Pioneer . He also authored six books, including Signing On: The Birth of Radio and Mr. Canada: John Fisher . Fresh Air drew up to a million listeners each Saturday and Sunday morning.
Mr. McNeil's show became a success because it stirred the memory pot. People had a chance to talk about their youth, the depression years and homesteading in the west. It reflected a generation that experienced great changes, from the horse and buggy to the rocketship and man walking on the moon.
Undoubtedly, McNeil's gentle, resonant voice and quiet manner put both the subject and the listener at ease and succeeded in making Fresh Air “an oasis in a mad world”. He hosted his final Fresh Air broadcast after 24 years in May 1992.
On behalf of all citizens and my colleagues in the House, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. McNeil.