Peter M. Liba (1940-2007)

Peter M. Liba

Year Born: 

1940

Year Died: 

2007

Year of Induction: 

1998

Member of CAB Hall of Fame

Liba, Peter M. (1940-2007)

Winnipeg born Peter Liba, CM.,started his business career as a reporter/editor  with the Portage la Prairie Daily Graphic and the Neepawa Press before joining the Winnipeg Tribune in 1960, where, by 1967, he had become City Editor.

In 1974, Peter Liba joined the CanWest Group of Companies, where he rose to become President and CEO of CKND-TV in Manitoba and SaskWest TV in Saskatchewan prior to moving to the Corporate Offices  of CanWest Global Communications Corp. in 1993, as Executive Vice-President.  He held a number of senior offices in the company  before becoming Executive Director, Corporate Affairs in 1997.

He was appointed to the Boards of several of CanWest’s many companies, both in Canada  and overseas.

 Peter Liba  served for two terms as Chairman of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. He also served as President of the Western Association of Broadcasters and President of the Broadcasters  Association of Manitoba.

In1975, he became President of his own company, Peli Ventures Inc.

Peter Liba was especially active in community affairs, a role that was recognized  in 1984, when, at the age of 44,  he was awarded the Order of Canada.

Among his many activities, he was a Director and Chairman of St. Boniface General Hospital;  Dorais Charities Inc.; Chief Barker of the Variety Club of Manitoba; Founding Chairman of the Variety Telethon which raised millions of dollars for handicapped children in Manitoba.

From 1976 to 1986, Mr. Liba served as a Director of the Winnipeg Convention Centre, including two terms as President; Director of the 1991 Grey Cup Corporation; Director  of the Habitat Foundation Advisory Board for the Jimmy Carter Work Project `93 in Canada; Councillor of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce from 1979 to 1982; Director of the Manitoba Heart Foundation; Director of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews (Prairie Region), and Director of Winnipeg’s Refugee Assistance Committee Inc. From 1964 to 1967 he served  as a School Trustee of the Transcona-Springfield School Division.  He later served as Chairman of the CanWest Media Works Income Fund.

In 1998, Peter Liba was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame.

On March 2nd 1999, Peter was sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, the Province’s 22nd representative of the Queen, a position he held through 2004.

Peter Liba died suddenly on June 21st 2007 at his family’s summer home near Winnipeg.  He was 67. 

In September 2007, CanWest Global Communications Corp. honoured Peter for his work on behalf of disadvantaged children in Manitoba with the announcement of a gift of $15,000 to establish the CanWest Peter M. Liba Memorial Bursary, which would be awarded annually to Manitoba students who participated in the Lieutenant Governor’s Youth Experience Program.

Written by Pip Wedge – June, 2005