Former television host given Ontario’s highest honour
HAMILTON, ON—A former CTS TV host has been honoured with the province of Ontario's highest award.
Connie Smith, who hosted two seasons of "Always Good News" on CTS, received the Order of Ontario with 27 other honourees at a recent ceremony.
"I was shocked," says Smith, who didn't know she'd been nominated. "About a year ago a friend of mine mentioned it casually. I laughed it off but this fellow went about collecting reference letters and started the application process."
Smith found out about the award a week before Christmas.
"It was very humbling once I found out who the other recipients were," she says noting philanthropist CEOs, researchers and an Olympic gold medalist were among the recipients. "While I was sitting, waiting, I wondered 'what did I do to get here?'
"Lieutenant-Governor David Onley must have been reading my mind. He opened his remarks saying 'All of you are probably wondering how did I get here? You're asking the question because none of you sought out recognition for this award.'"
Smith, who worked as television and radio journalist for 30-plus years in Hamilton, Barrie and Toronto, was honoured for her volunteerism. She's currently a member of St. Joseph's HealthCare Hamilton board of trustees, incoming Chair of the United Way Campaign and volunteers with other charities including Ronald McDonald House, the YMCA Peace Medal program and the Alzheimer's Society of Canada.
Smith adds the Order of Ontario to: the Queen's Jubilee Medal, Hamilton Health Sciences Cornerstone Award, the Ontario Association of Broadcasters' Howard Caine Memorial Award, the CanWest Community Spirit Award, Zonta Club of Hamilton II's Founder Award and Sertoma Hamilton's "Service to Mankind" Award. She's also been named a Hamilton and Halton Woman of the Year and a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.
After two years of hosting "Always Good News" for CTS (who says
the program is no longer a priority in its evolving mandate) Smith is now freelancing, teaching at Mohawk College, and hoping to eventually relaunch the program on a wider platform.
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