Clairtone (2025)

[bunniefuu]

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

And let me see

what spring is like

On a-Jupiter and Mars

In other words

Hold my hand

In other words

Baby, kiss me

Fill my heart with song

And let me sing forevermore

You are all I long for

All I worship and adore

In other words

Please be true

In other words

I love you

Clairtone was already history

by the time I was a child,

by the time I was old

enough to talk about

those kinds of

things to my father.

But for him, it loomed large.

It always loomed large,

right to the end of his life.

He would say, "Clairtone

was my first great love,

"and you never

forget your first love."

Newsreel narrator:

In the heart of Central Europe,

situated on both banks

of the Danube, is Budapest.

In 1896, the Hungarians,

led by Prince rpd,

established their

government here.

The favorite promenade of

the Hungarians is the Corso.

Here at midday

and late afternoon,

the people of Budapest gather

to walk or sit at the many

cafes

and look out

at the lovely Danube.

Two blocks from the Corso

is the fashionable shopping

district, the Vci utca.

Nina: My dad was 16 when the

Germans marched into Hungary.

Knowing the worst was to come,

his grandfather managed to get

the family on the Kastner train,

a secret rescue operation

that saved 1,686 Hungarian Jews.

When the w*r was over,

there was no reason

to go back to Hungary.

There was nothing to go back to.

His father decided it was best

for him to leave Europe.

So, with help

from his uncle Nick,

who owned a machine tool

business in Toronto,

my dad managed to get a student

visa to come to Canada.

Everywhere you go

Sunshine follows you

Everywhere you go

At the University of Toronto,

he studied

electrical engineering,

where he was a determined

student and earned high marks.

Uncle Nick knew someone

over at Atlas Radio,

a company specializing

in high-fidelity equipment.

After he graduated,

Atlas hired my dad as their

chief electrical engineer.

Around that time,

he met my mother,

Linda Gutterson,

and they got married.

Crowd: Mazel tov!

Nina:

My dad was entrepreneurial.

And seeing his ambition,

his father-in-law,

my maternal grandfather,

told him to leave Atlas

and start his own business.

Man: Good afternoon,

Peter Monk Associates.

Nina: He borrowed $3,000

from his father-in-law

and $1,500 from his

father and Uncle Nick.

He hired a technician

and a cabinet maker,

and he started making

custom hi-fi systems

for affluent Torontonians.

That's how it all started.

In the mid-1950s,

the way people listened to music

was transformed by

a new audio technology,

which brought the richness

of the concert hall

into people's living rooms.

What you're going

to hear about today

is nothing short of a miracle.

It's dramatically new,

made possible only

through years of research

and innovation,

living stereo

played on a record.

And now,

it's available for everyone.

Stereo. Stereo. Stereo. Stereo.

Stereo.

It's a most unusual day

Feel like throwing

my worries away

As an old native-born

Californian would say

It's a most unusual day

Nina:

At Diana Sweets,

a student hangout

near the university,

my dad met David Gilmour.

I think he's cute.

They were total opposites.

David was from

a blue-blood Canadian family.

He was raised by a governess.

He played polo.

He wore

a signet ring on his pinky.

My dad?

My dad was an immigrant

with a Hungarian accent,

who'd arrived in Canada with

only the shirt on his back.

They hit it off.

David had no interest

in joining his father

in the stock brokerage business.

Instead, he began importing

modern Scandinavian furniture,

what was known as the New Look.

Commercial narrator:

From the heart of Scandinavia

comes a revolution in design

known as the New Look.

In Denmark,

craftsmen transformed

natural materials

into sleek,

functional furniture,

designed not just for use,

but for harmony with life.

Potters shape stoneware

that is both

delicate and durable,

perfect for the modern home.

Glass blowers shape molten

glass into elegant forms.

Artisans working in metal

produce a wide range

of everyday objects

that are modern and minimalist.

Form and function

work hand-in-hand,

making life simpler,

smarter, and more beautiful.

This is Scandinavian design,

the New Look - a timeless

vision for living well.

Nina: David and my dad decided

to try something together.

Inspired by a modern

Danish sideboard,

they made their first prototype.

It was a long, low,

oiled teak cabinet

outfitted with one

of my dad's hi-fi systems.

They put it in

the window at Sheila's--

a boutique in Yorkville

owned by David's sister.

It cost $700,

which was

a huge amount of money in 1958.

It sold right away.

My dad and David saw that people

would pay for high-quality

stereo equipment

in beautiful furniture.

So, they started

a company to do just that.

They called it Clairtone.

You're walking

along the street

Or you're at a party

Or else you're alone

And then you suddenly dig

You're looking

in someone's eyes

You suddenly realize

That this could be the

start of something big

Woman Shoppers,

Simpsons invites you

to enjoy our fine buffet

in the Arcadian Court,

level, ninth floor.

Simpsons is proud to announce

the arrival of fine

perfumes from Paris.

Nina: It was a long shot

for Simpsons to pick up

an unknown brand by

two Canadian nobodies,

especially since

Clairtone's stereo

cost twice as much

as the competition.

But, hey, it looked great,

it sounded great,

and the head of Simpsons

radio and TV department

agreed to give it a try.

Woman: "Stereophonic"?

What's that?

Man: I think it's a record

player, but with two speakers.

Woman: I like the way it looks.

Narrator: You've heard nothing

yet like Clairtone--

a Canadian-built,

Canadian-owned company,

exclusively at Simpson's

stores across Canada.

Nina: The salesman at Simpsons

reported that Clairtone's design

was especially

popular with women,

who saw it as a stylish

addition to their homes.

Within a few months, David

and my dad had orders to build

and deliver 82 stereos

to stores across Canada.

Man

The next demonstration

of the new

Clairtone stereo console

begin in

five minutes in Hall B.

Nina: My dad and David

brought their stereos

to an industry

trade show in New York,

and they quickly became

the talk of the event.

Their modern design and

innovative engineering stood out

from what the big American

companies were offering.

By the end of the weekend,

they had secured a deal

to distribute Clairtone stereos

in stores across the US.

Sales took off,

from $23,000 a month,

to $67,000 a month,

to $300,000 a month.

It was wild.

Even my dad was amazed.

Clairtone wasn't just a stereo.

It was a revolution in allure.

It was Canada's

most seductive export.

Newsreel narrator:

The people of Canada are using

their resources to

build a growing economy.

This is a nation of lumbering,

of fishing, of mining,

of farming,

and the manufacture

of agricultural machinery.

Today, Canadians are

looking to a bright future,

as they find new ways

to bring forth the riches

they draw from this great land.

Nina: The most fashionable

luxury brands

from around the world

were always displayed in the big

department stores of Manhattan.

For a Canadian

stereo to be featured

in the windows of

Bloomingdale's was unimaginable.

And yet, there it was.

My dad was seen

as a trailblazer,

and soon began

getting invitations

to speak to

Canadian business leaders

about Clairtone's rapid success.

Peter Munk actor:

Canada's success

depends on adopting

a bold new attitude,

free of inferiority, proud of

the "made in Canada" label,

and committed to innovation

and international trade.

By embracing this new attitude,

we can thrive as

a confident, competitive nation.

Thank you.

Nina:

Orders flooded it.

But the bigger Clairtone became,

the more money it needed.

Between the expanding payroll,

expensive components, rent,

and having to extend

credit to retailers

who never paid on time,

they were always short of cash.

To keep them going, David

took out a $20,000 mortgage

on the house he'd

inherited from his parents.

But that was just

a short-term fix.

One day, the tax department

demanded immediate payment

of $27,000 in overdue sales tax

or they'd force

the company into bankruptcy.

My dad and David were

already overdrawn at the bank.

They had borrowed against

every asset they had.

Their banker refused to

advance them another penny.

They had five hours

to come up with $27,000.

Somehow, though,

my dad was able to convince

a few of his biggest

retailers to make immediate

advance payments

on future deliveries.

The buyer at Simpsons,

for example,

who had been the first

to show confidence in them,

agreed to help.

But only if my dad could deliver

14 stereos by 3 p.m. that day.

He pulled it off.

Still, it was one

financial crisis after another.

They were growing faster than

ever, but barely staying afloat.

They needed to find

a long-term solution.

At a party, their accountant

was introduced to Irving Gould,

a financier who

assured them he could raise

a quarter of a million dollars

by selling a tiny part

of Clairtone on the

so-called "unlisted market".

Within a year,

shares had quadrupled in value.

At that moment, my dad and

David were millionaires...

at least on paper.

First thing my dad did

was pay back the $3,000

he'd borrowed

from his father-in-law.

Coming off

a record-breaking year

and excited about

their new product line,

David and my dad

turned their attention

to making Clairtone

a household name.

Newsreel narrator:

Ever wonder why advertising

is the key to business success?

Let's take a look.

Imagine you have

a great product,

but no one knows about it.

How can you make it visible?

The answer is advertising.

When your product is visible,

John and Jane Consumer

can see it,

and that means

more sales for you.

But how did John and Jane know

that Acme was

the best widget to buy?

Well, there's

newspaper advertising.

It's aimed at everyone.

But there's also

magazine advertising.

It's aimed at people

with special interests.

And on top of that,

there's radio advertising.

Radio DJ:

Acme widgets are darn good.

Newsreel narrator: It reaches

John as he's driving to work,

and Jane as she cooks

dinner or cleans the house.

Jane:

Which one should we buy, John?

John: Well, I've heard that

Acme widgets are darn good.

Jane:

Why did you hear that?

John:

Hmm, I'm not sure.

Yes, John isn't even

sure where he heard it.

All he knows is that Acme

widgets are, well, darn good.

So, why wait?

Invest in advertising today

and watch your business grow.

Nina: Dalton Camp, the ad man

and political strategist,

was hired to come up

with a brand-new

advertising campaign

for Clairtone.

Instead of focusing on technical

specs and sound quality,

Dalton Camp's ads

focused on David and my dad.

Understatement's always

been a virtue in Canada,

but the Clairtone Boys,

as they were known,

were anything but understated.

They were unapologetic showmen.

Dalton Camp also made the

most of negative or white space.

He used minimal text

and minimal color

to really emphasize the beauty

and modernity of a Clairtone,

to position it

as a status symbol.

When my dad asked

why they were paying

for all that white space,

Camp told him,

"It represents the missing note

"that can only

be heard on a Clairtone

"because the sound's so great."

My dad loved that line.

Another thing they did

is hire Hugh Spencer,

a genius designer from England.

The first thing Hugh did

was design a modern,

minimalist look

for the company.

Clairtone's advertising campaign

and image-building strategy

translated into

so much new business

that they moved

into a brand-new factory.

My dad said he had

to pinch himself

to make sure

he wasn't just dreaming.

News narrator: Today,

Clairtone Sound Corporation

moved out of

the unlisted market

and was officially listed on

the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In other news,

the Toronto Maple Leafs

have clinched the Stanley Cup

for the second year in a row.

Will this dynasty ever end?

From the very beginning,

Clairtone fused modern design

with the latest technology.

And in 1963,

they introduced the world's

first transistor-powered stereo.

The transition from hot

and bulky vacuum tubes

to solid-state

transistor components...

...which were far more efficient

and didn't need ventilation,

opened up a whole new world

of design possibilities.

Radio announcer: Clairtone

Sound Corporation Limited

brings you the world's first

tubeless stereo console.

The Clairtone Model T355

features the XB5 solid-state

transistor receiver,

all enclosed in

a beautiful walnut cabinet.

This revolutionary advancement

in sound technology

is only available

at select retailers

of premium stereo equipment.

Nina: Clairtone became known as

one of the most forward-thinking

electronics companies

in North America.

In the 1960s, the design

of things was changing--

music, clothing, everything.

CHUM 1050 Toronto

The station that

keeps you in the know

Radio DJ: Tonight's topic,

the new City Hall.

Seymour in North York,

go ahead, speak your mind.

Seymour: It's a disgrace.

Looks like some

kind of spaceship.

And with all the hot air

coming from the politicians,

it'll probably lift off.

Radio DJ: Interesting.

Dave in Yorkville,

speak your mind.

Dave: Groovy, man.

What's inside? Like a club?

It's City Hall, idiot.

Patrick in Corktown,

uh, speak your mind.

Patrick: Uh, I just wish they

hadn't torn down Jimmy's Diner.

Best corned beef

and cabbage in town.

Patrick, it's the 60s.

Something had to go.

Nina: Recognizing that

the times were changing,

my dad turned to Hugh Spencer

to design something far out.

Hughes' design had

a low-slung rosewood cabinet

that floated on a metal base,

and cantilevered at either end,

two rotating

black aluminum sound globes

that project at

340 degrees of sound.

It didn't look

like any other stereo.

It looked like

it came from outer space.

My dad and David launched the G

at the National

Furniture Show in Chicago.

And then, they personally

introduced it

to every major retail

executive in North America.

No one had seen anything

remotely like it before.

On a wonderful

day like today

I defy any cloud

to appear in the sky

They hired a product placement

agency in Hollywood.

Their first coup was getting

a Project G into a major movie:

Marriage on the Rocks,

starring Frank Sinatra

and Dean Martin.

Open fireplace with a real fire.

Just the right kind of music.

Bar not too far from the action.

Other films quickly followed.

'L' is for

The way you look at me

'O' is for

The only one I see

And then, Clairtone

sought and got endorsements

from some very

enthusiastic celebrities.

Extraordinary

'E' is even

more than anyone...

Oscar Peterson said

his music sounded as good

on a Project G as it did live.

...is all that

I can give to you

Love is all...

Sinatra liked

the Project G so much,

he ordered a half dozen

for his Rat Pack friends.

Two in love can make it

Take my heart

And please don't break it

Love was made for me

Hugh Hefner bought one

for the Playboy Mansion

to play at all his parties.

Oh, no

Announcer: Congratulations

on the purchase

of your new Clairtone

console stereo system.

We thought you might

like to hold a party

for your new Clairtone,

so we've enclosed everything

you need to get started.

Cue the music, dim the lights,

and let the good times spin.

He don't act like he knows

She belongs to me

Yeah

Now, look at how they wobble

Uh-huh

He's the best in town

Oh, yeah

I think I'm in trouble

Oh, no

She forgets that I'm around

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Promotional narrator:

We here at Clairtone

want to congratulate you,

our dealers

across North America,

for your record-breaking sales

of Clairtone's award-winning

Project G stereos.

Now, for 1966's modern

consumer,

we present the lower,

sleeker G2 series,

with removable speaker globes

that can be

positioned anywhere.

And for the

space-conscious consumer,

there's the G3,

our smallest console yet,

perfect for

the go-go generation,

as they prepare for their

Saturday night dance parties.

The more I see you

The more I want you

Somehow this feeling

Just grows and grows

With every sigh

I become more mad about you

More lost without you

And so it goes

La la la la

La la la la

La la la la

Nina: But the bigger

Clairtone became,

the more money it needed.

Most of the cash flow was

going to pay outside suppliers

who had to be paid in advance.

But the income from sales didn't

arrive until months later.

It was an impossible situation.

Determined as always,

David and my dad decided

the solution was

to become even bigger,

to become an industrial giant,

like a Zenith or an RCA Victor.

To do that,

they needed an enormous factory,

big enough to bring every part

of the manufacturing

process under one roof--

the cabinets,

the electronics, everything.

There was only one problem:

if Clairtone could barely

fund its day-to-day operations,

what were

the chances of financing

a multimillion-dollar factory?

Out of the tree of life

I just picked me a plum

At a crossroads,

David and my dad

were determined to find money

to build a new factory.

Then, out of nowhere,

an opportunity came their way.

The best is yet to come way

Newsreel narrator:

Not too long ago,

Nova Scotia looked to its

primary industries--

fishing, forestry,

farming, and mining--

as the most important

factors in its economy.

But something new

has been happening

in this province by the sea.

Manufacturing has become

the largest single industry.

Money is being placed

in new projects by the province

through Industrial Estates Limited.

Industrial Estates Limited

operates like a private

industrial development company.

If a company wishes to build

a new manufacturing plant

in Nova Scotia,

IEL will finance the

construction of the building,

attracting the

industries of tomorrow,

and ensuring economic progress

for the working men

and women of Nova Scotia.

Nina: To attract new industries

and jobs to the province,

Robert Stanfield,

the Premier of Nova Scotia,

set up an ambitious development

agency they called IEL.

To run it, he hired Frank Sobey,

a respected business leader

who shared Stanfield's vision

for Nova Scotia's future.

Stanfield and Sobey

knew that landing

an innovative

company like Clairtone

would be a shot in the arm

for the entire province.

So, they offered

my dad a sweetheart deal.

Nova Scotia would build

Clairtone a new factory,

if they'd move their entire

operation from Toronto

to the depressed

backwater of Pictou County.

It was too good

an offer to turn down.

Mr. Munk, why did your

company select Nova Scotia?

Because we felt that the

industrial and economic climate

was just right for a growing

company in our industry,

because we felt that

the people of Nova Scotia

seemed to have a

steeped in tradition

of integrity, craftsmanship.

The people are artisans who

appreciate the quality

which are inherent

in our products.

And because of the

geographical location,

which is so

favorable in our case

because most of our

output is being shipped

to the Eastern Seaboard

of the United States.

There's a place

I'll always cherish

'Neath the blue Atlantic sky

Where the shores

down in Cape Breton

Bids the golden sun to rise

And the fragrance

of the apple blossoms

Sprays the dew-kissed lawns

Back in dear old Nova Scotia

The place where I was born

Peter Munk:

Premier Stanfield, Mr. Sobey,

let me offer a pledge.

We shall not let you down.

We shall be in the forefront

of your industrial revolution.

We shall be in the vanguard

of the change, a change

which will put this region

into the economic mainstream

of Canada's total economic

and industrial revolution.

Nina: The Stellarton factory

stretched out over seven acres.

It was so big, you couldn't

see from one end to the other.

The equipment was

state-of-the-art,

with the latest technology

imported from Germany.

It employed 1,200 workers.

60% of them were women

who'd been specially trained.

In a town that had once been

dependent on the coal industry,

the Clairtone factory brought

Stellarton back to life.

Oh, something else,

my dad persuaded Stanfield

to let him use a million dollars

of the government's money

to bring Japanese car

manufacturing to Nova Scotia.

What do cars have to do

with stereo manufacturing?

Not a whole lot.

But because my dad's eyes

were always on the future,

he got involved with a group

that managed to secure

an exclusive license

to assemble and sell

Toyota cars in Canada,

and he wrapped it all

into the Clairtone deal.

Man: I'm proud to

announce the formation

of Canadian Motor

Industries Limited,

and we want to thank the

government of Nova Scotia

and the Clairtone Company

for their investment.

Like Clairtone, we are

determined to be a key factor

in Nova Scotia's

industrial resurgence.

When Premier Stanfield

approached me

with the idea of

expanding the automotive...

Nina: With their control of CMI,

Clairtone was about to

become an industrial giant.

Announcer: The following

is a color presentation.

Nina: By the mid-60s, color

television was being introduced,

and everyone was convinced

it was going to be

the next big thing.

Newsreel narrator: Imagine

a world where every moment

bursts to life

in brilliant, vivid color.

Your favorite programs are now

more lifelike than ever before.

The ordinary becomes

extraordinary in...

living colour.

Nina: Knowing it would

create even more jobs,

Stanfield and Sobey offered

Clairtone an additional

$3 million if it committed to

manufacturing color televisions.

So, with the enthusiastic

backing of the government,

Clairtone jumped headlong

into the color TV business.

My dad hired designer Tony Mann

to come up with a television

that matched

Clairtone's aesthetic.

Tony's design featured

a premium 25-inch picture tube

set in a modular chassis,

all encased in

beautiful Brazilian rosewood

and luxurious black leather.

It sat on a unique

aluminum swivel base

and came with

a snappy remote control.

Radio DJ:

Good morning, Pictou County.

The sun is shining,

the birds are singing,

and it's shaping up

to be another gorgeous day

in our own

little slice of paradise.

Here's the Maritime's

own Caty McKinnon

to tell us what

kind of morning she's having.

It's a beautiful morning

I think I'll go

outside for a while

And just smile

Take in some clean

fresh air, boy

No fun in staying inside

If the weather's fine

And you got the time

It's your chance to wake up

And plan another

brand new day

It's a beautiful morning

Ahh...

Each bird keeps

singin' his own song

So long

Commercial narrator:

The finest color TV you can buy

is a Clairtone.

These two men

insist on factory testing

every Clairtone for one week,

so they can guarantee

the performance.

Peter Monk, president and

director of engineering.

David Gilmour,

executive vice president,

director of styling

and merchandising.

Look into Clairtone color soon.

Smart people won't

settle for anything less.

Would you like to ride

In my beautiful balloon?

Would you like to glide

In my beautiful balloon?

We could float among

the stars together

You and I

For we can float,

for we can float!

Nina: Expo '67 showcased

the boldest designs

from every country in the world,

and Clairtone's G-Series

was selected

as the official television.

Balloon

With the G-TV's high-profile

promotional campaign,

my dad was certain that

sales would take off and soar.

But by the fall of 1967,

it was evident that something

was amiss in the marketplace.

The booming sales of colour TVs

that the industry had geared up

for just wasn't happening.

On top of that,

Japanese companies

started flooding the market

with low-cost stereo components.

Announcer: It's Psycho Mike's

sickest stereo sale ever!

We've got Sony,

Sensui, Hitachi, Hibachi,

Yamaha, Omaha, Kenwood,

Flywood, and Pioner!

Pioner! Pioner! Pioner!

Every speaker, every amp, every

preamp, receiver, tape deck

on sale at 10, 20, 30% off!

I can't believe I'm doing this!

I must be psycho!

I am psycho! I'm Psycho Mike!

Nina:

To make matters even worse,

it turns out Clairtone had

built that big modern factory

in a place totally

unsuited for manufacturing.

The inexperienced

workforce had a hard time

transitioning to the demands

of a modern assembly plant.

And there were other problems.

The road to Stellarton was

so bad that Clairtone stereos

and TVs got damaged

on the way to Halifax.

And because the

factory was so remote,

it took forever to get parts,

which caused endless

production delays.

Inventory went missing.

Union issues threatened

to shut down the plant.

Cost control was impossible.

As the problems compounded,

my dad and David,

in a panic,

tried to raise more capital.

But nobody was interested.

They tried to raise money

through a merger with the

Singer Sewing Machine Company.

But that deal fell through.

And their plans to

build Japanese cars?

That was years away

from generating any income.

Robert Stanfield,

their biggest supporter,

was no help.

He'd left Nova Scotia

to run for leadership

of the federal

Conservative Party.

Party member: The result of the

fifth and final ballot...

And the new leader

of the Progressive

Conservative Party...

Bob Stanfield!

Order.

Order!

Nina: Clairton was

definitely the last thing

on Bob Stanfield's mind.

To save the company

from going under,

Frank Sobey

offered my dad a deal.

Nova Scotia's development agency

would advance another

two million dollars,

but only on the condition

that my father and David

surrender control

of the company.

My dad and David

were forced to step down.

The Nova Scotia

government took over.

It was devastating.

News anchor:

Uh, this just handed to me,

this morning, Frank Sobey of

Industrial Estates Limited

announced the surprise

resignation of Peter Monk

and David Gilmore

from the senior management

of the Clairtone

Sound Corporation,

Pictou County's

largest employer.

No indication was given

as to who might be

chosen to replace them.

Nina: The Nova Scotia government

hired a new CEO for Clairtone.

Mangels was his name.

He came from Olin Corporation, a

big American chemical company.

Mangels believed

the way to turn things around

was to go high volume

and low cost.

Clairtone started

pumping out mass-market stereos

and cheap little radios.

It was a complete 180.

From sophisticated technology

and elegant design

to... disposable junk.

Customers who loved

Clairtone for its high quality

and sophisticated style

were not only confused,

they were aghast.

Mangels only lasted a year,

but in that time,

he destroyed everything that

David and my father had created.

My dad retreated to

a small cottage in Georgian Bay

to reflect and try to understand

what went wrong.

My parents were forced

to sell their house

and move into

a rental apartment.

My father's friends disappeared,

the speaking

engagements stopped,

and he began to wonder

if it had all just been a fluke.

That's when I was born.

Reporter:

This new Clairtone plalant

opened at Stellarton in 1966.

It was a showpiece of its time.

But even as the plant opened,

Clairtone was in trouble.

Barely a year later,

IEL took it over

for the province,

and by 1970, it was closed.

A thousand jobs gone,

a dream ended.

What went wrong?

What went

wrong?

What went wrong was

that I forgot my script.

The sun was setting

In the west

The birds were singing

On every tree

News anchor: In an effort

to cut their losses,

Clairtone will have to sell off

approximately 5,000

unsold color televisions

currently sitting

in their warehouse.

This may prove difficult,

especially since Simpsons

and Eaton's department

stores announced today

that they would no longer carry

the Clairtone product line.

.Nova Scotia,

the sea bound coast

Let your mountains

Dark and dreary be

For when I am far away...

It wasn't very long

after you took charge

that things began to go sour.

I don't like

the way you put that.

You sound as though

you were suggesting

that I was to

blame for it going sour.

I think it is true,

however, that, in '67,

the good picture

that had been projected

began to look not so good.

Reporter: Clairtone's

annual report issued today

indicated that losses from all

manufactured products

were much greater

than anticipated.

Farewell to Nova Scotia

Clairtone has had much worse

troubles and much greater losses

after the government took over

control rather than before.

TV reporter:

Following the suspension

of Clairtone's lines of credit,

new Clairtone boss

G.A. McDonald announced today

that all unsold inventory would

be liquidated immediately.

Reporter: Trading in Clairtone

shares was suspended today,

as the company was delisted

from the Toronto Stock Exchange.

From a peak of over $15,

the value of a share had

fallen to less than 30 cents.

Reporter #2: It was a dark day

at the Clairtone factory,

as employees left after punching

out for the final time.

Some spoke of looking

for work in Ontario,

but many will wake up tomorrow

with no jobs and no prospect

of future employment.

Let your mountains

Dark and dreary be

For when I am far away

On the briny ocean tossed

Will you ever heave a sigh

And a wish for me?

Will you ever heave a sigh

And a wish for me?

Nina: After selling off

Clairtone's assets

and the Stellarton factory,

the government of Nova Scotia

had lost over $23 million.

Man: Okay.

Reporter: Looking back,

what would you say was

so special about Clairtone?

It was the best

product at that time,

and it was a great amount of

satisfaction and thrill

to see a product totally

designed and made in Canada,

in a country that

suffered traditionally

from an inferiority complex

vis-a-vis their American

and European counterparts,

to be able to design something,

conceive it, design it,

both from an

exterior point of view,

as well as from an

engineering point of view,

which against

any price competition

stood up internationally

as the best product.

When people like

Frank Sinatra, or Hugh Hefner,

or the Beatles

had bought a Clairtone,

it was not because

they had Canadian nationalism

or because somebody said,

"Buy Canadian,"

it was bought because it was

the best product available

at any price.

Nina: But my dad's story

didn't end with Clairtone.

I've got an island

in the Pacific

And everything

about it is terrific

I've got the sun to tan me

Palms to fan me

And...

An occasional man

I've got an island,

it's very lazy

If I should ever leave it,

I'd be crazy

Back in 1962,

when they'd had some money,

David and my dad bought two

parcels of beachfront land

in Fiji, on a whim,

sight unseen.

Turning their attention

to this last thing

they owned together,

they got financing

to build a luxury resort,

and within a few years,

they'd expanded it

into a chain of hotels

and resorts across

the South Pacific...

which they sold in 1980.

With their profits,

David and my dad

then started a commercial

real estate company...

Which they sold in 2006.

And they also founded one of the

biggest gold mining companies

in the world, Barrick Gold.

My dad never forgot

that Canada took him in

when he had nothing,

and he felt

he owed Canada a debt.

As soon as he could,

he began to donate

hundreds of millions of dollars

to support health care,

education, and public policy.

My dad died in March of 2018

at the age of 90.

David Gilmour died

five years later at 91.

From the day they met

until the day my dad died,

he and David remained

the closest of friends.

That's life

That's

life

That's what

all the people say

You're riding high in April

Shot down in May

But I know I'm gonna change

That tune

When I'm back on top

Back on top in June

I said that's life

That's life

And as funny as it may seem

Some people get their kicks

Stomping on a dream

But I don't let it,

let it get me down

'Cause this fine old world

It keeps spinnin' around

I've been a puppet,

a pauper, a pirate, a poet

A pawn and a king

I've been up and

down and over and out

And I know one thing

Each time I find myself

Flat on my face

I pick myself up and get

Back in the race

That's life

That's

life

I tell you, I can't deny it

I thought of quitting, baby

But my heart

just ain't gonna buy it

And if I didn't think

it was worth one single try

I'd jump right on a big bird

And then I'd fly

I've been a puppet,

a pauper, a pirate, a poet

A pawn and a king

I've been up and down

and over and out

And I know one thing

Each time

I find myself layin'

Flat on my face

I just pick

myself up and get

Back in the race

That's life

That's life

and I can't deny it

Many times

I thought of cutting out

But my heart won't buy it

But if there's

nothing shaking

Come this here July

I'm gonna roll myself up

In a big ball

And...

Die

My, my...

The sun was setting

In the West

The birds were singing

On every tree

All nature seemed

Inclined for to rest

But still there was

No rest for me

Farewell to Nova Scotia

The sea-bound coast

Let your mountains

Dark and dreary be

For when I'm far away

On the briny ocean tossed

Will you ever heave a sigh

And a wish for me?

I grieve to leave

My native land

I grieve to leave

My comrades all

And my parents

Who I held so dear

And the bonnie, bonnie lad

That I do adore

Farewell to Nova Scotia

The sea-bound coast

Let your mountains

Dark and dreary be

For when I'm far away

On the briny ocean tossed

Will you ever heave a sigh

And a wish for me?

Will you ever heave a sigh

And a wish for me?