Valerie Pringle

Valerie Pringle is one of Canada's best-known and most respected broadcasters. She is a public figure and volunteer.

She started her career at the age of 19 as a student reporter with CFRB Radio in Toronto after graduating from Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson in 1974.

In 1985, Valerie helped launch the highly successful CBC TV news and current affairs program, MIDDAY. After eight years of hosting at the CBC, Valerie began co-hosting CTV's Canada AM, and was the co-host of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.

Since leaving Canada AM in July 2001, Valerie has worked as a freelance journalist, and produced and hosted many series and documentaries including: Valerie Pringle Has Left the Building, The Canadian Antiques Roadshow, Test of Faith, Rude: Where Are Your Manners?, After the Fall and Kilimanjaro: The Meaning of the Mountain.

A seven-time Gemini Award nominee and winner of an inaugural Alumni Award of Distinction from Ryerson University, Valerie was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2006 for her contributions to the communications field and philanthropy.

Valerie is very involved in a number of not-for-profit organizations. She is co-Chair of the  Trans Canada Trail Foundation and a member of the Foundation Boards for The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health, The Ontario Brain Institute and The Canadian Broadcast Museum Foundation. Valerie is also the spokesperson for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research.

• 2. Why I Am Advocate for Mental Health (Give your Head a Shake)

  Valerie explains why she chose to become a mental health advocate:
  
  - What was her daughter Catherine's experience of mental illness?
  - How did she get help and how does her daughter look back on the experience now? 
  - What has Valerie learned from helping her daughter after being what she describes as "pretty clueless" for many years as to what Catherine was experiencing?
  - Why does she feel people are hungering for honesty and openness as stigma around mental illness is as damaging as ever? 
  - Why is the shame so great and what will make it better? 
  - What are the most important lessons she has learned about dealing with mental illness and addiction? 
  
  Valerie speaks with honesty, concern and humour about going public about mental illness and the difference it has made in her life, and shares four key pieces of advice for those suffering in mental illness or supporting loved ones as they go through it.
  
  Valerie's daughter, Catherine, joins her for this talk when she is available.

• 3. Valerie Pringle Has Left the Building...

  As the former host of Valerie Pringle Has Left the Building, Valerie had the unique opportunity to travel to some of the world's most interesting places. Using video clips from some of her favourite trips, Valerie discusses the wonder and importance of travel.

• 1. Life Lessons and the Ring of Truth: My 5 Favourite Interviews and What They Taught Me

  Valerie Pringle shares the five favourite interviews she's conducted in her extensive career with some of the world's most celebrated personalities in the fields of television, the arts, religion and social activism. Valerie describes the lessons and insights she took away from these conversations, and how we can all learn from their words of wisdom. She also relates stories of the wonderful and not-so-wonderful people she interviewed and why we all need (s)heroes in our lives.

• Valerie was speaking to an audience of professionals - mental health court judges, social workers, psychiatrists, correctional officers, policy makers and senior government officials to name a few. She acknowledged their expertise and to some degree I imagine, her talk reminded them of how their decisions and guidance affects families dealing with mental illness. She got a standing ovation!

  International Institute on Special Needs Offenders and Policy Research