Robert Fife Named Globe and Mail Ottawa Bureau Chief

Veteran political journalist will lead The Globe's award-winning Ottawa team and remain host of CTV Question Period

TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Effective January 1, 2016, veteran political journalist Robert Fife will join The Globe and Mail as Ottawa Bureau Chief.  Fife joins The Globe from CTV, where he was the network's Ottawa Bureau Chief, as well as Executive Producer of the daily political show, Power Play with Don Martin, and CTV's Question Period, which he hosted Sunday mornings. Before joining CTV News in February, 2005, Fife was the Ottawa Bureau Chief for CanWest News Service and the National Post.

Fife joins The Globe and Mail as the national news company continues to invest in political reporting, analysis and commentary, most recently hosting a televised and live-streamed Leader's Debate in Calgary during the federal election.

"Bob is the country's most influential political journalist and I'm delighted to welcome him to The Globe and Mail," said David Walmsley, Editor in Chief.  "Bob's appointment to this key role sends a clear message to the market that we are taking The Globe's political coverage to new heights."

In addition to heading The Globe and Mail's Ottawa bureau, Fife will continue to host the popular political television program, to be known as CTV's Question Period with The Globe and Mail's Robert Fife on Sunday mornings on the CTV network.

"We're entering a period of extraordinary change in the nation's capital as a new government takes office, and I'm honoured to be joining such a talented team at this fascinating time," said Fife. "I have always admired The Globe's insightful political commentary and trusted reporting, and look forward to contributing to the fine work being done in the Ottawa Bureau."

Fife will lead The Globe's award-winning team of reporters and columnists in Ottawa including Jeffrey Simpson, Jane Taber, Campbell Clark, John Ibbitson, Steven Chase, Daniel Leblanc, Shawn McCarthy, Barrie McKenna, Simon Doyle and Bill Curry, among others. Most recently, The Globe and Mail was honoured with a 2015 Online Journalism Award by the international Online News Association for its breaking news coverage of the Ottawa Commons shooting.

Fife began his career in 1978 in the parliamentary bureau of NewsRadio and later United Press International (Canada), where he covered national politics.  He went on to work as a senior political reporter for Canadian Press and later, as Ottawa Bureau Chief and Political Columnist for the Sun Media chain, where he spent a decade.  Fife is a two-time recipient of a National Newspaper Citation of Merit (Political Reporting and Breaking News) as well as the Edward Dunlop Award for Spot News.

Fife is also the author of several books, including: A Capital Scandal: Politics, Patronage and Payoff; Why Parliament Must Be Reformed; and Kim Campbell: The Making of a Politician. 

About The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail, founded in 1844, is Canada's foremost news media company. Each day, The Globe leads the national discussion by engaging Canadians through its award-winning coverage of news, politics, business, investing and lifestyle topics, across multiple platforms. The Globe and Mail print and digital formats reach 2.4 million readers every week, with Report on Business magazine reaching nearly 1 million readers every issue. The Globe's online and mobile media hub globeandmail.com, iOS and Android apps have a combined monthly readership of 7 million. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

SOURCE Globe and Mail

Josh Cobden, Environics Communications, 416-969-2746, [email protected]