{{other uses}} {{BLP sources|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = John Henry Downing |image = Jhdii.jpg |office = President, Canadian National Exhibition |term_start = October, 1999 |term_end = October 2001 |predecessor = Robert Bowman |successor = Debra Woodman |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1936|6|10}} |birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Mary Horvat<small> (1962-present)</small> |children = 3; John Henry III, Brett D., Mark |alma_mater = Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (Bachelor of Applied Arts 1972) |website = http://blog.johndowning.ca/ }}
'''John Downing''' (born 1936) is an author, reporter, editor and columnist, most notably writing for the ''Toronto Telegram'' and later the ''Toronto Sun''.
==Journalism== He was editor of the ''Whitehorse Star'' in 1957, and reporter and editor on the ''Toronto Telegram'' from 1958 to 1971. He was a "Day Oner"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/about/25_anniversary/2008/08/26/6576091.html|title=Brothers and Sisters Always: The Sun's Day Oners...|publisher=Toronto Sun|date=2008-08-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/about/30_anniversary/2008/08/25/6569361.html|title=5,000 Columns later: Sun's birth like a family birthday|publisher=Toronto Sun|date=2008-08-28}}</ref> of the ''Toronto Sun'' first as city hall columnist and then as the Editor from 1985 to 1997.
==Professional associations== 200px|leftJohn Downing has been president of the Canadian National Exhibition,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theex.com/site.php?menu=06:01:01|title=Board of Directors|publisher=The Ex|year=2009}}</ref> Toronto Press Club and Press Clubs of Canada, and director and governor of the Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Runnymede Health Care Centre,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.runnymedehc.ca/corporation.html|title=Board of Directors and Annual Members of the Corporation 2009-2010|publisher=Runnymede Healthcare Centre}}</ref> Exhibition Place, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://trca.on.ca/get-involved/honour-roll.dot|title=TCRA Honour Roll Awards|publisher=Toronto and Region Conservation|year=1986|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925142709/http://trca.on.ca/get-involved/honour-roll.dot|archivedate=2009-09-25}}</ref> Ontario Safety League, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
==Safety== 200px|Left<br /> He has written chapters for books on the CNE and Toronto politics, two political biographies, and articles for ''Time'', ''Macleans'' and other publications. He appeared on the CBC, CityTV, the Global Television Network, CFTR and CFRB.
Downing has been credited with popularizing the term "Red Rocket" for the Toronto Transit Corporation's (TTC) streetcars.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://transit.toronto.on.ca/streetcar/4002.shtml|title=FAQ - Streetcars|publisher=Transit Toronto|year=2008}}</ref>
==Images== <gallery> File:Clinton and Downing.jpg|Clinton and Downing </gallery>
==Chronology== * 1957 - Downing joins ''Whitehorse Star'' as Editor * 1958 - Downing joins the ''Toronto Telegram'' first as Reporter then City Editor and Managing Editor * 1971 - Downing joins the ''Toronto Sun'' as a columnist * 1985 - Downing becomes ''Toronto Sun'' Editor * 1999 - Downing becomes President of Canadian National Exhibition Association
==Publications== * Phillips, Nathan and Downing, John. ''Mayor of All the People'', McClelland & Stewart Canada, 1967. * Downing, John. "Ryerson University - A Unicorn Among Horses" [http://blog.johndowning.ca/p/blog-page_19.html John Downing (April 17 2017)], Canada, 2017.
==References== <references />
== External links == * [http://blog.johndowning.ca John Downing's Blog]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Downing, John}} Category:1936 births Category:Canadian columnists Category:Journalists from Toronto Category:Toronto Metropolitan University alumni Category:Living people Category:Toronto Sun editors