A Meeting of Minds

Winnipeg, the city where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet, was recently also the place to meet and celebrate those who are deepening our understanding of Canadian history — the recipients of the 2024 Governor General’s History Awards. 

Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, presented eleven awards in five categories — Teaching, Museums, Community Programming, Scholarly Research, and Popular Media — at the November ceremony, hosted by Manitoba Lieutenant-Governor Anita Neville. 

The two-day event included a panel discussion on inclusive history and brought together award recipients and diverse participants to explore how different perspectives shape the telling of Canada’s past. Simon highlighted the important work of teachers, museums, and historians, stating, “Inclusive approaches to history education and research play a crucial role in our progress as a nation.” 

Future contributors to the conversation about Canada’s history were also represented by four young winners of the national Heritage Fair program. They shared their history projects with nearly one hundred local students at a special session at the Manitoba Museum and were celebrated at the Canada’s History gala at the historic Fort Garry Hotel. 

Canada’s History Society is grateful to all who support our work in fostering a deeper understanding of Canada’s complex and diverse histories, including the 2024 award supporters: the Department of Canadian Heritage, Power Corporation of Canada, Rideau Hall Foundation, the Wilson Foundation, the North West Company, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, the Winnipeg Foundation, Aspen Films, Ecclesiastical Insurance, Taylor McCaffrey Lawyers, and the Winnipeg Free Press.