Peter Mallette
Birthdate
December 8, 1956
First Media Job
CKSO TV, Sudbury
Peter Mallette grew up in Levack, Ontario, attended Levack District High School and then Canadore College of Applied Arts & Technology where he studied Radio & Television Arts. His first stop along the way of his broadcasting career was at CKSO TV, a CTV affiliate, in the latter part of the 1970s. He worked as a television reporter and news anchor. He became Director of Promotions in April of 1988. This involved developing and implementing on-air television promotion strategies. By April of 1991 Peter was positioned as Senior Anchor and Producer.
In July of 1996 Peter made the move to Halifax, Nova Scotia joining the news team at the CTV affiliate in that city. He anchored and produced the 6:00 pm CTV Weekend News. He was also General Assignment Reporter. In January of 2008 he became Senior Producer and Assistant News Director. This position came with an extended job description. He provided senior leadership to the editorial staff of the news department, was responsible for daily on-air presentation and editorial content of all news and current affairs broadcasts and managerial duties which included hiring, training and participation in negotiations of collective agreements.
Peter Mallette was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005. He was 48 years of age and it was just six months after he was married. His father and grandfather suffered from the same cancer. Peter is a prostate cancer survivor and has dedicated his life to advocating for those who contract the cancer. He turned volunteer and became a peer support phone mentor for the Canadian Cancer Society.
Peter was on a new career path in late 2010 when he became Executive Director of Atlantic Region for Prostate Cancer Canada. This was a new position for the organization with the goal of establishing a presence in the Atlantic region. Peter’s responsibilities included building and maintaining relationships with funders, community partners and stakeholders and establishing and nurturing relationships with donors. He was also given the mandate to grow and support prostate cancer support groups throughout Atlantic Canada and provide leadership to office staff and volunteers and to achieve fund development targets.
Peter shared his story and testimony on Prostate Cancer Canada’s “Expert Angle”, a series of webinars designed to reach out and address the questions that come with a diagnosis of prostate cancer and address the care and support available. In his presentation recorded on May 17, 2016, Peter talked about his family history in dealing with prostate cancer, what he learned from his own diagnosis and treatment and finally, his experience from serving as a volunteer to becoming a passionate advocate. His speech was titled, “From Survivor to Advocate”.
In the fall of 2016, TELUS and the Prostate Cancer Canada Board of Directors honoured Peter with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and incredible efforts as Executive Director. In his acceptance speech Peter described his feelings and reaction after learning of his diagnosis. While trying to be brave outwardly, inside he questioned over and over, what, if any good could ever come of this. He acknowledged the answer was evident in their midst that day as the assembled audience and celebration served as testament of the accomplishments of the Atlantic branch and all it was doing for countless men and their families.
Having just turned 60 Peter decided it was time to retire. He left Prostate Cancer in December of 2016 and in March of 2019 he and his partner moved to Kelowna, British Columbia.
Today Peter and a cousin, Dan Mallette, also from Levack, perform as a folk duo, calling themselves, Moirs Hill. They play at retirement resorts and as Peter puts it, “any winery that will have us!”. The duo also offers volunteer performances for the Central Okanagan Hospice Association based in Kelowna.