Whit Fraser

Whit Fraser is a journalist, broadcaster, author, and spouse of Canada’s Governor General, Mary Simon. Over his long career with the CBC, he has covered Arctic news, worked for eight years on Parliament Hill, and operated as a primetime anchor for CBC Newsworld. Fraser was the founding chair of the Canadian Polar Commission (1991–97) and executive director of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (2001–06), an organization founded in 1971 to give national representation to Inuit voices. He is the author of True North Rising, a memoir which won the NorthWords Book Prize, and Cold Edge of Heaven. From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall (Douglas & McIntyre), his most recent memoir, publishes in 2026. Fraser and Simon now live at Rideau Hall in Ottawa where they continue in public service.