Halifax, NS – (June 9, 2020) – RTDNA Canada is pleased to honour Pat Martel with an RTDNA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding service and continued excellence in his journalism career.

“Pat is an institution in his own right on PEI having spent his entire career on the island. His “streeters” were legendary as was his story telling. He always cared for his colleagues through his union work and staff association. Congratulations Pat!” said RTDNA President Fiona Conway.

Pat’s love of radio goes back to high school in Charlottetown in the 70’s, when he and a friend started their own radio program on the school’s PA system. Bitten by the radio bug, he headed to broadcast school after graduation, only to have his hopes dashed when he was told he didn’t have a voice for radio and would never make it.

Undeterred, Pat pressed on, learning camera skills and eventually starting his own business as Prince Edward Island’s first wedding videographer. An opportunity as a part-time news cameraman reignited the news bug. Ten years after being told he’d never make it, Pat went back to school, attending Holland College in Charlottetown and soon working as a freelancer for CBC radio. He eventually landed his dream job – a writer broadcaster for CBC Radio’s Island Morning in Charlottetown.

Over a 33-year career, Pat has interviewed just about everyone – from Prime Ministers to an alcoholic living on the street. A career highlight includes a national RTDNA award in the 1990’s for a radio documentary about a young PEI woman’s experience in prison.

Pat retired at the end of 2019, and in the final few years of his career at CBC, he again tried something new, joining the digital team. It was there that he was able to marry his love of interviewing with his camera skills to create unique videos for multiple platforms.