Early Life and Career
Callwood began her journalism career at Brantford Collegiate Institute, her high school, where she was editor of the school paper. She later worked for the Brantford Expositor. In 1942, she was offered a job with The Globe and Mail and moved to Toronto. She married journalist Trent Frayne two years later, but continued to use her own surname because The Globe and Mail at that time did not employ married women.
She ultimately left the Globe and Mail to raise a family but later resumed her career by becoming a freelance journalist, writing books and magazine pieces, many for Maclean's. Callwood ghost-wrote close to ten autobiographies for such prominent Americans as broadcaster Barbara Walters, film director Otto Preminger and Dr. Charles William Mayo. Frayne and Callwood also hosted the CBC Television talk show The Fraynes in the 1954-55 television season.
Callwood later entered television journalism, hosting the series In Touch on CBC Television from 1975 to 1978. She also hosted two series, National Treasure and Caregiving with June Callwood, for Vision TV.
Callwood's career was marked by a strong concern for social justice, especially on issues affecting children and women. She became one of Canada's most famous social justice activists, founding or co-founding over 50 Canadian social action organizations including youth and women's hostels. She founded Casey House (a Toronto hospice for people with AIDS), PEN Canada, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, and Feminists Against Censorship.
In 1978, she was made a member of the Order of Canada. She was promoted to Officer in 1985, and promoted again to Companion in 2000. In 1988, she was awarded the Order of Ontario. In 2004, the City of Toronto noted its intention to name a street in Callwood's honour. Callwood requested that an existing street not be renamed for her, and specified that it be a new or currently unnamed street near a school or a playground. The street is June Callwood Way and is in the neighbourhood of Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue.
In 2004, Callwood went public about her battle with cancer. She refused treatment and continued to be active until she succumbed to the disease in the morning of April 14, 2007. Callwood was last seen on TV on April 2, 2007 in the CBC show The Hour, interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos.
In July 2005, a Toronto park was named after Callwood. A professorship in social justice was also established at Victoria College, University of Toronto in her honour. A biography, written by Anne Dublin and entitled June Callwood: A Life of Action, was published in March 2007.
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