UPDATED: Rex Murphy, RIP + VIDEO of Jordan Peterson interview

Rex Murphy, the witty, voluble, and, above all, Canadian writer and broadcaster, has died, of cancer, at age 77. RIP+.

For decades, Mr Murphy was a fixture of the Canadian commentariat, writing and speaking primarily on political and social matters. 

For some time he was politically correct enough to have regular gigs with the CBC, Canada's liberal state broadcaster. He did POV pieces during the national news, and was the host of CBC Radio's "Cross-Country Checkup", a nationwide call-in show, for 21 years ending in 2015.

He also wrote op-ed pieces for the Globe and Mail, Canada's self-styled national newspaper, which has become nothing more than the print version of the CBC. 

As the Groan and Wail moved left, Mr Murphy moved right, and, in 2010, was one of the first victims of cancel culture. The National Post, founded by arch-conservative Conrad Black, snapped him up, and he wrote for them as often as he could right up till this week. His last column, on Prime Minister McBlackface's two-faced stance on the Hamas atrocities of October 7th, appeared on the front page of the Post's print edition the day before his death.

Rex Murphy was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland in 1947, before that province even was a province, to Harry and Marie Murphy, the second of five children. He grew up in the community of Freshwater, about ten minutes up the road. He skipped two grades and eventually, in 1968, headed to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, before returning home and, after bailing on a Master of English degree, settled into a very long and very fruitful career in the media.

A collection of Mr Murphy's columns, reviews and commentaries has been published in two books: Points of View and Canada And Other Matters of Opinion. Walt recommends them both. Even if you don't share his political views, you can't help but admire his command of the English language. Perhaps being from Newfoundland had something to do with it. 

In the last years of his life, Rex Murphy embraced the Internet, creating podcasts and his own YouTube channel, REXTV. In tribute to Rex, and to perpetuate his memory, I've chosen to repost his November 2019 interview with Dr Jordan Peterson. The two very learned gentlemen talk for almost an hour about the modern state of education, politics, identity, and the new media. You won't hear intelligent and astute commentary like this any more. Not from Rex at least. I miss him already. 

 

Further reading: Tributes to Mr Murphy are appearing all over the Internet. Here are two which Walt thinks are pictularly good.

"Rex Murphy was the true guardian of Canadian identity — not the pretenders on the left", by Father Raymond J. de Souza, in the National Post, 10/5/24. Mr Murphy's full name, according to Father de Souza, was Robert Rex Raphael Murphy. Who knew?!

"No one could outsmart or outword Rex Murphy — I miss you, my friend", by Peter Mansbridge, the last good host of the CBC's national TV news, in the National Post, 10/5/24.

I wouldn't even attempt to write such eloquent farewell pieces. I can only add: Rex, ave atque vale.