Lloyd Robertson

Lloyd John Robertson (1934-01-19, Stratford, Ontario to 2026-08-04, Markham, Ontario) was a Canadian journalist and television news anchor whose calm baritone and nightly presence made him, for millions of viewers, the face of Canadian national news. He co-anchored and later led CTV National News for 35 years (1976 to 2011), after six years anchoring CBC's The National (1970 to 1976). Combined, those 41 years as a national network anchor were widely cited as the longest such tenure in North America, longer than the network runs of Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, or Dan Rather. His trademark closing line, "And that's the kind of day it's been," became part of the country's shared vocabulary.

Born the youngest son of George Henderson Robertson, a Canadian National Railway machinist's helper of Scottish descent, and Lilly (Francis) Robertson, who had emigrated from England, he grew up in Stratford in a household marked by his mother's severe mental illness and his father's late-life cancer. His mother underwent a prefrontal lobotomy in 1948. Robertson later wrote and spoke publicly about that difficult home life, helping destigmatize mental illness. At about age 12 he watched radio reporters cover the Perth Regiment's postwar return and decided broadcasting was something much bigger than himself. He finished high school at Stratford Central Secondary School (debate, barbershop quartet, drama) and did not pursue university. Colleagues later noted that formal education ended with high school even as he collected honorary doctorates.

He began at CJCS Stratford in 1952 (after-school operator, midnight news), moved to CJOY Guelph, then into CBC television in the mid-1950s (Windsor then Winnipeg from 1956, Ottawa, Toronto). He married high-school sweetheart Nancy Barrett in July 1956. They would celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on 2026-07-14. Four daughters followed as postings moved. Network work included Expo 67, the 1969 Apollo 11 moon coverage with Percy Saltzman, and anchoring The National through the October Crisis. Frustrated by CBC union rules that kept anchors from writing scripts or reporting in the field, he left for CTV in 1976.

At CTV he first co-anchored with Harvey Kirck, then became chief news anchor and senior editor (appointed about 1983; solo after Kirck left the desk in 1984). He guided viewers through federal elections, two Quebec referendums, Olympics, royal and papal visits, the patriation of the Constitution, Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope and a historic five-hour CTV telethon that helped raise about $10 million, Air India, the Montreal massacre, Expo 86, the Gulf War, and a marathon 9/11 shift. Viewers voted him Canada's most trusted news anchor in TV Guide polls 11 years running. He won three Gemini Awards for best host, anchor or interviewer (1992, 1994, 1997), was named an Officer of the Order of Canada (awarded 1997, invested 1998), and in 2007 became the first journalist inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Ivan Fecan nicknamed him "Anchor for Life."

He announced retirement from the CTV desk on 2010-07-08 and signed off on 2011-09-01, succeeded by Lisa LaFlamme, remaining with W5 into 2016 and later hosting The Walrus with Lloyd Robertson on AMI-audio (2017 to 2020). He published his memoir in 2012, appeared in comedy with Royal Canadian Air Farce and in a Corner Gas cameo, and accepted the SCTV "Floyd Robertson" parody as marvelous. He survived a 2018 multi-vehicle crash on the Don Valley Parkway without injury. Colleagues remembered a small-ego mentor who emailed praise to young reporters and defended LaFlamme after her 2022 exit. He died peacefully at home on the evening of 2026-08-04, surrounded by family. Cause of death was not made public. The family thanked caregiving teams including Mount Sinai, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Sunnybrook's Odette Cancer Centre. Private memorial; public visitation at Chapel Ridge Funeral Home, Markham, 2026-09-08 and 2026-09-09; donations to the Lloyd and Nancy Robertson Youth Initiative Fund.