NEWS RELEASE
GOVERNOR GENERAL'S HISTORY AWARDS
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It’s a book that draws attention to Cold War colonialism and the devastating impact of post-war Uranium mining around the Elliot Lake area.
Serpent River Resurgence: Confronting Uranium Mining at Elliot Lake (University of Toronto Press) by historian Lianne C. Leddy, Wilfrid Laurier University, details the history of the exploitation of uranium deposits and its impact on Serpent River First Nation, of which Leddy is a member.
The book also explores the ways in which community members, including Leddy’s grandmother, resisted encroachment on the land and recounts their tireless efforts to raise public awareness and influence government action and redress. Highlighting the complex dynamics of Indigenous-settler relations while centring Indigenous worldviews and lived experiences, Serpent River Resurgence will receive the 2023 Governor General’s History Award for Scholarly Research.
“As an Anishinaabe woman and scholar, this recognition is tremendously meaningful,” says Leddy. “I first came to this story, which is rooted in my family history, at my grandmother’s kitchen table, and this award honours not only the book itself, but also the community’s story of resistance and resilience in the face of 20th century extractive colonialism.
"As an historian, I study the past – but always with an eye to the future – and I’m heartened by this moving recognition of Indigenous voices and experiences.”
Lianne C. Leddy received the award from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. She also received a prize of $1,000. The award is administered by the Canadian Historical Association (CHA) in partnership with Canada’s National History Society. The selection committee praised the book, calling it “a significant historiographical contribution that speaks to urgent political issues we grapple with today.”
To learn more about the Governor General’s History Awards and the 2023 recipients, visit CanadasHistory.ca/GGHA2023.
About the Governor General's History Awards
The Governor General’s History Awards recognize excellence in five categories: Teaching, Museums, Scholarly Research, Community Programming and Popular Media. The awards are Canada’s top history honours and involve the leading agencies of Canada’s history and heritage community. Each award category is administered by the presenting organization and has its own jury, selection process and prize structure. The Governor General’s History Awards are administered by Canada’s National History Society, with the support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, and Power Corporation of Canada.
About the Canadian Historical Association
The Canadian Historical Association seeks to encourage the integration of historical knowledge and perspectives in both the scholarly and public spheres. It does so to ensure the accessibility of historical resources, and to defend the rights and freedoms of emerging and professional historians in the pursuit of historical inquiry as well as those of history degree holders who utilize the analytical, research, communication, and writing skills they acquired during their studies to pursue a variety of career paths inside or outside of academia.
About Canada's National History Society
Canada’s National History Society is a national charitable organization that seeks to encourage Canadians to engage more deeply with their country’s past. We share the stories behind the history through our magazines, Canada’s History and Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids, digitally at CanadasHistory.ca, as well as through our education and award programs, including the Governor General’s History Awards. We believe all Canadians should see themselves reflected in our publications and programs.
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