He began his career as a freelance journalist in Central and South America after graduating with a journalism degree from Carleton University in 1983. Michael worked for CBC radio in Montreal, Sydney, Halifax, Moncton and also for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. Hired by The Canadian Press in the Halifax Bureau in 2000, Michael has since then been covering national stories from the Atlantic region including the 2010 Olympic Games and federal election campaigns. He's published a number of investigative pieces focused on social services in Atlantic Canada and has been nominated for and received Atlantic Journalism Awards on numerous occasions.