''Twenty Million Questions'' is a Canadian public affairs television series which aired on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...

from 1966 to 1969.

Premise

This weekly half-hour series featured documentary and interview footage regarding topics of national concern. Its hosts were Carleton University political science professor Donald Gordon and journalist Charles Lynch. Episode directors included Ed Reid and

Moses Znaimer Moses Znaimer (; born 1942) is a Canadian media executive. He is the co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia. Early life and education Znai ...

Bernard Ostry Bernard A. Ostry, (June 10, 1927 – May 24, 2006) was a Canadian author, philanthropist, and civil servant, who is best known for being chair and CEO of TVOntario. Born in Wadena, Saskatchewan, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from th ...

served as series Production Supervisor.

Scheduling

Season 1 - 1966-67

Episodes were broadcast on Thursdays at 10 p.m., from 6 October 1966 to 30 March 1967. * 6 October 1966 - the debut episode concerned the political realm * 13 October 1966 - a report on the Liberal Party's gathering in Ottawa, including an interview with

Lester B. Pearson Lester Bowles Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian politician, diplomat, statesman, and scholar who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. He also served as Leader of the Liberal Party of C ...

* 20 October 1966 - an interview with Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson, Sr. * 2 February 1967 - "Take Sweden for Instance", a documentary profile of that nation including its economic situation, international relations and labour movement * 30 March 1967 - "The Young Contenders", profiles of young Canadian politicians

Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a retired Canadian politician, statesman, and lawyer who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. He served as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, leader of t ...

, David MacDonald, Charles Taylor and

John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the Opposit ...

Season 2 - 1967-68

Episodes were broadcast on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. for the second season from 13 September 1967 to 26 June 1968. * 20 September 1967 -

Eric Kierans Eric William Kierans (2 February 1914 – 10 May 2004) was a Canadians, Canadian economist and politician. Early life Eric Kierans was born on 2 February 1914, in Montreal to Irish Canadians, Irish immigrant parents. He grew up in a working- ...

is guest interviewer of

John James Deutsch John James Deutsch (26 February 1911 – March 18, 1976) was a Canadian economist who served as the first chairman of the Economic Council of Canada, and as principal (1968–74) of Queen's University. Born in Quinton, Saskatchewan, and ed ...

of Queen's University * 27 September 1967 - Claude Ryan joins Charles Lynch to interview Lester B. Pearson. * 26 June 1968 - recap of the previous day's national election

Season 3 - 1968-69

This final season of episodes was broadcast on Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. for its final season from 17 September 1968 to 24 June 1969. * 24 June 1969 - in this final episode, Charles Lynch interviews

Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau (October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was a Canadian politician, statesman, and lawyer who served as the 15th prime minister of Canada from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984. Between his no ...

at his Prime Minister's residence

References

External links

* {{cite web , url=http://www.film.queensu.ca/CBC/Tid.html , first=Blaine , last=Allan , title=Twenty Million Questions , publisher= Queen's University , year=1996 , access-date=7 May 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924012750/http://www.film.queensu.ca/CBC/Tid.html , archive-date=24 September 2015 , df=dmy-all
"The Contender" with John Turner, at CBC Archives
(30 March 1967)
"The political up-and-comer" with Jean Chretien, Mitchell Sharp, at CBC Archives
(30 March 1967) CBC Television original programming 1966 Canadian television series debuts 1969 Canadian television series endings 1960s Canadian television news shows