Contributor Profiles

Born and raised in Montreal, Stuart has been an avid reader for most of his life with a penchant for facts and trivia that led him to appearances on CBC's Reach For The Top (both locally and nationally), Jeopardy! and, most recently, CTV's Battle of the Generations’, where he proudly represented the Baby Boomer generation.

Stuart began his journalism career in 1980 as an entertainment reporter and editor for the Vanier college newspaper The End. Subsequently, he held positions with The Suburban, The Weekly Herald and The Montreal Times newspapers. In 2014 he began travel writing and has produced pieces about varied destinations including Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Key West, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Denver and Seattle.

He has also appeared as a regular contributor on such CJAD programs as The Trivia Show, Al & Era, and Holder Tonight/Overnight. In 2009, he went the podcast route when his Book Banter reviews became a regular feature on The Stuph File Program with Peter Anthony Holder.

In 2002, Stuart’s first book, Beyond the Mountain: True Tales About Montreal, was published and was listed for four weeks on the Montreal Gazette best seller list, peaking at No. 2.

During his varied career, Stuart has worked full-time as a researcher for the Just For Laughs festival, a technical editor for simulator giant CAE Inc., and as an information officer and exam coordinator for the English Montreal School Board (EMSB).

He also donates his time as an adult advisor for BBYO (B'nai Brith Youth Organization) and as a chaperone for Dreams Take Flight, where once a year he escorts a group of underprivileged and sick children for a magical day at Walt Disney World.

Likes to keep busy

Since his retirement from the EMSB in 2023, Stuart has had even more time to travel, write book reviews, and report on the entertainment scene. For those of you wondering how Stuart determines which destinations he’ll visit and write about, you might be surprised to learn that he has a “bucket list”. That’s right – places he’s dreamed of for many years. Would you believe Ann Arbor, Michigan where he hopes to fly a World War II vintage plane? Or how about a Beatles-oriented tour of London and Liverpool?

Here’s one that might surprise you: our intrepid scribe dreams of soaking in the healing, thermal waters of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Historically speaking, Stuart would be joining a visitors club that includes well-known public figures such as baseball legend Babe Ruth; Chicago gangsters Al Capone and Lucky Luciano; heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock; Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton; singer Tony Bennett; NFL coach Vince Lombardi; and Sam Houston who was a key figure in establishing Texas as a U.S. state after revolting against Mexico.

Is it any wonder that Stuart says he never gets bored? Stay tuned for more fascinating travel adventures from our newest contributor of 2025!