Percy Saltzman Awards

Percy's Lifetime Achievements and Awards

1925: Came first in a foot race at school picnic - Neudorf, Sask.
 
1930: Came first in oratorical contest, King George High School, Vancouver, B.C.
 
1930: Wins Debating Contest, receives Silver Cup, Vancouver, B.C.
 
1930: Scores cup-winning goal in Vancouver City High School Hockey League Final, Vancouver, B.C.
 
1930: Wins Governor General Lord Willingdon's Silver Medal for ranking first in the British Columbia Provincial High School final exams.
 
1932: Won silver medal for ice speed skating at University of British Columbia.
 
1932: Won two scholarships: came first in 2nd year Faculty of Arts General Proficiency final exams and also came first in English and French 2nd year final exams at University of British Columbia.
 
1934: Overcame McGill's anti-semitic exclusion quota and gained admission to the Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Que.
 
1948: Won the Blue Ribbon Award from Ohio State University for a radio program reporting on "The Kinsey Report", CKEY, Toronto.
 
1960: Won "TV Guide" magazine award as the first Canadian TV Star.
 
2001: A remarkable tribute from the People's Republic of China, on its English Channel TV Website: "How did we become so wild about the weather? It all started with Percy Saltzman, one of the first on Canadian TV in 1952. He became the world's first Weather Entertainer, his trademark a toss of the chalk in the air." See this link for more.
 
2003: Was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal.
 
2003: The Order of Canada
Citation reads: "He is a pioneer in Canadian Broadcasting and the first popular TV weatherman. The night CBC English television went on the air, he was the first person to be seen, beginning a record-setting 30-year stint that would make him one of our best-loved personalities. With his easy-going manner, he simplified meteorology, translating its complexities into layman's terms with a swish of the chalk. In addition to his broadcasting and performing activities, he was also deeply involved with a special needs program for disabled seniors at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care."
  Percy Saltzman Order of Canada

Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson The Governor General of Canada and Percy Saltzman
Ottawa - February 21, 2003

2004: The Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame
Citation reads: "Percy Saltzman was the first weatherman on Canadian television and is a seasoned interviewer and host. A trained meteorologist, he pitched the idea of a weather show to CBC-TV and became the first live person to be seen on CBC-TV's English broadcasts when they started in September 1952. Percy became the first Canadian weatherman to use radar and satellite, the first to give road reports and the first to give forest fire reports - a true pioneer of the genre. After having served as a meteorologist in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in the Second World War, he helped arrange weather programs for CBC Radio and was part of the CKEY Toronto radio team, where he produced and narrated documentaries. Percy Saltzman was one of Canada's most skilled interviewers and was part of many CBC-TV's news and public affairs programs, including participation in the 10-day coverage of the first moon walk. In 1972, he joined CTV to host Canada's first national morning news and public affairs program - Canada AM. In 1974-75 he was an interviewer on CITY-TV Toronto and went on to forecast the weather for Global-TV. Percy estimates in the course of his career, he did 6,000 TV shows including evening and morning shows, news and interview programs and all types of special TV programs. (Also 3,000 radio shows.)
 

Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame