Champion Advocate: Mary Walsh

“When I was growing up, volunteerism was all the rage. Kennedy had started the Peace Corps–to give your time freely in the service of others just seemed the right thing to do. Nothing has happened since to convince me otherwise. What little I have managed to do over the years has always come back to me a hundred-fold, and so I am in the debt of all the organizations that have allowed me to volunteer.”

Mary Walsh may be best known to Canadians for her comic genius on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC’s popular, tongue-in-cheek take on Canadian politics and current affairs. The series, which she created and was instrumental in shaping, showcased a range of talent seen through flamboyant characters like Marg Delahunty, who staged hilarious ambushes in the corridors of power. With projects that include Crackie, Mambo Italian, Violet and The Boys of St. Vincent, Walsh is a recipient of many awards, including the Order of Canada, and is a passionate supporter of Oxfam and other social justice organizations.