About Catherine Buckie
I have been writing almost all my life. I was first published at age 13 with a series of children's book reviews in the Hamilton Spectator. I worked on my school newspaper and yearbook in high school and my student newspaper, The Fulcrum, in university. I worked for a summer at the Toronto Sun and then full-time at the Montreal Gazette after graduating from journalism school. When I moved to Nova Scotia, I decided to freelance so I could spend time with my young and growing family. I wrote columns for the Halifax Daily News and freelanced for publications such as the Law Times and Saltscapes magazine. I also wrote my first book, The Lobster Kids' Guide to Exploring Nova Scotia.
Since 2000 I have concentrated on plain language writing and have written for various departments within the Government of Nova Scotia including:
- Agriculture
- Community Services
- Education and Early Childhood Development
- Emergency Management Office
- Environment
- Finance
- Health and Wellness
- House of Assembly
- Human Rights Commission
- Immigration
- Justice
- Labour and Advanced Education
- Natural Resources
- Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
- Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
Outside government, I have written for Dalhousie University, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Atlantic Pilotage Authority, Merit Contractors Association of Nova Scotia, and Spring Loaded Technology.
I am a firm believer in continuing education so in addition to my undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Journalism, I am currently working towards a Master of Arts in Education degree in Literacy with a focus on plain language. I am also a member of Plain Language Association International (PLAIN).
Sustainability policy
I am committed to conducting business in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. As an independent contractor working out of my home, I minimize the use of fossil fuels by not commuting to an office every day. When I do need to attend meetings, I do so using public transit whenever practical. I do the bulk of my work on computer and print only when necessary. When I must print a document, I do so on both sides of a page to eliminate waste. My computer, printer, back-up drive, and extra monitor are plugged into a surge protected power bar which is switched off when these items are not in use.
