A Brief History
On September 8, 1952, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, having been broadcasting radio since 1936, made its first TV broadcast on a subject seldom associated with The Great White North, the second escape from jail by the notorious Boyd Gang of criminals operating out of Toronto.
Digging Deeper
Canada has a reputation for being a country of nice folks, many of whom have gone on to great success in the United States, but there is more to Canada than poutine and snow, including some nasty criminals.
Named for Edwin Boyd who cut his criminal teeth in Saskatchewan and went to Toronto after World War II, the gang members met while in jail. Various crimes followed, notably bank robberies and gun fights, leading the police on manhunts and staging prison breaks.
Lorne Greene, the famous actor who happens to be Canadian made the historic TV broadcast. Captured 10 days after the escape, life sentences and executions ended the gang.
Question for students (and subscribers) to ponder: Have you visited Canada?
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Hendley, Nate. Edwin Alonzo Boyd: Life and Crimes of Canada’s Master Bank Robber. Amazing Stories, 2013.
Vallee, Brian. Edwin Alonzo Boyd. Doubleday Canada, 1997.
