News and travel are her anchor.

Lisa LaFlamme is firmly entrenched as CTV’s National News anchor and senior editor after taking over from legendary broadcaster Lloyd Robertson on September 5, 2011. His were incredibly big shoes to fill, however this Kitchener, Ontario-born news dynamo has developed a broadcast style all her own.

Her warmth and passion for people and other cultures extends to her world travels. LaFlamme’s passport reveals a life filled with travel to war and natural disaster zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and New Orleans and to popular holiday travel destinations such as Italy, France, England and the Caribbean. She’s covered everything from the Iraqi war, Hurricane Katrina, Haiti earthquake and Chilean mining disaster to many Olympic Games and the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. 

Her mother, Kathleen, instilled at an early age LaFlamme’s passion for travel while recounting stories about growing up in London, England, and visiting Rome, Paris and other iconic destinations. She relived her mom’s stories at 18 when LaFlamme and her sister went backpacking through Europe and she has never looked back. Today in the anchor chair she is grounded but never for long as that chair has wheels and LaFlamme’s insatiable appetite to discover and explore the world knows no bounds. Anchors away!

Q&A

What are your favourite destinations?

Italy; I would go back, I love it so much. I love Paris, France, as well as Guadalajara, Mexico. It’s one of my favourite cities. A lot of it is about the people, the feeling I get and the vibe. It’s not always the city. I can be at a beach like Sanur in Bali, one of the most beautiful in the world. 

What’s on your dream destination list?

I’ve never been to Tahiti and I’ve always wanted to go. I have heard amazing things about Bora Bora.

What would be your worst travel experience?

I was flying over Baghdad airport from Amman, Jordan. We were literally circling the airport as surface-to-air missiles were being fired up at us. I was on the plane with Christiane Amanpour, Anderson Cooper and the Iraqi defence minister. I remember thinking, this plane is never going to go down; Christiane Amanpour is on it! We were all trying to get back to Baghdad and the plane had to turn around and fly right back to Amman. 

Your favourite type of vacation?

It depends on where I am and my fatigue level. I love to lie on a beach and do nothing for at least one week of the year. And then I love a trip that requires research and investigation and searching for cool places to go. If I go on a beach holiday, I pack almost no clothes—a bathing suit, sun dresses and five books. I literally just sit at the beach and read. It’s my chance to read fiction. 

Do you have a packing ritual?

I have a system. It takes me about five minutes to pack. I pack a bag and take half out.

Must have travel item?

Books. I take travel books because I love to read about the place I’m visiting. 

Travel pet peeve?

I am not a patient person and that can be problematic. Patience is a virtue I lack when it comes to airport lineups.  

Most bizarre thing you’ve eaten while travelling?

I am adventurous when it comes to food. In Beijing I ate bugs. I’ve also tried cockroach but I don’t need to experience that again!

Favourite hotel?

I love the Milestone Hotel in London, England, and La Stampa Hotel (now the Dawson Hotel & Spa) in Dublin, Ireland. They are right out of Dickens. Oh, and the St. Regis in New York City.  

Favourite restaurant?

In Vancouver I love Vij’s; I am a big curry fan. In New York City, it’s Elio’s. And in London, it has to be Indian as well because it’s just the place to go for great Indian food.