CFAX 1070's James Gardner retiring after 42 years in radio
As James Gardner prepares for his last day of work before retirement, a first memory has unexpectedly popped up on his phone.
“Look at that smile,” James says, pointing to a beaming child at the beach wearing striped swim trunks. “I didn’t have that smile a lot as a child. It was a (frown).”
But then again, James — who was being raised as a girl named Sheila — didn’t have a lot of days at the beach when her bathing suit was accidentally left back home, and she had to borrow a boy’s.
“I was so happy to just be in trunks,” James says. “I was only four. So that was my first feeling (about being a boy).”
James will also never forget those first memories of listening to rock radio as a child.
“(One day), it just hit me,” James recalls being a curious kid who was always asking people questions. “I thought, ‘Why can’t I do this?’”
Although she was encouraged to purse a more traditional career path in teaching or nursing, Sheila Gardner persevered to become one of the first women at the time to work in radio news.
“News is exciting,” James says. “You’re reporting, you’re broadcasting, and every time you turn around something new is happening.”
Sheila’s acclaimed career in reporting and presenting catapulted her to eight stations across two provinces, before arriving at CFAX 1070 in Victoria, and making a major life decision.
“The time was right,” James says. “Medicine was aligning. Society was aligning.”
So he bravely and proudly began to transition from Sheila to James on air, which News Director Ryan Price says was unprecedented at the time and beneficial for listeners.
“It was one of the first, if not the first transgender transition of an on-air personality in Canada, and people got to listen to James and go for that ride long before Caitlyn Jenner,” Ryan says. “I’m really proud and happy I got to be a part of that.”
While James’ work in radio has earned almost a dozen industry honours, including a prestigious Edward R Murrow award, he says the most rewarding thing has been serving the community with daily broadcasts that are both informative and fun.
“This is hard news. We take it seriously,” James says. “But I put some nice, light stories in my newscasts, because I think it’s important to balance that.”
While James is looking forward to retirement, he’s also looking back with gratitude — that his younger self grew-up to not only become a trusted voice on the radio, but also to find his authentic voice in life.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” James says, before bursting into a big smile. “You did it, kid.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.