Media

Governor General Honours Excellence in Teaching Canadian History

November 1, 2007

OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the Governor General’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History to six teachers at Rideau Hall on Friday, November 2, 2007, at 10 a.m.

This year’s recipients are honoured for their creative and innovative teaching strategies, which include recording original folksongs; creating public bus stop advertisements; holding a youth forum on the topic of the African Diaspora; staging the retrial of William Lyon MacKenzie; building one’s own school archives; and inviting historical figures back into the classroom with mythical “passports to the past”.

The 2007 recipients are as follows:

Name / Place of Residence / School
-  Rhonda Draper – Kelowna, British Columbia
   Glenmore Elementary School

-  Rose Fine-Myer – Toronto, Ontario
   Humberside Collegiate Institute

-  Susan Haynes – Toronto, Ontario
   Havergal College

-  John MacPhail – Oakville, Ontario
   St. Dominic Catholic Elementary School

-  Monique Martin – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
   Georges Vanier Catholic School

-  David Watkins – Toronto, Ontario
   Weston Collegiate Institute

The Governor General’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History were established in 1996 by Canada’s National History Society. Every year, the awards recognize teachers from elementary and secondary schools who have inspired and challenged students about Canadian history, be it in the field of social studies, economics, political studies, contemporary studies or geography.

As part of this year’s ceremony, the 2007 Pierre Berton Award will be presented for the first time at Rideau Hall. Established in 1994 and first presented to the late Pierre Berton, this award is the History Society’s top honour for achievement in popularizing history beyond the classroom.

Detailed biographical information and photos of the recipients can be downloaded through the press room of the History Society’s Web site at www.historysociety.ca/abo.asp?subsection=new&page=pre.

National Forum on Canadian History – Carleton University
Following the awards ceremony, the Governor General will attend the first National Forum on Canadian History, to be held at Carleton University, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Included in the audience will be the 2007 recipients of the Governor General’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History, the recipient of the 2007 Pierre Berton Award, as well as many history educators from across the country who will focus on the history content that should be taught in Canadian classrooms. The Governor General will deliver a speech at 2:05 p.m. as part of this event.

Media wishing to attend the National Forum on Canadian History are required to confirm their attendance by email to the Carleton University Media Relations Department (lin_moody@carleton.ca) by 4 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2007.

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Media wishing to attend the Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History Ceremony at Rideau Hall are asked to contact Rideau Hall Press Office in advance.

Media information:
Marie-Eve Létourneau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-0287
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca

Nicole Harris
Maverick Media Solutions Inc.
204-470-4555
nharris@maverick-media.ca