J. Alphonse Ouimet

Educated at the Université de Montréal and McGill University, J. Alphonse Ouimet worked for a firm developing television and built a prototype TV receiver in 1932.

J. Alphonse Ouimet joined the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, later the CBC, in 1934 and, as chief engineer from 1948, was responsible for the creation of Canadian TV broadcasting. He became general manager of the CBC in 1953 and president in 1958; under his leadership, the national television service was established from coast to coast and in both languages. Broadcasting legislation was politically contentious during this period and J. Alphonse Ouimet resigned in 1967, after Secretary of State Judy Lamarsh criticized the CBC’s “rotten management.” He was chairman of the board of Telesat Canada (1969–1980). Among other awards, he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1969 and received the McNaughton Medal for public service in 1972.

J. Alphonse Ouimet died in 1988. He was inducted into the Academy of Great Montrealers in the Economic category in 1978 and was named a Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016.

Source: Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, The Canadian Encyclopedia

The picture and biographical information appearing on this page were current at the time this person was admitted to the Academy of Great Montrealers.