The Balsillie School of International Affairs is pleased to host one of the key voices that defined Canadian journalism for decades, Brian Stewart, to discuss his upcoming book “On the Ground: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent.”
Brian Stewart, one of the most recognizable voices from CBC’s flagship news program The National, is a trusted and beloved Canadian journalist whose reporting has shaped public understanding for decades.
In On the Ground (September 16, 2025), Stewart reflects for the first time on the major stories of his career in a riveting blend of memoir and eyewitness history. From war zones to humanitarian crises, he has risked his life in pursuit of truth—always in service of journalism, history, and Canada.
With depth and clarity, he brings readers into the heart of some of the most pivotal global events of our time: the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, the famine in Northern Ethiopia, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fight against Apartheid, and more. He also chronicles the shifting tides of society—times of fear, hope, and innovation—as observed through the eyes of a reporter, a father, and a lifelong student of history.
Stewart’s incisive journalism has earned him numerous accolades, including multiple Gemini Awards, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Order of Canada.
About the Speaker
Brian Stewart was for decades one of the Canada’s most prominent television journalists and was acclaimed for his foreign coverage for both CBC’s The National and The Journal. Born in Montréal, and originally a newspaper reporter, Stewart went on to become foreign correspondent for CBC in London and NBC in Frankfurt. He worked in ten war zones, was host of the CBC Foreign Affairs show Worldview, and interviewed many of the historic figures of his time, including Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, Salman Rushdie, and Henry Kissinger. After retiring, he was appointed Senior Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto. Stewart is a recipient of the Order of Ontario, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and the Order of Canada.
