Rex Murphy has died at the age of 77

Rex Murphy has died at the age of 77 after a battle with cancer.

Murphy, who was born in Carbonear, was a commentator and author, primarily on Canadian political and social matters.

Over the years he was the host of CBC Radio One's Cross Country Checkup, a nationwide call-in show, for 21 years before stepping down in September 2015.

He wrote for the National Post and had a YouTube channel called RexTV.