A Matter of Equality

Lynn Pickering, host/producer of 99.3 County FM’s The County Grapevine (Monday edition), is pleased to announce that the Honourable Don Oliver, author of A Matter of Equality: The Life’s Work of Senator Don Oliver will host a segment of the program throughout Black History Month.

“I interviewed Don Oliver on The County Writes…The County Reads when his book was published last fall,” Pickering said. “I was impressed by his many achievements and particularly his dedication, perseverance and integrity. From newspaper reporter to Cordon Bleu chef to talented trumpet player, he could have succeeded in any profession he chose, but he decided to become a lawyer in order to break down barriers of discrimination and to attain equality for all. I was thrilled when he agreed to host our series for Black History Month.”

“I am delighted to be sharing the mic with Lynn to continue the Black History Month debate with so many exciting and important Canadian thinkers whose views deserve to be heard by Canadians from Coast to Coast,” Senator Oliver said. “Their recommendations and opinions, and the way they live their diverse lives can help us find our way to a more tolerant, kind and equitable Canada.”

Senator Oliver’s guests include George Elliott Clarke, poet, playwright and literary critic and Canada’s Poet Laureate, 2016-2017; Tiffany Callender, co-founder and CEO of the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE); The Honourable Maryann Francis who served as the 31^st Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia; Greg Fergus, MP for Hull-Aylmer and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister. A highlight of the series is a profile of Portia White, aunt to Oliver and great-aunt to George Elliott Clarke. Although the celebrated contralto performed in concert halls around the world, she was refused accommodation in a hotel in her home province of Nova Scotia.

The series will air from January 31 to February 28.  The County Grapevine can be heard weekdays on 99.3 County FM following the news at noon and repeated after the 6:10 p.m. farm report. It is available for streaming on www.993countyfm.ca