The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the
governor general of Canada
The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields.
The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the Lord Tweedsmuir, a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction; he created the Governor General's Literary Award with two award categories. Successive governors general have followed suit, establishing an award for whichever endeavour they personally found important. Only Adrienne Clarkson created three Governor General's Awards: the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts, the Governor General's Northern Medal, and the Governor General's Medal in Architecture (though this was effectively a continuation of the Massey Medal, first established in 1950).
Governor General's Literary Awards
Inaugurated in 1937 for 1936 publications in two categories, the Governor General's Literary Awards have become one of Canada's most prestigious prizes. Since 1987, there are fourteen awards: nonfiction ( English and French), fiction ( English and French), poetry ( English and French), drama ( English and French), young people's literaturetext ( English and French), young people's literatureillustration ( English and French), and translation (English-to-French and French-to-English). The program was created by the Lord Tweedsmuir, author of ''
The Thirty-Nine Steps
''The Thirty-Nine Steps'' is a 1915 adventure novel by the Scottish literature, Scottish author John Buchan, first published by William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh. It was Serial (literature), serialized in ''Argosy (magazine)#The All-Story, ...
''. Initially there were only awards for fiction and non-fiction books, and until 1959 the program honoured only English-language works (although the awards were occasionally won by English translations of works originally published in French). The
Stephen Leacock Award
The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, also known as the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour or just the Leacock Medal, is an annual Canadian literary award presented for the best book of humour written in English by a Canadian writer, publis ...
for humour literature, while administered separately from the Governor General's Awards and presented to the winners at a separate ceremony, made its initial announcements of award winners as part of the Governor General's Awards announcements in this era."Prof. Lower's History Gets Vice-Regal Award". ''
Winnipeg Tribune
''The Winnipeg Tribune'' was a metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from January 28, 1890, to August 27, 1980. The paper was founded by R.L. Richardson and D.L. McIntyre who acquired the press and premises of the old ' ...
'', April 19, 1947.
In 1957, the awards were put under the administration of the
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts (), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It is Canada's public arts funder, with a mandate to ...
for the Arts and a cash prize began to be granted to the winner. By 1980, the council began to announce the finalists for the awards a month before they were presented, in order to attract more media attention, and, in 2007, the cash prize was increased to $25,000.
Prior to Adrienne Clarkson's time as governor general, the collection of Governor General's Literary Award-winning books at Rideau Hall was lacking more than 25 per cent of the full collection. Clarkson made an effort to obtain from fairs and second hand shops the missing copies for the governor general's study and, when she left the viceregal office in 2005, the complete collection of winning books to date had been amassed. It reached 552 books by late 2006 and was moved to Rideau Hall's library. Today it forms the only complete collection of Governor General's Literary Award winners in existence.
Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature
The Governor General's Award for English-language children's writing is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a children's book written in English. It is one of four children's book awards among the Governor Ge ...
Governor General's Award for English-language drama
The Governor General's Award for English-language drama honours excellence in Canadian English-language playwriting. The award was created in 1981 when the Governor General's Award for English-language poetry or drama was divided.
Because the awa ...
*
Governor General's Award for French-language drama
This is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for French-language drama. The award was created in 1981 when the Governor General's Award for French language poetry or drama was divided.
Because the award is presented for plays publ ...
Governor General's Award for French-language non-fiction
The Governor General's Award for French-language non-fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a non-fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, se ...
Governor General's Award for French to English translation
This is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for French-to-English translation.
Winners and nominees
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
References
{{Governor General's Literary Awards
*
Translation awards
...
Governor General's Medals in Architecture
The Governor General's Medals in Architecture have been presented since 1982, continuing the tradition of the Massey Medals for Architecture, which had been awarded between 1950 and 1970. Up to twelve medals are awarded every two years, with no distinction among the medals awarded. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada administers the competition.
Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case
The Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case have been presented since their creation by Governor General
Edward Schreyer
Edward Richard Schreyer (born December 21, 1935) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as the 22nd governor general of Canada from 1979 to 1984. He previously served as the 16th premier of Manitoba from 1969 to 1977.
Schr ...
in 1979, and honour the promotion of equality for girls and women in Canada. Five awards are given annually to candidates chosen from across the country, in addition to one award to a Canadian youth. The awards are administered by Status of Women Canada and may be presented to persons of any gender; in 2008, Ben Barry became the first man to win the award.
Governor General's Performing Arts Awards
The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards are the foremost honours presented for excellence in the
performing arts
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. P ...
, in the categories of
dance
Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
,
classical music
Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
,
popular music
Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
,
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
,
broadcasting
Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...
, and
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. As a virtuoso who is considered to be one of the greatest Jazz piano, jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordin ...
Norman Jewison
Norman Frederick Jewison (July 21, 1926 – January 20, 2024) was a Canadian filmmaker. He was known for directing films which addressed topical Social issue, social and political issues, often making controversial or complicated subjects acces ...
, and Gilles Maheu and CARBONE 14. Initially, the award came with a $15,000 prize from the
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts (), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It is Canada's public arts funder, with a mandate to ...
; today's winners receive $25,000 and a medallion struck by the
Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint () is the mint of Canada and a Crown corporation, operating under an act of parliament referred to as the ''Royal Canadian Mint Act''. The shares of the mint are held in trust for the Crown in right of Canada.
The mi ...
. In addition, two complementary awards are given: The Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts, recognizing the voluntary services to the performing arts by an individual or group, and the National Arts Centre Award, which recognizes an individual artist's or company's work during the past performance year. There is also a mentorship program that connects award recipients with artists in their early to mid-career. Since 2008, the
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...
has produced short films about each of the laureates, which are screened at the awards ceremony and streamed online.
Governor General's History Awards
Governor General
Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc (December 18, 1928June 24, 2009) was a Canadian journalist and politician who served as the 25th governor general of Canada from 1995 to 1999.
LeBlanc was born and educated in New Brunswick, and also studied in France prior ...
Canadian history
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of the Paleo-Indians to North America thousands of years ago to the present day. The lands encompassing present-day Canada have been inhabited for millennia by Indigenous peoples, with di ...
. The society then, working with other Canadian history organizations (including the Begbie Society, Canadian Historical Association,
Canadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association (CMA; , ''AMC''), is a national non-profit organization for the promotion of museums in Canada. It represents Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. As with most trade associations ...
, and Historica-Dominion Institute), expanded the scope of the awards beyond simply school teachers to include others who taught history in other ways and venues. There are now five specific awards within the Governor General's History Awards: the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching, the Governor General's History Award for Scholarly Research (Sir John A. Macdonald Prize), the Governor General's History Award for Popular Media (Pierre Berton Award), the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums, and the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Community Programming.
Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts
The Governor General's Awards in
Visual Arts
The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual a ...
and
Media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Interactive media, media that is inter ...
Arts were first presented in 2000. The
Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts (), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It is Canada's public arts funder, with a mandate to foster and promote the study a ...
funds and administers the awards.
Six prizes are awarded annually to visual and media artists for distinguished career achievement in fine arts (painting, drawing, photography, print-making and sculpture, including installation and other three-dimensional work), applied arts (architecture and fine crafts), independent film and video, or audio and new media. One prize is awarded annually for outstanding contributions to the visual or media arts in a volunteer or professional capacity. The value of each award is $15,000. An independent peer jury of senior visual and media arts professionals selects the winners.
Governor General's Award in Celebration of the Nation's Table
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean (; born September 6, 1957) is a Canadian former journalist who served as the 27th governor general of Canada from 2005 to 2010. She is the first Haitian Canadian and black person to hold this office.
Jean was the Organisation i ...
, the Governor General's Award in Celebration of the Nation's Table was created to recognize Canadians—as individuals or in groups—who improved the "quality, variety and sustainability of all elements and ingredients of our nation's table". Jean and Lafond consulted with many across Canada involved in the production of food products, as well as chefs, organizers of culinary festivals, sommeliers, and more.
The award has six categories: Creativity and Innovation, recognizing those who contributed original, forward-thinking ideas, products, or techniques related to food or drink; Education and Awareness, recognizing those who helped give a broader profile to the "nation's table"; Leadership, recognizing those who led others to form stronger communities connected to the food and beverage industries; Mentorship and Inspiration, recognizing role models in the food and beverage industries; Stewardship and Sustainability, recognizing those who were at the forefront of developing and/or practicing safeguards around the environment, food security, and health; and Youth, recognizing young Canadians who have demonstrated a potential to improve the quality, variety, awareness, and sustainability of the food and beverage industries.
An advisory committee of food and beverage experts reviews nominations. Recipients receive a lapel pin and a framed certificate bearing the heraldic shield of the Governor General's Award in Celebration of the Nation's Table.
Governor General's Innovation Awards
Governor General David Johnston created the Governor General's Innovation Awards in 2016 for Canadians who have created "exceptional and transformational Canadian innovations, which are creating a positive impact in Canada and beyond". These can have been developed in the public, private, or non-profit realms, but applicants must demonstrate the impact of their innovations; imapacts cannot be theoretical. The awards are also not intended for lifetime achievement. Administered by the Rideau Hall Foundation (also established by Johnston), six awards are given annually; winners are selected on merit by a two-stage process.
The Governor General's Innovation Awards receive both public and private financial support and are partnered with various organizations across Canada. The founding partners were the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, the Rideau Hall Foundation, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation. ''
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...
'' is the outreach partner to the awards and
Facebook
Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
is the digital partner.
Other
* The Governor General's Academic Medal
* The Governor General's Award for Safety in the Workplace
* The Governor General's Conservation Award
* The Governor General's Award for Debate; created in 1981 to award the top orator at the National Debating Seminar of Canada
* The Governor General's Flight For Freedom Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literacy; created by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn.
* The Governor General's Fencing Award; created in 1965 by Governor General Georges Vanier
* The Governor General's International Award for Canadian Studies; created in 1995 by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn
* The Governor General's Caring Canadian Award; created in 1995 by Governor General
Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc (December 18, 1928June 24, 2009) was a Canadian journalist and politician who served as the 25th governor general of Canada from 1995 to 1999.
LeBlanc was born and educated in New Brunswick, and also studied in France prior ...