Karl Wells

Andrew Younghusband was born in Australia and grew-up in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. With little formal training, but plenty of perseverance, he made a career for himself in writing and performing. Eventually he gained national recognition for a show on Discovery Channel called, Canada’s Worst Driver.

Marie-Beth Wright spent a career teaching in Newfoundland schools. She’s also researched the early days of Newfoundland and Labrador’s denominational school system in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. It’s a fascinating story of how children (mainly the baby boom generation) were educated in outport communities during the decades between 1940 and 1970. There were no school libraries, no science labs, and supplies were limited. Teachers had to use their ingenuity, be inventive and able to adapt. It’s a story of perseverance, strength, and dedication.

Peter Halley has made a decades-long career for himself as a music educator, artistic director, and performer in musical theatre. Plus, he managed to do it all while remaining here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Peter chats with me about his early interest in performing, his first foray into the business and much more. Including founding Spirit of NL.

Cheryl Hickman has devoted her life to music. Her passion for classical music led her to a career singing soprano in opera. She’s performed with opera companies nationally and internationally. Her proudest accomplishment is having established Newfoundland and Labrador’s first and only professional opera company, Opera on the Avalon.

Ted Rowe has written yet another biography about a Newfoundland Liberal Prime Minister. This time it’s Sir Richard Squires. The book is called, Mischief in High Places. (Published by Breakwater Books.)

Rick Seaward began his media career in the early ‘70s. He’s worked in private TV and radio, both on-air and in management. Eventually he focussed on TV news reporting, landing a job with CBC Television in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, where he spent most of his career.

Dr. Dawn Howse spent 20 years of her life in Zimbabwe as a missionary doctor with the Salvation Army. She returned to Newfoundland many years ago and continues to work as a physician at the Carbonear General Hospital in Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador. Her story is one of devotion and commitment to serving others, from which we can all learn a thing or two.

Larry Short is a financial professional. He’s spent much of his life keeping an eye on the economy, and financial markets. All to serve clients who seek his company’s advice on investing. He’s also someone who’s taken a keen interest in our province’s financial health and industrial development. In this episode of Karl Wells Point 2 Point he and Karl have a chat about the history of the economic path Newfoundland and Labrador has been on since its earliest days. British Crown Colony to Dominion to Province of Canada.

Whit Fraser is an author who’s published a novel set in Canada’s Arctic called, Cold Edge of Heaven. He knows the north well, having travelled there extensively. We knew each other in the 1980s when we both worked for the CBC. In subsequent decades he’s chaired the Canadian Polar Commission, and was executive director of the national Inuit organization, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. He is also the vice regal consort of Canada’s Governor General, Mary Simon.

It would be an understatement to say that Boyd Chubbs is multi-talented. He is one of Canada’s foremost artists, specializing in pen and ink drawing. He’s also a poet and musician, with six published books of poetry and three released recordings of guitar compositions.