The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS;

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ''Société géographique royale du Canada'') is a Canadian

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

educational organization dedicated to imparting a broader knowledge and deeper appreciation of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

—its people and places, its natural and cultural heritage, and its environmental, social and economic challenges.

History

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society was founded in 1929 by a group of eminent Canadians, including

Marius Barbeau Charles Marius Barbeau, (March 5, 1883 – February 27, 1969), also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology. A ...

, an ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology, the Hon. A.E. Arsenault, Premier of Prince Edward Island and justice of the province's supreme court, Lawrence J. Burpee, Secretary for Canada of the International Joint Commission,

John Wesley Dafoe John Wesley Dafoe (8 March 1866 – 9 January 1944) was a Canadian journalist. From 1901 to 1944 he was the editor of the '' Manitoba Free Press'', later named the ''Winnipeg Free Press''. He also wrote several books, including a biography of Sir W ...

, managing editor of the ''

Winnipeg Free Press The ''Winnipeg Free Press'' (or WFP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, national, and international news, as well as ...

'', the Hon.

Albert Hudson Albert Blellock Hudson (August 21, 1875 – January 6, 1947) was a politician, lawyer and judge from Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1914 to 1920 as a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party, and was ...

, a justice of the

Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; french: Cour suprême du Canada, CSC) is the Supreme court, highest court in the Court system of Canada, judicial system of Canada. It comprises List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, nine justices, wh ...

, and Dr. O.D. Skelton, Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs. The Rt. Hon. Viscount Willingdon, Governor-General of Canada, was the founding patron. J.B. Joseph Tyrrell, a geologist and cartographer whose exploits included the discovery of ''Albertosaurus'' bones in Alberta's Badlands, and making first contact with the Ihalmiut ("People from Beyond") of the Keewatin district of Canada's

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

, served as founding Honorary President. Arthur Philemon Coleman, a geologist and explorer who between 1884 and 1908 made eight trips of discovery to the Canadian Rockies, was named Honorary Vice-President. At its first meeting, Charles Camsell said the society was formed "purely for patriotic purposes", and he hoped it would "be a unifying influence upon the life of Canada." A report by the acting secretary, E.S. Martindale, stated the intention of the founders: "The work of making the resources and other geographic factors of each part of the Dominion more widely known and more clearly understood is one of the best educational services that can be undertaken—and one that cannot be rendered except through a geographic organization animated by a broad national purpose." Among those who have addressed meetings of the RCGS over the years are Sir Francis Younghusband, Sir Hubert Wilkins, Maj. L.T. Burwash, Dr. Isaiah Bowman, Dr. Wade Davis, Michael Palin, Dr. Phil Currie, and Sir Christopher Ondaatje. The RCGS publishes an award-winning English-language magazine, ''

Canadian Geographic ''Canadian Geographic'' is a magazine published by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, (RCGS) based in Ottawa, Ontario. History and profile After the Society was founded in 1929, the magazine was established the next year in May 1930 unde ...

'', which has been published continuously since 1930 (then called ''Canadian Geographical Journal''). The society also publishes ''Canadian Geographic Travel'' quarterly. The society's French-language magazine, '' Géographica'', which is published in collaboration with '' La Presse'', was introduced in 1997. Alan Beddoe designed the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and his fonds includes a black and white photograph of the letters patent. In October 2016, it was announced that the society's new home would be an "iconic" building at 50 Sussex Drive in Ottawa. The society moved into its new headquarters in Spring 2018, and it debuted two exhibitions – ''Explore'' by Chris Cran and ''Lessons From the Arctic: How

Roald Amundsen Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (, ; ; 16 July 1872 – ) was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He was a key figure of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Born in Borge, Østfold, Norway, Amundsen beg ...

Won the Race to the South Pole''. In May 2019, the

prime minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as su ...

Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since ...

, attended the official opening ceremony of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society's headquarters at 50 Sussex Drive.

Programs

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society helps fund education, expeditions, research and lectures programs. Notably, it was a partner in the 2014 Victoria Strait Expedition that located HMS ''Erebus'', one of two exploration vessels lost on the British Arctic Expedition commanded by Sir John Franklin. Each fall, the society hosts the annual College of Fellows Annual Dinner, with notable past speakers include Sir Francis Younghusband, Major General Sir

James Howden MacBrien Major General Sir James Howden MacBrien (30 June 1878 – 5 March 1938) was a Canadian soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Militia (renamed the Canadian Army in 1940) from 1920 until 1927. Military career Educate ...

, ''

Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...

'' host

Alex Trebek George Alexander Trebek (; July 22, 1940 – November 8, 2020) was a Canadian-American game show host and television personality. He is best known for hosting the syndicated general knowledge quiz game show ''Jeopardy!'' for 37 season ...

, artist Robert Bateman, actor

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, musician and writer. He was an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1979). During his tenure on ''SNL'' ...

, ethnobotanist Wade Davis, Climate Canada's senior climatologist David Phillips, storm chaser

George Kourounis George Kourounis (born 22 May 1970), is a Greek-Canadian adventurer and storm chaser who specializes in documenting extreme weather and worldwide natural disasters. He presents the television series ''Angry Planet''. Storm chasing Kourounis has b ...

, and award-winning author

Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, ...

. In addition, the dinner has been attended by both

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

Stephen Harper Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...

and

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...

David Johnston in the past. In June 2017, it was granted $2,084,000 in funding from the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown-i ...

to develop the educational resource, a portion of which was drawn from the Canada 150 fund. This resulted in the creation of the ''

Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada The Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada () is an English and French educational resource created by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, published by Canadian Geographic, and funded by the Government of Canada. It was created to address calls t ...

'', developed with input from a number of groups and organizations representing

indigenous peoples in Canada In Canada, Indigenous groups comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Although ''Indian'' is a term still commonly used in legal documents, the descriptors ''Indian'' and '' Eskimo'' have fallen into disuse in Canada, and most consider th ...

, including the

Assembly of First Nations The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is an assembly of Canadian First Nations (Indian bands) represented by their chiefs. Established in 1982 and modelled on the United Nations General Assembly, it emerged from the National Indian Brotherhood, ...

, Indspire, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council, and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. An issue of each of ''

'' and '' Géographica'' were dedicated to the project.

College of Fellows

The society's board of governors and its program committees are made up entirely of volunteers, who are members of the College of Fellows. Traditionally, Fellows were elected "in recognition of outstanding service to Canada." Fellows are entitled to use the

post-nominal letters Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...

''FRCGS'' (Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society). Past Fellows of the society include eminent names such as: * painter A.Y. Jackson, * explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, * mariner and explorer Capt. Joseph-Elzéar Bernier, * journalist Agnes C. Laut, * American businessman and explorer Fenley Hunter, * Nobel Prize recipient Prof. F.G. Banting, *

Edward Shackleton, Baron Shackleton Edward Arthur Alexander Shackleton, Baron Shackleton, (15 July 1911 – 22 September 1994) was a British geographer, Royal Air Force officer and Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician. Early life and career Born in Wandsworth, London, Shac ...

, geographer and son of Sir

Ernest Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age o ...

, * composer Sir Ernest MacMillan, * broadcaster and traveller

Lowell Thomas Lowell Jackson Thomas (April 6, 1892 – August 29, 1981) was an American writer, actor, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicising T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He was also involved in promoting the Cinerama widescree ...

, * businessman James Armstrong Richardson Sr., * Saskatchewan Premier T.C.

Tommy Douglas Thomas Clement Douglas (20 October 1904 – 24 February 1986) was a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as seventh premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and Leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971. A Baptist min ...

, * explorer Henry Larsen, * historian L'abbé

Arthur Maheux Monsignor Joseph Thomas Arthur Maheux, SM, OBE, FRSC (22 June 1884 – 30 August 1967) was a Canadian priest and historian. He was a leading proponent of Canadian unity as well as a trenchant critic of Quebec society. He was president of the Soci� ...

* anthropologist Diamond Jenness, * businessman E.P. Taylor, * Canadian Prime Ministers R.B. Bennett, Louis St. Laurent, and Lester B. Pearson, * hotelier

Conrad Hilton Conrad Nicholson Hilton Sr. (December 25, 1887 – January 3, 1979) was an American businessman who founded the Hilton Hotels chain. From 1912 to 1916 Hilton was a Republican representative in the first New Mexico Legislature, but became disi ...

, * former Conservative leader and Nova Scotia Premier

Robert Stanfield Robert Lorne Stanfield (April 11, 1914 – December 16, 2003) was a Canadian politician who served as the 17th premier of Nova Scotia from 1956 to 1967 and the leader of the Official Opposition and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative ...

, * and geographer and GIS originator Roger Tomlinson. Current Fellows include: * Gilbert M. Grosvenor, of the National Geographic Society, * ethnobotanist Wade Davis, * astronauts Steve MacLean, Jeremy Hansen and

Jerry M. Linenger Jerry Michael Linenger (born January 16, 1955) is a retired Captain in the United States Navy Medical Corps, and a former NASA astronaut who flew on the Space Shuttle and Space Station Mir. Background Born January 16, 1955, and raised in Eas ...

, * and businessman and author Sir Christopher Ondaatje. Besides regular Fellows, the society elects Honorary Fellows, people recognized for special or outstanding achievements. The president, and other members of the executive, are elected by the College of Fellows at the society's annual general meeting. Honorary Fellows include: * Myrna Pearman, Canadian naturalist and author.

Organization

The

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm ...

serves as the patron of the society. The society has honorary officers, including honorary presidents and honorary vice-presidents. A volunteer Board of governors, chaired by the president of the board, and an executive committee, provide general oversight. Day-to-day operations of the society, its programs and business, are provided by its

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...

, currently

John G. Geiger John Grigsby Geiger is an American-born Canadian author. He is best known for his book ''The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible'', which popularized the concept of the " third man", an incorporeal being that aids people under extreme dur ...

. The CEO is also responsible for strategic leadership, in consultation with the board of governors.

Presidents

*1930–1941: Dr.

Charles Camsell Charles Camsell (February 8, 1876 – December 19, 1958) was a Canadian geologist and the commissioner of the Northwest Territories from December 3, 1936 to December 3, 1946. Early life He was born in 1876 in Fort Liard, Northwest Territories, ...

, geologist in charge of explorations for the Geological Survey of Canada, and commissioner of the Northwest Territories. Oversaw the exploration of the uncharted parts of Canada's North—a vast area covering 1.4 million square kilometres or about 25 percent of the country. *1941–1944: Dr. George J. Desbarats, Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries and of National Defence. He was the Canadian official who first learned that explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was separated from his ship, and that the Karluk was missing in the Arctic ice. *1944–1950: Mr. Charles C. Cowan, vice president and managing director, British American Bank Note Co.; Dir., National Film Board *1950–1955: Air Marshal Robert Leckie, an aviation pioneer and Chief of the Air Staff for the Royal Canadian Air Force. An outstanding fighter pilot during the First World War, he flew attacks on German Zeppelins, and downed two. *1955–1963: Maj.-Gen. Hugh A. Young, commanded the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade at Normandy, and served as Deputy Minister of Public Works. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 1950 to 1953. As head of the advisory committee on Northern Development, in 1953 he studied threats to Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic. *1963–1967: Dr. Omond Solandt, scientist and first chairman of both Canada's Defence Research Board and the Science Council of Canada. He was a scientific advisor to Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, and later a member of the joint military mission sent to Japan to evaluate the effects of the atomic bomb. He served as Chancellor of the University of Toronto. *1967–1977: Dr. Pierre Camu, geographer and civil servant. Served as president of the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority, and later as chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). He is co-founder of the Trans Canada Trail. *1977–1986: Mr.

Denis Coolican Denis Murray Coolican (3 March 1913 – 20 October 1995) was a Canadian businessman and regional politician. Born in Ottawa, Coolican graduated from the University of Ottawa and McGill University in Montreal. His educational background was in s ...

, served as president of the Canadian Bank Note Company and the first Chair of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. He was also a Vice President of Brascan. *1986–1992: Dr. Alexander T. Davidson, geographer and civil servant. Served as chief of resources for the federal Department of Northern Affairs, and assistant deputy minister of rural development; water; policy, planning and research for Environment Canada; and Parks Canada. He also was chairman of the federal Panel Concerning Low Level Military Flights in Labrador-Goose Bay. *1992–1998: Dr. Denis A. St-Onge, geoscientist with the Geological Survey of Canada. Conducted pioneering research into the evolution of landscape under extreme cold climate on Ellef Ringnes Island in the High Arctic. He is credited with developing a unique method of mapping geomorphology. *1998–2004: Dr. Arthur E. Collin, served as Scientific Advisor for the Maritime Forces (1965) and as the Dominion Hydrographer (1968). From 1971 to 1980 he served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Environment. *2004–2010: Ms Gisèle Jacob, director general with Environment Canada and Deputy Secretary General for the Canadian Human Rights Commission. She also served as chair of the Geographical Names Board of Canada. *2010–2013: Mr.

, author of ''Frozen In Time: The Fate of The Franklin Expedition'' and other books, former head of the editorial board of ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', current chief executive officer of the RCGS. *2013–2016: Dr. Paul Ruest, former president of the Université de Saint-Boniface. *2016–present: Mr. Gavin Fitch, QC, lawyer.

Notable Vice-Presidents

*1930–1934: J. Mackintosh Bell, geologist, explorer and writer. His field work included pioneer exploration in Arctic Canada for the Geological Survey of Canada. He later became director of the

Geological Survey of New Zealand GNS Science ( mi, Te Pū Ao), officially registered as the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Limited, is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics (including seismology and volcanology), and nuclear sci ...

. *1939–1941: Senator W. A. Buchanan, former Member of Parliament and publisher of the

Lethbridge Herald The ''Lethbridge Herald'' is the leading daily newspaper in greater Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. It is owned by Alta Newspaper Group and also publishes and distributes a weekly newspaper, the ''Lethbridge Sun Times''. Early history On November ...

. *1939–1954: Gen. A.G.L.

Andrew McNaughton Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

, Chief of the General Staff for Canada, commanding officer of the First Canadian Infantry Division, First Canadian Corps, First Canadian Army, Minister of National Defense, and Ambassador to the United Nations. *1968–Dr.

John Tuzo Wilson John Tuzo Wilson (October 24, 1908 – April 15, 1993) was a Canadian geophysicist and geologist who achieved worldwide acclaim for his contributions to the theory of plate tectonics. ''Plate tectonics'' is the scientific theory that the rigi ...

, geophysicist and geologist who achieved worldwide acclaim for his contributions to the theory of plate tectonics. *1988-2000: Ernest Côté, soldier, diplomat, and senior civil servant.

Awards

Gold Medal

Recognizing a particular achievement by one or more individuals in the general field of geography or a significant national or international event. It was first awarded in 1972. Source
RCGS
*2019:

Adrienne Clarkson Adrienne Louise Clarkson (; ; born February 10, 1939) is a Hong Kong-born Canadian journalist who served from 1999 to 2005 as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation. Clarkson arrived in Canada with her family in 19 ...

and Dr.

Jane Goodall Dame Jane Morris Goodall (; born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on 3 April 1934), formerly Baroness Jane van Lawick-Goodall, is an English primatologist and anthropologist. Seen as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best kn ...

*2018:

Trans Canada Trail The Trans Canada Trail, officially named The Great Trail between September 2016 and June 2021, is a cross- Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans. The trail exten ...

Perry Bellegarde Perry Bellegarde (born August 29, 1962; Little Black Bear First Nation) is a Canadian First Nations advocate and politician who served as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from December 10, 2014, to July 8, 2021.

Clément Chartier Clément Chartier (born 1946) is a Métis Canadian leader. Chartier served as President of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples between 1984–87 and vice-president between 1993 and 1997. Born in Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan, Chartier g ...

, Natan Obed, Ry Moran and Roberta Jamieson *2017: Sir

David Attenborough Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, the nine natural histo ...

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1 ...

(singer/songwriter) and

John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and leader of t ...

(Prime Minister) *2016: Marc R. St-Onge, Paul F. Hoffman, Denis St-Onge and the

Geological Survey of Canada The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC; french: Commission géologique du Canada (CGC)) is a Canadian federal government agency responsible for performing geological surveys of the country, developing Canada's natural resources and protecting the e ...

*2015: Jacob Verhoef,

Graeme Gibson Thomas Graeme Cameron Gibson (9 August 1934 – 18 September 2019) was a Canadian novelist.Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, ...

*2014: Canada's Astronauts, including Roberta Bondar, David Saint-Jacques, Marc Garneau, Steve MacLean, Dafydd Rhys "Dave" Williams, Robert Thirsk, Jeremy Hansen, Bjarni Tryggvason and the

Canadian Space Agency The Canadian Space Agency (CSA; french: Agence spatiale canadienne, ASC) is the national space agency of Canada, established in 1990 by the ''Canadian Space Agency Act''. The president is Lisa Campbell, who took the position on September 3, 202 ...

*2013: Michael Palin, Robert Bateman, and Yvan Desy and Sylvain Lemay of

Natural Resources Canada Natural Resources Canada (NRCan; french: Ressources naturelles Canada; french: RNCan, label=none)Natural Resources Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Natural Resources (). is the dep ...

*2012: Dr. Philip Currie *2011:

Sir Christopher Ondaatje Sir Philip Christopher Ondaatje, OC, CBE, FRSL (; born 22 February 1933) is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian–English businessman, philanthropist, adventurer, writer and bob-sledding Olympian for Canada. Ondaatje is the older brother of the author Mi ...

and Dr. Jerry Linenger *2010:

and Canadian International Polar Year National Committee *2009: Dr. Wade Davis *2007: The Nature of Québec/Le Québec au naturel *2006: The

Atlas of Canada The Atlas of Canada (french: L'Atlas du Canada) is an online atlas published by Natural Resources Canada that has information on every city, town, village, and hamlet in Canada. It was originally a print atlas, with its first edition being publishe ...

*2004: Jean Lemire and Edryd Shaw *2003: Roger F. Tomlinson *2002: Gordon Slade *2001: Norman Hallendy *2000:

Bernard Voyer Bernard Voyer, (born March 7, 1953) is a French Canadian explorer and mountaineer. Born in Rimouski, Quebec, he has skied across Ellesmere Island; travelled to the North Pole in 1994 and South Pole in 1996; climbed Mount Everest in 1999 and Mou ...

*1998:

Mary Simon Mary Jeannie May Simon (in Inuktitut syllabics: ᒥᐊᓕ ᓴᐃᒪᓐ, iu, script=Latn, Ningiukudluk; born August 21, 1947) is a Canadian civil servant, diplomat, and former broadcaster who has served as the 30th governor general of Canada ...

*1997: Peter Gzowski *1996:

Gilbert M. Grosvenor Gilbert Melville Grosvenor (born May 5, 1931) is the former president and chairman of the National Geographic Society, who previously served as the editor of ''National Geographic'' magazine.Lanken, Dane. "The bee in Grosvenor's bonnet", ''Canadia ...

*1995: Harold K. Eidsvik, Dr. Lawrence W. Morley and Dr. Victor K. Prest *1994: The Historical Atlas of Canada, volumes II and III *1988: The Historical Atlas of Canada, Volume I, William G. Dean, Richard Colebrook Harris, and Geoffrey J. Matthews *1986: Dr. Derek C. Ford *1980:

Selma Barkham Selma Barkham, (née Huxley; March 8, 1927 – May 3, 2020), was a Canadian historian and geographer of international standing in the fields of the maritime history of Canada and of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country. I ...

*1978: Dr. J. Tuzo Wilson *1976: National Atlas of Canada *1973: Maj. Gen. William J. Megill *1972: Dr. Stanislaw Lesczychki

Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration

The Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration, named after Gold Medal and Camsell Medal recipient Sir Christopher Ondaatje, was established in 2013. Source
RCGS
*2019: Charles “Chas” Yonge *2018: Chic Scott *2017: Pat and Baiba Morrow, and Wade Davis *2016: Richard Weber *2015: Jean Lemire *2014: George Hobson *2013: Jill Heinerth

3M Environmental Innovation Award

The 3M Environmental Innovation Award was established in 2009 by the Society and 3M Canada to recognize outstanding individuals in business, government, academia or community organizations whose innovative contributions to environmental change are benefiting Canada and Canadians. The award was discontinued, with the final recipient named in 2015. Source
RCGS
*2015: GreenBug Energy Inc. *2014: Ross Thurston *2013: Jeff Golfman *2012: Dr. Fraser Taylor *2011: Michel Séguin *2010: Frank van Biesen *2009: Sidney Ribaux

Camsell Medal

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society awards the Camsell Medal to bestow recognition upon, and to express the society's appreciation to, individuals who have given outstanding service to the society. The award was established by the society's board of governors in 1992. Source
RCGS
*2018: Paul Ruest and Élisabeth Nadeau *2017: Jody Decker and Philip Howarth *2016: Mark Graham, Peter Harrison and Christine Duverger-Harrison *2015: Bruce Amos and Louise Maffett *2014: Christopher Burn and Iain Wallace *2013: Sir Christopher Ondaatje *2012: Jean Fournier *2011: Gisèle Jacob and Arthur E. Collin *2010:

Pierre Bergeron Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

and Helen Kerfoot *2009:

James Raffan James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...

and Ted Johnson *2008: Kenneth Boland and Carman Joynt *2007: Stuart Semple and Brian Osborne *2006: Karen Lochhead and Michael Schmidt *2005: James Maxwell and Denis St-Onge *2004: Samuel P. Arsenault and Alexander T. Davidson *2003: J. Blair Seaborn and David Kirkwood *2002: Alan O. Gibbons *2001: Dickson Mansfield *2000: Winifred Wadasinghe-Wijay *1999: Pierre Camu and Grete Hale *1998: Pierre Des Marais II and Dr. George Hobson *1997: Enid Byford and Robert Goddard *1996: David Bartlett *1995: William M. Gilchrist and Col. Louis M. Sebert *1994: Wendy Simpson-Lewis *1993: David W. Phillips and Dr. Ernest P. Weeks *1992: Dr. J. Keith Fraser and Samuel F. Hughes

The Martin Bergmann Medal for Excellence in Arctic Leadership and Science

Established by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2012, the medal recognizes achievement for "excellence in Arctic leadership and science." It is named in honour of Martin "Marty" Bergmann, a public servant. Source
RCGS
*2018: James Drummond and Derek Muir *2017: Martin Fortier *2016: Warwick Vincent *2015: John Smol *2014: Donald Forbes *2013: David Hik *2012: Martin Bergmann

Lawrence J. Burpee Medal

Established by the society in 2013, this medal is awarded to recognize outstanding contribution to the general advancement of geography, or to other achievement that greatly enhances the ability of the society to fulfill its mission. Source
RCGS
*2019:

Brian May Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Freddie Mercury and ...

(of "Queen") *2018: Chris Cran, André Préfontaine and

Peter Suedfeld Peter Suedfeld (born August 30, 1935) is a Hungarian-Canadian professor emeritus of psychology at the University of British Columbia. Suedfeld is a researcher in the field of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST), and was the ...

*2017:

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

and Andrew Prossin *2016: Simon Winchester *2015: Louie Kamookak, Wendy Cecil and

*2014: Marc-André Bernier, Ryan Harris, Jonathan Moore and Andrew Campbell (Parks Canada)

Massey Medal

The

Massey Medal The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) awards the Massey Medal annually to recognize outstanding personal achievement in the exploration, development or description of the geography of Canada. The award was established in 1959, by the M ...

recognizes outstanding personal achievement in the exploration, development or description of the geography of Canada. The award was established in 1959 by the Massey Foundation, named for industrialist Hart Massey. Source
RCGS
* 2018: Arthur J. Ray * 2017: David Morrison * 2016: Steve Blasco * 2015: Brian Osborne * 2014: Derald Smith * 2013: David Ley * 2012: Graeme Wynn * 2011: David Livingstone * 2010: Raymond Price * 2009: Michael Church * 2008: Bruce Mitchell * 2007: Eddy Carmack * 2006: Serge Courville * 2005: Tim Oke * 2004: Larry Stuart Bourne * 2003: Richard Colebrook Harris * 2002: John Oliver Wheeler * 2001: Lawrence McCann * 1999: Alexander T. Davidson * 1998: William C. Wonders * 1997: James A. Houston * 1996: James P. Bruce * 1995: Pierre Camu

Innovation in Geography Teaching Award

Established in 2013, the Innovation in Geography Teaching Award is presented to K-12 teachers who have "gone above and beyond their job description to further geographic literacy." Recipients are chosen by the board of

Canadian Geographic Education Canadian Geographic Education (Can Geo Education), formerly The Canadian Council for Geographic Education, is a joint initiative of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society of Ottawa, Ontario, and the National Geographic Society of Washington, D.C.; ...

. Source
RCGS
*2018: Breanna Heels *2017: Paula Huddy-Zubkowski *2016: Greg Neil *2015: Janet Ruest *2014: Mike Farley *2013: Andrew Young

Louie Kamookak Medal

Established in 2018, the medal is named for Louie Kamookak, an Inuit historian involved in the search for

Franklin's lost expedition Franklin's lost expedition was a failed British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Sir John Franklin that departed England in 1845 aboard two ships, and , and was assigned to traverse the last unnavigated sect ...

, and is awarded for those who have "been brought to the attention of the Executive Committee, Awards Committee, or to the CEO, as having made Canada’s geography better known to Canadians and to the world". Source
RCGS
*2020: Nellie Kusugak,

Elizabeth Dowdeswell Violet Elizabeth Dowdeswell (née Patton; born November 9, 1944) is a Canadian public servant who currently serves as the lieutenant governor of Ontario, the 29th since Canadian Confederation. She is the viceregal representative of the King ...

*2019: George Jacob *2018: Gregory Copley, Jared Harris, Josephine Kamookak, Anne Kari Hansen Ovind, Michael Palin, Kim Wallace

Canadian Geographic Education

—formerly the Canadian Council for Geographic Education (CCGE)—is a joint initiative of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, ...

of Washington, D.C., established in 1993. The programs of the Can Geo Education aim to strengthen geographic education in the classroom. In addition to increasing the emphasis on geography within the school system, the Can Geo Education endeavours to increase the public awareness of the importance of geographical literacy.

References

External links

*
''Canadian Geographic'' magazine

''Géographica'' magazine

Canadian Geographic Education
{{authority control Geography of Canada Geographic societies Educational organizations based in Ontario Organizations based in Canada with royal patronage 1929 establishments in Ontario Organizations established in 1929 Learned societies of Canada