Colin Fraser | About Me

A-Channel

Started full time work at A-Channel in Winnipeg in February of 2001. I plunked myself down in the open concept studio/newsroom and began the challenge of writing for television. It is a fast-paced, down to the wire, up to the minute environment -- where I view footage, pick soundbites and clips and try to present information in a consise, conversational style. I continue to learn something new everyday - and am finding out what really makes Winnipeg tick. If you look closely enough sometimes during the telecast you can see me in the background....

Freelance CBC
I got my start after an early morning revelation in November of 1998. Discovering the CBC radio program Manitoba Voices - offering people with no previous radio experience to give it a shot if they had something to say - I quickly faxed off some of my stuff. And lo and behold I was chosen to lend my voice to the Manitoba morning airwaves. So that is where it began. I contributed three Manitoba Voices pieces - but was encouraged to try some freelance reporting. And I did. I have become a regular contributor over the last three years - with stories ranging from Bosnian refugees becoming Canadian citizens to a deejay school. I value every moment I am in the CBC newsroom and would like to continue to add my voice to an institution integral to Canada.

Freelance Writing
It is quite a thrill to see one's name in a bi-line and I have been fortunate enough to experience that a few times. And I have seen myself go through an evolution from writing as a hobby to writing as an integral part of my income and identity - where I actually tell people that I am a "writer." I got my start at Brandon University where I contributed quite regularly to the student paper the two years I was there. I continued to dabble after graduating with my education degree, freelancing for a local entertainment newspaper and few business and arts magazines in Winnipeg. I also went on-line with some web site writing for a Winnipeg based apparel company. Credibility came when an opinion editorial about substitute teaching was printed in the Winnipeg Free Press. It caused a bit of a stir and allowed me to add my voice to the editorial columns a few more times, and then to other sections of the Free Press. Currently I do some work for the Homes Section.

Teaching
I was trained as a teacher and have been in and out of the education system for the past 10 years. I worked as an educational assistant in the St. James School Division for two years and then decided to make the jump into the teaching pool. I went to Brandon University for two years and slowly waded into the real world after graduating in 1995. I taught for a year at my alma mater in John Taylor Collegiate in Winnipeg but got restless and headed out west for awhile. I returned from B.C. and began to substitute teach in Seven Oaks School Division. I became a regular sub for many classrooms - experiencing all grade levels and subjects, but found a home as the once a cycle guy for the Special Needs Program at Garden City Collegiate. The regular teacher Mr. Gary Peak would have to leave to check on students in the work experience component of his program and I would step in to fill his shoes. The kids were great, the program solid and I enjoyed my time spent there.

Toukie
One of the crazy jobs you look back on and laugh. I was the voice of Toukie the Toucan a mechanical bird with a Jamaican accent who welcomed people to Club Regent Casino. I detailed my adventures in a Free Press article which you can read here.

International Center
I began volunteering at the International Center in 1996. It was then that I met my good friends Dragan and Namka and their two children Darko and Anja. They were Bosnian refugees from a war that was tearing the former Yugoslavia apart. I helped them to adjust to life in Canada and they gave me the appreciation of how much we take for granted in North America. I am also a member of the Job Readiness Committee at the International Center where we put on seminars to help prepare new immigrants and refugees for employment in Winnipeg. Recently I have come in contact with more and more refugees from Africa including many friends from Sierra Leone.

Voice Print
VoicePrint is a neat little set up where volunteers read articles from the Winnipeg Free Press and Sun for the benefit of visually impaired people. We are recorded as we read and the articles are broadcast over cable on a television channel where you can hear the news of the day.

Team Canada Volleyball
My introduction to world class international volleyball. I was media liasion for Team Canada from 1999-2000. I assisted with pre tournament press conferences as well as post games ones. I wrote press releases and got to hobnob with the Team Canada hierarchy as well as some prominent international officials. I was a behind the scenes person for two World League events and watched dejectedly as Canada lost out on a chance to qualify for the Sydney Olympics with a loss on their home court in January of 2000.

Wales, Great Britain
Had the great opportunity to do my last block of student teaching in Wales. Brandon University offered an exchange with Gwent College in Cwmbran Wales, so myself and six others landed at Heathrow airport in London in early March 1995. Once safely contained in a student dormitory with a Canadian flag in the window to mark our territory - we proceeded to explore the countryside. And oh yeah we did some teaching. It's not very often that you get called "Sir" in your life so I relished my time there. I also had the opportunity to travel through the south of England and Wales - plus over to Ireland and then up to Scotland. It was a fantastic experience - and I'm still paying for it.

Coaching Basketball
Ah to lead men into battle. I coached basketball in the St. James School Division for over 10 years. I started to coach when I was still a player in high school and continued until I left my teaching position at John Taylor Collegiate in Winnipeg. I had some success - coaching boys to victory in the prestigious Wesmen Classic at both the junior high and junior varsity levels. The last team under my guidance was ranked number one in the province for part of the season. But the fire slowly died and other things began to interest me. I still play in the Senior League in Winnipeg - and starting to slow down a bit - but the bouncing of the balls and seeing the guys always brings me back for another year.

Brandon University
A highlight of my young life so far. A great decision - and one that was my second choice. I headed out west (well not too far west - Brandon is only 200 kilometers from Winnipeg) in the fall of 1993 determined to become a teacher. While there I met some fantastic and very close friends, laughed a lot, started writing, travelled to Europe to student teach and learned a lot about myself and others in the process. I returned one last time to Brandon for convocation and left with a tear in my eye. I now had a Bachelor of Education and was ready to take on the real world.

University of Manitoba
Fresh out of high school and entering unknown territory, I set foot at the University of Manitoba in September of 1987. Ah... carpools, beer bashes and basketball and oh yeah, eventually a degree. I graduated in 1991 with a history major, a geography minor and still no idea what I should do with my life.





	A-Channel Started full time work at A-Channel in Winnipeg in February of 2001. I plunked myself down in the open concept studio/newsroom and began the challenge of writing for television. It is a fast-paced, down to the wire, up to the minute environment -- where I view footage, pick soundbites and clips and try to present information in a consise, conversational style. I continue to learn something new everyday - and am finding out what really makes Winnipeg tick. If you look closely enough sometimes during the telecast you can see me in the background.... Freelance CBC I got my start after an early morning revelation in November of 1998. Discovering the CBC radio program Manitoba Voices - offering people with no previous radio experience to give it a shot if they had something to say - I quickly faxed off some of my stuff. And lo and behold I was chosen to lend my voice to the Manitoba morning airwaves. So that is where it began. I contributed three Manitoba Voices pieces - but was encouraged to try some freelance reporting. And I did. I have become a regular contributor over the last three years - with stories ranging from Bosnian refugees becoming Canadian citizens to a deejay school. I value every moment I am in the CBC newsroom and would like to continue to add my voice to an institution integral to Canada. Freelance Writing It is quite a thrill to see one's name in a bi-line and I have been fortunate enough to experience that a few times. And I have seen myself go through an evolution from writing as a hobby to writing as an integral part of my income and identity - where I actually tell people that I am a "writer." I got my start at Brandon University where I contributed quite regularly to the student paper the two years I was there. I continued to dabble after graduating with my education degree, freelancing for a local entertainment newspaper and few business and arts magazines in Winnipeg. I also went on-line with some web site writing for a Winnipeg based apparel company. Credibility came when an opinion editorial about substitute teaching was printed in the Winnipeg Free Press. It caused a bit of a stir and allowed me to add my voice to the editorial columns a few more times, and then to other sections of the Free Press. Currently I do some work for the Homes Section. Teaching I was trained as a teacher and have been in and out of the education system for the past 10 years. I worked as an educational assistant in the St. James School Division for two years and then decided to make the jump into the teaching pool. I went to Brandon University for two years and slowly waded into the real world after graduating in 1995. I taught for a year at my alma mater in John Taylor Collegiate in Winnipeg but got restless and headed out west for awhile. I returned from B.C. and began to substitute teach in Seven Oaks School Division. I became a regular sub for many classrooms - experiencing all grade levels and subjects, but found a home as the once a cycle guy for the Special Needs Program at Garden City Collegiate. The regular teacher Mr. Gary Peak would have to leave to check on students in the work experience component of his program and I would step in to fill his shoes. The kids were great, the program solid and I enjoyed my time spent there. Toukie One of the crazy jobs you look back on and laugh. I was the voice of Toukie the Toucan a mechanical bird with a Jamaican accent who welcomed people to Club Regent Casino. I detailed my adventures in a Free Press article which you can read here. International Center I began volunteering at the International Center in 1996. It was then that I met my good friends Dragan and Namka and their two children Darko and Anja. They were Bosnian refugees from a war that was tearing the former Yugoslavia apart. I helped them to adjust to life in Canada and they gave me the appreciation of how much we take for granted in North America. I am also a member of the Job Readiness Committee at the International Center where we put on seminars to help prepare new immigrants and refugees for employment in Winnipeg. Recently I have come in contact with more and more refugees from Africa including many friends from Sierra Leone. Voice Print VoicePrint is a neat little set up where volunteers read articles from the Winnipeg Free Press and Sun for the benefit of visually impaired people. We are recorded as we read and the articles are broadcast over cable on a television channel where you can hear the news of the day. Team Canada Volleyball My introduction to world class international volleyball. I was media liasion for Team Canada from 1999-2000. I assisted with pre tournament press conferences as well as post games ones. I wrote press releases and got to hobnob with the Team Canada hierarchy as well as some prominent international officials. I was a behind the scenes person for two World League events and watched dejectedly as Canada lost out on a chance to qualify for the Sydney Olympics with a loss on their home court in January of 2000. Wales, Great Britain Had the great opportunity to do my last block of student teaching in Wales. Brandon University offered an exchange with Gwent College in Cwmbran Wales, so myself and six others landed at Heathrow airport in London in early March 1995. Once safely contained in a student dormitory with a Canadian flag in the window to mark our territory - we proceeded to explore the countryside. And oh yeah we did some teaching. It's not very often that you get called "Sir" in your life so I relished my time there. I also had the opportunity to travel through the south of England and Wales - plus over to Ireland and then up to Scotland. It was a fantastic experience - and I'm still paying for it. Coaching Basketball Ah to lead men into battle. I coached basketball in the St. James School Division for over 10 years. I started to coach when I was still a player in high school and continued until I left my teaching position at John Taylor Collegiate in Winnipeg. I had some success - coaching boys to victory in the prestigious Wesmen Classic at both the junior high and junior varsity levels. The last team under my guidance was ranked number one in the province for part of the season. But the fire slowly died and other things began to interest me. I still play in the Senior League in Winnipeg - and starting to slow down a bit - but the bouncing of the balls and seeing the guys always brings me back for another year. Brandon University A highlight of my young life so far. A great decision - and one that was my second choice. I headed out west (well not too far west - Brandon is only 200 kilometers from Winnipeg) in the fall of 1993 determined to become a teacher. While there I met some fantastic and very close friends, laughed a lot, started writing, travelled to Europe to student teach and learned a lot about myself and others in the process. I returned one last time to Brandon for convocation and left with a tear in my eye. I now had a Bachelor of Education and was ready to take on the real world. University of Manitoba Fresh out of high school and entering unknown territory, I set foot at the University of Manitoba in September of 1987. Ah... carpools, beer bashes and basketball and oh yeah, eventually a degree. I graduated in 1991 with a history major, a geography minor and still no idea what I should do with my life.