Barbara and Murray Frum

Barbara & Murray Frum: A Voice of Integrity

On my walk through York Cemetery in Toronto, I came across the unique and peaceful grave of Barbara and Murray Frum — two individuals whose lives shaped both Canadian media and public life in lasting ways.

Barbara Frum was raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where her family owned Rosberg’s Department Stores in Niagara Falls and Welland. In 1957, she married Toronto dentist Murray Frum, who would later become a successful real estate developer, art collector, and philanthropist.

Barbara’s journalism career began in 1971, when she joined CBC Radio as one of the original hosts of As It Happens — a program that continues to air today. But it was in 1982 that she became a household name, when CBC launched The Journal, a nightly newsmagazine airing immediately after The National.

Smart, direct, and unshakable, Barbara interviewed some of the most influential people of the 20th century — from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to Nelson Mandela. Her interviews became essential viewing for Canadians, and her presence brought depth and clarity to the national conversation.

When Barbara Frum died of leukemia on March 26, 1992, the country was stunned. Few outside her closest circle knew of her illness. She was just 54.

In 1993, the Barbara Frum Atrium was opened inside the CBC building in Toronto — a fitting tribute to a woman whose voice had been part of so many Canadian households.

Her son, David Frum —  editor at The Atlantic — once shared this about her:

“Above all things, I hate a lie,” she often said.
And the lies she hated were not only the concealments of politicians and the distortions of journalists, but the structures of self-flattery that prevent us from seeing necessary truths about ourselves.

1937-1992 (Barbara)