CJA stalwart and former president, Murray Burt, has died in Winnipeg, Canada, aged 90. Murray was an advocate for the rights of journalists throughout the world, believed strongly in the founding principles of the CJA to fight for media freedom, and was a role model for many young journalists.
The following tribute comes from current CJA President Chris Cobb:
It was in the mid to late 1990s when I first met Murray Burt.
I don’t remember the exact year, but I do remember his charm. He wanted me to join this organisation called the Commonwealth Journalists Association. I’d never heard of it but Murray assured me that the CJA and me would go well together.
“You’ll love it, old son,” he said. The phrase registered with me because I was neither old nor his son.
And so it was, after his persuasive courting, that I joined the CJA and quickly became vice-president of the bits of North America and the Caribbean that claim Commonwealth status. He needed a vice president because he was going to be president of the whole CJA.
Warm and supportive
Murray was a social animal and worked a room with ease and apparent joy. We lived 2,140 kilometres apart. He in Winnipeg, Manitoba and often at his family cottage by a lake in Kenora, Ontario. And me in Ottawa, Ontario.
We were in touch regularly and met in person at numerous CJA gatherings across the Commonwealth. He was always warm and always supportive.
And he was right: I grew to love being part of the CJA. The dedicated people who comprise its membership and the opportunity to meet them all at various times, in various places. And the serious stuff motivated by the CJA mission to make life safer for Commonwealth journalists and media workers whose working lives are too often fraught with state-instigated danger.
Murray was born and raised in Dunedin, New Zealand, and left as a young man to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist.
He worked first in London before moving to The Moose Jaw Times-Herald in Saskatchewan. It was there he met his wife Betsy. They were married for 64 years.
Murray and Betsy raised their family in Ontario where he worked at the St Catherines Standard, and then in Toronto at The Globe and Mail .
His professional roving finally stopped in Winnipeg where he enjoyed many years as the Managing Editor of the Winnipeg Free Press.
CJA passion
The CJA became his passion and while our president, he worked simultaneously as a volunteer board member for the Commonwealth Human Rights Commission.
He retired to the Kenora cottage but continued writing and devoting time to the The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, for whom he wrote the book ‘The Ladies From Hell.’
After his two presidential terms, he was succeeded by Bangladeshi Hassan Shahriar, himself a formidable force in journalism.
Of course, the CJA family wasn’t Murray’s only family.
As CJA members we got to know his wife Betsy who appeared at conferences and other CJA gatherings always willing to take on a task, however menial.
As Betsy told me the day after his death, Murray lived a good life, packed with travel, adventure and achievement.
He loved the Commonwealth and loved the Commonwealth Journalists Association.
Several years after we first met, we stayed at the same small hotel in Port of Spain during a CJA conference. Over a rum punch or two one night, we chatted for several hours about journalism and the Commonwealth. I thanked him for introducing me to the CJA.
The CJA family will ever remember his infectious enthusiasm and seemingly endless energy and shining optimism.
It was good to know you Murray, old son.
CJA President emeritrus RITA PAYNE adds this tribute: Murray was one of the pillars of the CJA always available to give wise advice and answer queries about the association and its background. He was an inspiring presence at CJA conferences and went out of his way to encourage and promote new members across the Commonwealth. His knowledge and breadth of experience were of special value to me when I joined the CJA and later when I was UK chair and President. As others have mentioned, Betsy supported him in ensuring that the CJA operated smoothly and efficiently. I hope she will be comforted to know how much we all admired and respected him
This tribute is included in the May edition of the CJA Newsletter.
