SFU Royal Society of Canada Seminar Series: "Plaques and Persons: Commemorating Canada's Authors"

Thursday, February 2, 2012
11:30 - 12:30
Rm10900

Dr. Carol Gerson
Professor and Graduate Chair, Department of English SFU, Simon Fraser University

Abstract

In Canada, some 650 people are currently designated as national historic persons, defined as "People who have made an outstanding and lasting contribution to Canadian history," under the aegis of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC). This organization vets nominations of both national historic persons and national historic sites, which are honoured with bilingual brass plaques and are publicized through Parks Canada's websites. The list includes about 100 writers, 20% of whom are women. My presentation will discuss the patterns of national recognition accorded to Canadian writers in relation to current studies of literary tourism and of literary canonicity, drawing on scholarly sources and on my own experience with the HSMBC as a consultant and as a nominator of several authors.