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Canada: A People's History
Press Releases
Recent Press Releases:
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Wed., Nov 14 2001
Canada: A People's History concludes
In an Uncertain World, November 18 on CBC-TV
CBC Television�s epic story of Canada and its people concludes as the country approaches the dawn of a new century, charting its journey In An Uncertain World. Episode 17 of CANADA: A PEOPLE�S HISTORY, exploring the years 1976 to 1990, airs Sunday, November 18 at 7 p.m.
In An Uncertain World there is upheaval and opportunity as the world order and economic boom that took shape after World War II starts to unravel, and a new era of uncertainty begins. Free trade, globalization and regionalism converge with the rise of the politics of identity, as women, aboriginals and non-white immigrants all stake new claims. A newcomer on the scene dramatically affects Canadians as the home computer and an explosion of new technology changes the way people live and work.
Old enemies and fresh longings threaten to divide the nation. Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed and Prime Minister Trudeau lock horns over the National Energy Program. Rene Levesque leads a Referendum campaign as Quebecers passionately debating whether or not to remain in Canada. Trudeau again battles with Levesque, and other provincial premiers, over repatriation of the constitution and a charter of rights and freedoms. The issue returns for Brian Mulroney with the fractious Meech Lake Accord.
Across the country, Canadians are becoming more alarmed about their land and lakes: water poisoned by acid rain, a hole discovered in the ozone layer, forests being stripped bare and landfill sites overflowing. One of the earliest to take up the environmental cause is Elizabeth May, a 23-year-old waitress from Cape Breton who soon becomes a force in the movement.
Aboriginal voices also gain strength though the 70�s and �80s. With the Berger Inquiry, Thomas Berger heeds the concerns of the Dene and Inuit of the Western Arctic, recommending against a gas pipeline in the Mackenzie Valley. "The Dene learned that they could actually be actors in their own history again," said Chief George Erasmus. But at the end of the decade, a national crisis erupts when soldiers face off with armed Mohawks over the planned expansion of a golf course on Mohawk-claimed territory.
In An Uncertain World concludes with a poignant reflection on Canada�s historical experience and the currents the country will have to navigate in the 21st century.
In An Uncertain World is directed by Susan Dando. Senior producer is Kelly Crichton; executive producer of CANADA: A PEOPLE�S HISTORY is Mark Starowicz.
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Tue., Oct 30 2001
Triple Gemini Win for Canada: A People's History
On October 27 and 28, season one of CBC Television's Canada: A People's History was honoured with three Gemini Awards from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
- The series was awarded the Gemini for "Best Documentary Series";
- sound technicians Ron Searles and Steve Cupani were honoured for "Best Sound in an Information/Documentary Series or Program";
- and composers Claude Desjardins and Eric Robertson were awarded for "Best Original Score".
These awards are added to the series' growing list of honours, which includes recent wins at the Columbus International Film and Television Festival for best series, best episode and best print press/marketing materials, and at the Baddeck International New Media Festival for Best Education / Information / Training Web Site and Best Technical Achievement.
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Mon., Oct 29 2001
Canada: A People's History Website wins two awards at the 2001 Baddeck International New Media Festival
The Web site for CBC Television's hit documentary series Canada: A People's History has won two awards at the 5th Annual Baddeck International New Media Festival in Cape Breton Island on October 14, 2001. The Baddeck awards are presented by international new media professionals celebrating an annual gathering of private and public sector new media creators.
CBC's Canada: A People's History (cbc.ca/history) was presented with two awards: one as the Best Education / Information / Training Web Site, and one for Best Technical Achievement - a multi-disciplinary award spanning all categories in the festival.
Accepting the Baddeck Awards on behalf of cbc.ca, Mark Mietkiewicz, new media senior producer of Canada: A People's History, said: "I am thrilled with the awards for two reasons. First, the Baddeck Festival recognized our team's efforts to create a bilingual educational Web site that tells Canada's stories from the fascinating "People's History" perspective developed by the television series. And secondly, we have been honoured for our technical achievement presenting quality content in a creative and user-friendly manner. We're proud to have been chosen by the Festival from new media creators from around the world."
Originally launched in October, 2000, the newly designed site and winner of the Baddeck awards launched on August 31, 2001 to coincide with Year Two of the CBC Television series. Produced jointly by a CBC team in Toronto and a Radio-Canada team in Montreal, the site has recently been given a top rating of "4 Apples" by the Lightspan / Studyweb Educational Web site www.lightspan.com.
Canada: A People's History is a 17-part documentary series produced by CBC Television and Société Radio-Canada. Airing over two years in both English and French, the series has been awarded with three Gemini Awards and multiple international honours, and has spawned best-selling home videos and an award-winning two-volume book set in addition to the fully bilingual, 350+ page web site.
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