CTV’s Chief National News Anchor Lisa LaFlamme is now the holder of an honourary law degree from the University of Windsor.
Laflamme addressed the final convocation of law students Friday afternoon at the St. Denis Centre after receiving the honourary degree.
She touched on the similarities between the professions of law and journalism, stressing the need to push for truth in an age of fake news, which she sees as a substitution for news you don't like.
“To be a witness during the good times and the bad times, and above all, to fight for justice,” said LaFlamme.
Laflamme also implored the graduating class to push back against the stream of algorithms in our lives and reintroduce the human touch.
“Algorithms deciding what news stories we read, robots telling us what to like and not like, influencing elections, my message is to reclaim the lost art of critical thinking. It really is the cornerstone of democracy and I sadly think it's slipping away,” said LaFlamme.
LaFlamme is a trailblazer for women in Canadian news broadcasting. She has covered some of the biggest stories in recent history, including the death of Pope John Paul II, Hurricane Katrina, the devastating tsunami in South Asia, the Haiti earthquake and two royal weddings.
She has won numerous awards for her work, including the RTDNA President’s Award in 2016.
In December 2016, LaFlamme was appointed to the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest honour which recognizes individuals whose exceptional achievements in their field has left a lasting legacy on the province, Canada, and beyond.
