David Onley, Toronto celeb and advocate for the rights of disabled persons, has been honoured with the appointment as our next Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. His four-year term will begin on August 1st, when he takes over for current L-G, James K. Bartleman.

"David Onley is a respected author, broadcaster and tireless champion for persons with disabilities. Through this work, he has demonstrated the qualities needed for such an important position," Prime Minister Harper stated in an announcement released earlier today.

Onley survived polio at the age of three, which rendered him disabled. His determination to flourish was never hampered, though, and his award from Toronto Life in 1982 as one of the "Torontonians Most Likely to Succeed" turned out to be a prophecy indeed.

Photo from CityTV's David Onley profile.

He graduated from the political science program at the University of Toronto, where he also became student council president in the 70s. In 1981, he published his first book, Shuttle: A Shattering Novel of Disaster in Space. His knowledge concerning space exploration first received it's deserved attention in 1986, when he was able to explain the Challenger disaster to Canadians.

Onley, born in Midland and raised in Scarborough, first began his career as a journalist when he was hired to contribute a weekly piece called "A Step Ahead" on the nationally syndicated radio show "Sunday Sunday" out of CFTR in the early 80s. He was an astronomy nut, and worked on various science shows for stations like CFRB and CKO, and then continued on as the science and weather anchor for CityTV.

Once he was established as a likable and competent television personality, he was awarded the position of Canada's first disabled news anchor, on the new Breakfast Television show, in 1989. He went on to be named the Education Specialist and then the Science and Technology Specialist at the station. Most recently, he's known as the popular anchor and host of the computer and Internet show "Home Page" on CP24.

Onley has been honoured numerous times in the past. In 1997, he was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame for his on-going contributions to the cause of people with physical disabilities. Prior to that, he was the recipient of the Clarke Institute's "Courage to Come Back" Award from the effects of polio, in 1996. David's name is also in the Hockey Hall of Fame, on the King Clancy Award presented by The Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons.