OTTAWA, ONTARIO, February 29, 2008 - - Canada's Environment Minister John Baird, today announced the appointment of John Jennings as an Ontario member of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), for an initial term of 5 years.
"I am pleased to appoint Mr. Jennings to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada", said Minister Baird. "His extensive knowledge of Canada's history and his genuine interest will help the Board ensure that Canada's rich historical heritage is adequately remembered and appreciated by all Canadians, today and tomorrow."
Created in 1919, the HSMBC advises the Minister of the Environment on the designation of places, people and events of national historic significance. With Parks Canada, it also ensures that these subjects of national historic significance are marked appropriately, both within Canada and abroad. The HSMBC has 17 members: the National Archivist, an officer of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and one part-time Governor-in-Council appointee for each province and territory, with the exception of Quebec and Ontario, which have two members each. Part-time appointments are made by the Governor in Council on the advice of the Minister of the Environment.
Mr. Jennings is an associate professor of history at Trent University, Peterborough, specializing in the history of the Western Canadian and American frontier. He is also Vice-Chair of the Canadian Canoe Museum, with which he has been active since 1980 and author of several books and articles on the canoe, including The Canoe in Canadian Cultures, co-edited with Bruce Hodgins, and The Canoe: A Living Tradition, a collaborative work. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence from the Ontario Museum Association. Mr. Jennings, who rode for Canada in the 1967 Pan American Games, is also a former member of the Canadian Equestrian Team. He is currently completing a manuscript on the ranching frontier border and is starting work on a book about Tappan Adney's canoe models.
Information:
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441
Larry Ostola
Director General
National Historic Sites
819-994-1808
