About The Royal Canadian Geographical Society

Celebrating 75


From left to right: Jean Lemire, Larry Bourne and Edryd Shaw (Photo: David Barbour)


Governor General Adrienne Clarkson (Photo: David Barbour)

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) and Canadian Geographic threw a 75^th birthday party in Ottawa in November to honour some of the country’s top researchers, with the help of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, who is patron of the Society.

“Mackenzie King once stated that while ‘some countries have too much history, we have too much geography,’” said Clarkson. “Do you suppose this had anything to do with Charles Camsell and his associates having just published the first Canadian Geographical Journal?”

Clarkson awarded the Massey Medal to urban geographer Larry Bourne and Gold Medals to biologist and documentary filmmaker Jean Lemire and remote-sensing pioneer Edryd Shaw. At a luncheon the following day, former RCGS president Alex. T. Davidson and former RCGS governor Samuel Arseneault were also recognized with Camsell Awards for their outstanding contributions as volunteers with the Society.

The Summits of Canada – an expedition to climb the highest peaks in all provinces and territories. “Welcome to an historic expedition to tell Canadians and the world about Canada. The legacy of this quest is not the footprints we will leave on the mountains, but the impact on people’s lives. Together we can make a difference, one step at a time.”

— James Coleridge, Expedition Leader,
Summits of Canada

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