John Sawatsky was born in 1948 in Winkler, Manitoba. He received his B.A. Honours in Political Science at the Simon Fraser University in 1974. He has acquired much experience in the field of journalism at various universities including Carleton University and the University of Regina. Sawatsky was previously employed at the Vancouver Sun and B.C. Petroleum. He is presently a Journalism Trainer and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Journalism at the Carleton University. He is also a self-employed journalist and writer. Sawatsky has written "Men in the Shadows: the RCMP Security Service" (1980), "For Services Rendered: Leslie James Bennett and the RCMP Security Service" (1982), "Gouzenko: the Untold Story" (1984), "The Insiders: Government, Business and the Lobbyists" (1989) and "Mulroney: the Politics of Ambition" (1992). In 1976 he received the Michener Award for meritorious public service in the field of journalism. He has also received various other professional honours for other works he has completed. In 1985 Sawatsky returned to Ottawa where he now serves as an adjunct professor in the School of Journalism, Carlton University, and pursues a free lance career.