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Marianna Simeone, an extraordinary personality, trilingual broadcast journalist and business executive
Many
Montrealers know Marianna as a radio and television broadcaster. Her
audiences feel that she is speaking directly to them as individuals
– a rare and valuable commodity in that business. She has also
been a successful businesswoman; a member of the Boards for the Museum
of Civilization, Canada’s War Museum, The Montreal Port
Authority; and a spokesperson for the Montreal Children’s
Hospital and the capital campaign for Concordia University. Somehow she
has been able to do all this while she and husband Domenic raise their
two sons, Alessandro and Massimiliano.
By
Peter Kerr
“My father and mother went to work
early, and I would have breakfast by myself, come home for lunch and
watch the Flintstones while eating my sandwich – and then come home
after school and do my homework. My mother would call me at lunch and
after school to make sure I was safe."
“We lived in St-Michel and all of my
parents’ friends were Italian. They seldom went out socially – but when
they did it was to visit their Italian friends. We lived completely in
Italian.”
Marianna describes her first days at
school. “I didn’t speak English and had just a little French that we’d
picked up playing in the street. We wore name tags with our addresses
on the back.
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Marianna with husband Domenic and their sons Alessandro and Massimiliano – First Communion for the boys…and Domenic
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It was frightening – we couldn’t understand English – and
I don’t think our teachers spoke much Italian!”
However,
Marianna persevered and she became an excellent student.
“Our parents
placed a very high value on education – recognizing that a good
education would enable us to make a better life. And while our parents
appreciated the importance of education – they hadn’t quite figured out
how to give advice.” Marianna continues: “I remember asking my father
for advice about what courses to take – he’d look at me in disbelief.
He couldn’t imagine that the CEGEP and Universities didn’t have set
courses for us to follow. He also couldn’t believe that we didn’t study
Latin – which in his mind was the language of civilization”.
“My
father was a very literate man. He read poetry to me when I was a
child… and he wrote to every Prime Minister – championing the
principles of justice and equality.”
| After completing her
CEGEP education, Marianna went to work before continuing on to
university. Her father, Lupo - who had been in his thirties while
serving in the Italian Army during WWll and 21 years older than his
wife Anna, died. Marianna - an only child and very close to her father
– was devastated. “I took a year off and went to Italy; to the village
where my parents grew up. I got to know my father better through my
uncles and his friends in the village. I also found myself during that
year.” |
With Federal Liberal MP Marlene Jennings,
who is also fluent in Italian |
A revitalized Marianna returned to Montreal and graduated
from Concordia University in 1986, with Honours in Italian and a Major
in German. “My friends were becoming lawyers and doctors so that they
could get ahead and move out of the old neighbourhood – but me – I
studied languages!” What seemed to be a poor decision would soon turn
out to be a fine basis for a career in international business.
“Concordia taught me how to learn. The ability to study a problem and
then form an action plan has served me well.”
Marianna met
Domenic Pappadia while they were students. “I met Domenic on September
13, 1984 on the Loyola Campus of Concordia University. I knew he was
‘the one’ when we first met. We encourage each other and give each
other confidence. I’m not sure I’d have become the Marianna Simeone
that the public knows without Domenic’s support.”
Marianna’s
choice of languages in university was about to pay off. “There was a
new Board at the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada with a mandate
for renewal.” Marianna was hired in 1986, and quickly rose through the
organization to become Executive Director. “I worked damn hard – but we
were also creative and dynamic.”
Under her leadership,
Montreal became the headquarters for The Italian Chamber of Commerce
with additional offices in Quebec City, Vancouver and Milan, one of the
world’s foremost centres for trade fairs and international commerce.
The Montreal office was the largest in North America – even bigger than
New York.
However the demands of two young sons were
beginning to take an emotional toll.
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Former MP Sheila Copps spoke Italian
when appearing on 7 Giorni
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bMarianna’s sense of family and
commitment to her boys were in conflict with her career as an
international business executive. “As Alessandro and Massimiliano were
getting older, it was increasingly difficult to maintain the long hours
in the office and extensive travel with four offices on two continents.
I gave it up with a heavy heart. But I knew that it was the right
decision.”
However, as one door closed… another one opened.
“I
was invited to join the Board of Directors of the Museum of
Civilization. It was a little intimidating at first – serving with
other members like Adrianne Clarkson, Robert Bothwell, Barney Danson
and Jack Granatstein. We were also responsible for the design and
building of the new Canadian War Museum.”
Marianna continues;
“I had the extra language, and I brought the voice of the immigrant
experience to the Board. It was one of the best experiences of my life,
and I know that my contribution over the seven years was useful – I
made a difference.”
As a high profile Concordia graduate,
Marianna became involved in the capital campaign in the late 90’s;
bringing her into contact with prominent and successful executives such
as Ronald Correy (Montreal Canadians) Don Taddeo and Rick Renaud.
Again, Marianna’s enthusiasm and diligent work ethic made a valuable
contribution to the success of the campaign. She was subsequently asked
to join the Board of Governors of Concordia. With her business profile
gaining recognition; Marianna was invited to serve on the Board for the
Port of Montreal.
Meanwhile, Marianna was developing her broadcast career.
The
management at CJAD asked her to join the “Gang of Four” for the lively
9 am discussion in the first half hour of Tommy Schnurmacher’s show.
She also participated on Gord Sinclair’s “Free For All” discussion
noon. “It was a great school to learn the issues. Gord was fantastic
with me – sort of like a Guardian Angel. I couldn’t get anything by
him…he could tell if something was bothering me. He’d say: ‘Kid –
what’s the matter? Are they treating you all right?’ There’s a slight
sag in her composure and Marianna expresses a sentiment felt by so many
Montrealers; “When he got sick – it killed me…”
Marianna began
hosting a weekly current events program called 7 Giorni (7 Days) on
Global Television’s CH network – in Italian. “Every week for three
years I brought on interesting people and we discussed the issues of
the day. I was bringing these issues into the Italian community and
forward to many people who lived primarily in Italian. People would
tell me that our topics were now being discussed at Sunday dinner when
families were together. Our community was becoming engaged…people would
stop me on the street and ask; ‘Say Marianna – who do we vote for?’
Unfortunately, the producers at Global were more interested in someone
who would share recipes – and while she’s an excellent cook – this was
not what Marianna envisioned. Her guests included Marlene Jennings and
Sheila Copps (who both speak Italian), Jean Charest and many other
prominent political figures who were able to get their message out to
the Italian community. In a dramatic on-air telecast, Marianna informed
her viewers that due to a difference in philosophy with the producers,
her last program would be the one they were viewing.
At about
the same time, Marianna began volunteering as a spokesperson for The
Montreal Children’s Hospital – a task she continues and has embraced
for the past five years.
I asked Marianna how she came to the
CBC, where she has a popular feature called My Take on the News at Six
broadcast. “During the 2004 federal election campaign, the CBC asked me
to do feature commentary called Ballot Boxing on the 6pm news. My
‘opponent’ was Egbert Guay. I represented the political right and
Egbert of course was the left.”
Marianna continues; “I was
very impressed with their professionalism and willingness to listen –
and that they were open to my experience. I told them that I was only a
phone call away if they ever needed me.” And call they did - when the
Paul Martin Liberals fell and the winter election of 2005/06 took
place. Soon after, Marianna was asked to replace Michel Godbout when he
took parental leave after the birth of his first child.
After
Michel’s return to anchor the evening news, the producers asked
Marianna to do an opinion piece. “They saw how thorough and meticulous
I was in my preparation and they asked me to try this segment, My Take.
The feedback from the viewers was outstanding – and they decided to
keep it as a regular feature.” Marianna brings what is now regarded as
her trademark enthusiasm and passion to her CBC assignments. “You can
get your information anywhere – what people want is a value-added
component that gives them an opportunity to participate – to express
themselves. The audience has that opportunity with My Take. It is an
opportunity and a privilege to be able to express myself on the issues
of the day.”
The management at CBC have also recognized that
Marianna can be a fine ambassador for the station, and she is often
called upon to represent the CBC. In a recent symposium organized by
the Quebec Community Groups Network at the Université de Montréal,
Marianna was part of a panel that included Victor Goldbloom and
Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser.
And what’s
next? “I’d like to have a larger role as a broadcaster – but for now,
I’m happy with My Take.” Whatever she chooses to do, Montrealers can
expect the same enthusiasm, attention to detail, and humanity that has
made Marianna a Montreal media favourite.
Marianna Simeone’s My Take can be seen on CBC News at Six, Channel 13”
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