‘My Life as a Reporter’: Fort Erie’s Cal Millar publishes 531-page memoir

Cal Millar, a Fort Erie resident and former Toronto crime reporter, has published his 531-page memoir covering major disasters and investigations from 1967 to 2005.

Millar, author of ‘My Life as a Reporter,’ told Fort Erie Radio the book reflects the nature of his work over four decades in Canadian newsrooms where exposure to violent or unusual events was routine.

“Most of my career in the news business focused on crime and spot news coverage, so not the sort of thing you want to bring home and talk about,” said Millar.

The book recounts reporting on events that range from international disasters to local incidents, including a 1987 tornado outbreak in Edmonton that killed 34 people and the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico where 96 people died. It also details coverage tied to the September 11 attacks in the United States and other large-scale emergencies.

“There are some unusual events, such as a seeing eye dog going missing and getting lost, the train derailment in 1979 that forced the evacuation of Mississauga, the investigation into the mysterious death of jockey Dan Beckon,” said Millar.

The book explains how reporters rely on witnesses and sources to build accurate accounts under deadline pressure. It outlines the expectations for accuracy and fairness during coverage of traumatic events, such as a 1966 school bus crash near Windsor that killed eight children.

Millar’s career began with an internship at CKOC in Hamilton before moving to newspaper roles in Peterborough and Windsor. He joined the Toronto Telegram before its closure in 1970, then moved to the Toronto Sun and later the Toronto Star in 1983 to cover breaking news assignments.

After retiring in Fort Erie 10 years ago, Millar served on the Crime Stoppers of Niagara board until 2023 and co-authored two books on the program with its founder.

The memoir is available through Amazon, with Millar indicating he can provide copies locally for review and discussion.

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