Royal Orr is a Canadian former radio host, best known as the host of CBC Radio's Cross Country Checkup from 1992 to 1994."CBC hires host for Checkup". The Globe and Mail, December 21, 1992.
Originally a reporter for the network's bureau in Quebec City"Orr leaving CJAD to be Checkup host". Montreal Gazette, November 17, 1992. and an activist with the anglophone Quebecer lobby group Alliance Quebec, he became the organization's president in 1987."Anglophones want accord postponed for public discussion". The Globe and Mail, June 1, 1987. In 1988, he sued Le Journal de Montréal and Télé-Métropole for libel, when both organizations falsely reported that he was the "prime suspect" after the organization's offices were destroyed by arson. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court.
He left Alliance Quebec in 1989 to become a host for Montreal commercial radio station CJAD,"Anglophone leader lands job in radio". Vancouver Sun, February 10, 1989. remaining with that station until joining public broadcaster CBC's Cross Country Checkup in 1992. He transitioned from Checkup in 1994 to become host of Daybreak, the local morning program on the network's Montreal station CBM."Royal Orr dons Daybreak crown; CBM morning man is lively, bright, enthusiastic on Day 1". Montreal Gazette, February 1, 1994. He left the show in 1996,"Daybreak will be by committee; Orr begins last week with no replacement in sight". Montreal Gazette, February 25, 1996. attributing his decision to the fact that as a resident of Hatley, the job required him to either get up at 2:30 a.m. or stay in Montreal away from his family for most of the week."Maintaining a Connection: Royal Orr still finds inspiration as host of series on faith channel Vision TV". Montreal Gazette, June 14, 2001.
He then became host of Spirit Connection, a documentary series about faith and spirituality produced by the United Church of Canada for VisionTV."Montrealers can't catch Orr's new gig: Local broadcaster is host of Vision TV show but that network got lost in cable shuffle". Montreal Gazette, September 13, 1997. At WorldFest-Houston in 2004, he won awards for two Spirit Connection documentaries, "All My Friends Just Fade" and "God's People, Among All God's People"."United Church's Real "Reality" Television Show Wins Major Awards at WorldFest-Houston". Canada NewsWire, April 27, 2004.
He received the Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Award from the Quebec Community Groups Network in 2015.Irwin Block, "Activist, broadcaster Royal Orr wins Goldbloom Award". The Senior Times, November 12, 2015.
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