Benoit Pariseau, 87, on July 25. Pariseau, who defined himself as a Franco public radio influencer in Alberta over his 35-year career, initially went to work for Northern Alberta Railways (NAR) after college, before getting his start in radio at French-language station CFRG Gravelbourgh, SK in 1960. In late 1972, he became program director at CHFA Edmonton, later going on to a long career as an on-air personality. CHFA, which started as a not-for-profit to bring French-language radio to Edmonton, was directly acquired by Radio-Canada in 1974. Pariseau’s career with the public broadcaster would expand into television news and sports, including covering the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. He retired in 1995.
Genevieve Westcott, 65, on July 10, from breast cancer. Westcott began her career as a financial reporter for the Vancouver Sun, and then joined The Province as an editorial page writer. The Western grad later made the move into television, working for Canwest, CBC, and as the West Coast bureau chief for CTV News. Along the way, she met New Zealand cameraman Ross “Rosco” Kenward and moved to New Zealand in 1984 where she began working for TVNZ’s Eyewitness News. She returned to CTV in 1987 as an anchor and reporter for W5, reporting from destinations around the globe. In 1989, she joined New Zealand’s TV3 for its launch, also reporting for the channel’s offerings of 60 Minutes, 20/20 and A Current Affair, as well as at Newstalk ZB. Westcott moved into communications in 2013, joining Auckland’s Massey University in external communications. Over her career, she was recognized with numerous awards, including three for investigative reporting at the New York Film and Television Festival, and eight New Zealand media awards.
