Editing This Hour Has Seven Days (section)

== History ==
Created by [[Patrick Watson (producer)|Patrick Watson]] and [[Douglas Leiterman]], ''This Hour Has Seven Days'' debuted on October 4, 1964, with a [[studio audience]], unheard of for a news show at the time. The debut episode featured music by [[Dinah Christie]], who sang original tunes based on the news of the week, and an interview with [[Marguerite Oswald]], mother of [[Lee Harvey Oswald]].<ref name=":0" />

The show was initially hosted by [[John Drainie]], [[Laurier LaPierre]], and Carole Simpson (not to be confused with the now-retired [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] weekend news anchor of [[Carole Simpson|the same name]]); Simpson was soon replaced by Christie.

In the show's second season, Watson himself replaced Drainie as co-host, after the latter (who died in 1966) was too ill to continue with the series. This would leave Leiterman as the sole executive producer.<ref name=":2" />

===Cancellation===
Concerned about the show's approach to the news, the CBC fired hosts Watson and LaPierre in April 1966, just before the end of the TV season;<ref name="goldenage" /> Lapierre's tears following the Truscott report, purportedly betraying a [[bias]] in his reporting, were cited as the pretext for the firing.<ref name="goldenage" /> This resulted in a public outcry for weeks as viewers organized demonstrations, wrote letters and made angry phone calls, CBC staff threatened to resign,<ref name="goldenage" /> newspaper editorials fulminated about political interference in the decision, and politicians demanded a [[Parliament of Canada|parliamentary]] inquiry.

A parliamentary committee hearing was convened, and [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Lester Pearson]] appointed ''[[The Vancouver Sun|Vancouver Sun]]'' publisher [[Stu Keate]] as a special investigator. CBC president [[Alphonse Ouimet]] told the committee that CBC management had been battling the show's producers for two years, and that the show had consistently ignored CBC policies.<ref>"CBC brass, '7 Days' fought running battle 2 years, Ouimet says," Michael Best, ''[[Toronto Star]]'', May 6, 1966, p.1</ref>

Following two weeks of mediation, Keate said it was clear that there had been "mistakes made on both sides" and recommended that the CBC board of directors do a better job of explaining to the public its decision to fire Watson and LaPierre.<ref>"Explain your firings, Keate urges CBC" Martin Goodman, ''[[Toronto Star]]'', May 27, 1966, p.1</ref> CBC directors immediately reaffirmed the firing of Watson and LaPierre, while admitting that the way they were fired had been a mistake.<ref>"Producers talk of strike again as CBC stands firm on firings," ''[[Toronto Star]]'', May 28, 1966, p.1</ref>

The dispute heated up again in July, leading producer Douglas Leiterman to halt work on a new season of programs.<ref name="Leiterman1966">"Leiterman suspends work on '7 Days'," ''[[Toronto Star]]'', July 6, 1966, p.1</ref> Leiterman said he was told by CBC that his contract for the show would only be renewed if he signed a pledge to behave himself, and that he believed that Bud Walker—the CBC vice-president who had fired Watson and LaPierre—had been given a promotion to oversee all CBC English programming.<ref name="Leiterman1966" /> The CBC denied that Walker had been promoted, fired Leiterman and cancelled the show.<ref>"Leiterman fired, Watson, Haggan quit," Roy Shields, ''[[Toronto Star]]'', July 8, 1966, p.1</ref>