Bernard Ostry

Who was Bernard Ostry?

Bernard A. Ostry, CC was a Canadian author, philanthropist, and civil servant, who is best known for being chair and CEO of TVOntario.

Born in Wadena, Saskatchewan, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba in 1948. From 1948 to 1952, he did post-graduate work in the field of international history at the London School of Economics under Charles Webster. From 1951 to 1955, he was a research associate for the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham. As well, from 1951 to 1952, he was a Special Assistant and Advisor to the Leader of the Indian delegation to the United Nations. From 1956 to 1958, he was the David Davies Fellow in International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Leaving academics, he served as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Commonwealth Institute of Social Research from 1959 to 1961. He returned to Canada in 1961 to become Secretary-Treasurer for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, a position which he held until 1963.

Changing careers again, he became a moderator for the CBC program Nightline from 1960 to 1963. From 1963 to 1968, he was a supervisor in the Department of Public Affairs at the CBC. From 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chief Consultant to the Canadian Radio Television Commission. Next, from 1968 to 1970, he was the Commissioner for the Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's Task Force on Government Information.