I want to introduce you to Jill Downie — a writer whose life has crossed continents and generations. Born in Georgetown, what was then British Guiana, Jill grew up surrounded by difference and connection. Her doctor was Chinese, her best friend Portuguese, and her world full of stories that made diversity feel natural. When she moved to England at eight, she entered a country that was supposed to be hers, but didn’t feel like home.
After studying French and Spanish, Jill married and came to Canada with her young son, Andrew. She arrived in Port Hope and soon after welcomed her daughter, Helena. Canada slowly became part of her — its openness, its multicultural spirit, its sense of belonging that allowed her to breathe freely. In her words, “Canada got into my bones.”
When her first marriage ended, Jill found love again — unexpectedly, on a theatre stage. With Ian, she built a new, blended family and a life that celebrated creativity, resilience, and care. Writing became her anchor: through short stories, historical novels, and mysteries, she found both freedom and voice.
Now in Kingston, near her daughter and grandchildren, Jill continues to write, her words carrying traces of all the places she has called home. Looking back, she calls herself “blessed” — for the courage to begin again, and for the country that opened its arms to her story.