OTTAWA, August 11, 2010 - It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Shirley Thomson, a great Canadian, dedicated public servant, and leading figure in our country's cultural community.
Dr. Thomson, a native of St. Marys, Ontario, worked tirelessly to promote the arts and culture in Canada for more than 40 years. She held a number of influential positions, including Director of Montréal's McCord Museum, Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, and Director of the National Gallery of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. Most recently, she served as Chair of the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board from 2003 to 2007.
Dr. Thomson was made Officer of the Order of Canada in 1994 and was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 2001. She was the recipient of many other honours throughout her distinguished career, including being appointed Chevalier des arts et des lettres by the Government of France in 1990, receiving a Governor General's Award for her contributions to the arts in 2008, and being elevated to the Order of Ontario earlier this year.
On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Shirley Thomson.
For more information (media only), please contact:
Matthew Deacon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Official Languages
819-997-7788
matthew.deacon@pch.gc.ca
