Lowell Green Passes Away

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Lowell Green.

Lowell Green was born July 7, 1936, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Canadian parents. His father was H. Gordon Green, a well-known author, columnist and editor at the The Family Herald. Lowell grew up in Arthur, Ontario, before attending Macdonald Agricultural College of McGill University.

Best known for his many years at CFRA in Ottawa, Lowell’s radio career began in Brantford, Ontario. He worked in Sudbury and Montreal before being hired at CFRA in 1960 as a news and farm reporter. His incredibly popular “Greenline" show launched in 1966.

By the time he retired in January 2016, Lowell had become North America’s longest-running open-line talk show host. He kept contributing to CFRA until December 2019, but even then couldn’t quite give up the microphone. He recreated The Lowell Green Show online in 2021, which ran until November 4, 2022.

Two of his historic broadcasts are preserved at Library and Archives Canada.

His contributions to Ottawa and to Canada include a campaign to save the Centennial flame on Parliament Hill; a campaign encouraging his listeners to send bottles of polluted water from the Rideau River to Queen’s Park, which helped lead to the formation of the Rideau River Conservation Authority; his Fire Arms Safety Association, which saw thousands of people join after a shooting at St. Pius X High School; a fundraising campaign to send Robert (Robbie) McRuer to the United States for specialized medical treatment that helped save him from a life-threatening illness; and his Unity Rally ahead of the 1995 Quebec separation referendum, which drew over 100,000 Canadians from outside Quebec.

He will also be remembered as the co-founder of Big Brothers (Ottawa chapter) and the Help Santa Toy Parade, as well as for his work to modernize and renovate the Saint Vincent and the Élisabeth Bruyère Hospitals.

Additionally, he was the founder of the Ottawa Sunday Herald (now the Ottawa Sun) and authored ten books.

While Lowell was a well-known supporter of the Conservative Party, some might be surprised to learn that he sought the Liberal nomination for the federal riding of Pontiac in 1968 and ran for the Ontario Liberals in an Ottawa Centre by-election in 1984.

Lowell will be remembered for promoting “common sense” and his “island of sanity”.

Lowell died suddenly on Saturday, February 14. The family requests privacy at this time.

Major Awards:

RTNDA Lifetime Achievement Award (2006).

Golden Ribbon Award For Outstanding Community Service, by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.

Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals.

Helen Keller Fellowship Award Community.

Friendship Award, from the Royal Canadian Legion.

Chief of Defence staff medallion.

Senate 150th Anniversary Medal.

Helen Keller Fellowship Award from Lions International

Honours:

Citations from Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

November 2017, honoured in the House of Commons of Canada by the Honourable Pierre Poilievre.

Received the Community Builders Award, displayed at Ottawa City Hall.

Ottawa hospital wing named after him.

Ottawa day named in his honour.