Métis fiddler and philosophy professor win Molson Prizes

News Release

May 21, 2014

Ottawa, May 21, 2014 - Métis fiddler John Arcand and philosopher Jean Grondin are the 2014 recipients of Canada Council Molson Prizes in the arts and social sciences and humanities, respectively.

The prizes recognize outstanding career achievements to the arts and sciences. Each prize is valued at $50,000. Administered by Canada Council for the Arts, these annual awards were made possible by an endowment by The Molson Family Foundation in 1961.

Download images of the winners.

Quotes

“This year’s Canada Council Molson Prize winners are prolific and passionate individuals who have significantly enriched the cultural and intellectual life of Canada,” said Robert Sirman, Canada Council Director and CEO. “Their work underscores the meaning of excellence and helps us build on Canada’s rich musical and academic traditions.”

“SSHRC’s partnership with the Canada Council for the Arts on the awarding of the Molson Prize is an opportunity to highlight the value of the social sciences and humanities to society,” said Dr. Chad Gaffield, president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. “Through their respective work, John Arcand and Jean Grondin have contributed to the understanding of how human thought and behaviour are key to building a better future for Canada and the world.”

John Arcand, 2014 winner in the arts

John Arcand is a Saskatchewan-born musician who has performed, taught, promoted and preserved the traditions of Métis fiddle and dance. His unique sound, which builds on a long family tradition of fiddle and dance, is considered essential to the identity and recognition of Métis culture.
During his career spanning more than 60 years, he created over 370 tunes and produced 16 recordings.
In 1998, he founded the John Arcand Fiddle Fest - a major annual fiddle event in Western Canada.
Arcand has received numerous awards for his work, including the Order of Canada, a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and the Saskatchewan Arts Board Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jean Grondin, 2014 winner in the social sciences and humanities

Jean Grondin is a professor of philosophy at the Université de Montréal and the author of some 20 works, translated into 15 languages on hermeneutics, metaphysics and German philosophy, including The Universality of Hermeneutics, Introduction to Metaphysics. He has also published authoritative works on Heidegger, and Kant, as well as personal essays such as Du sens de la vie, À l’écoute du sens, and Du sens des choses.
Grondin received his Ph.D. from the University of Tübingen (1982), where he studied philosophy, theology and Greek philology.
In 2013, he held the Étienne Gilson Chair in Metaphysics in Paris and is also the recipient of numerous awards including a Canada Council Killam Prize as well as a Léon-Gérin and a Konrad Adenauer prize.
A passionate teacher who is concerned about disadvantaged countries that are often forgotten by the West, he has been a guest professor in El Salvador, Belarus, Haiti and Argentina.

About the Molson Prizes

The Canada Council awards the two $50,000 Molson Prizes annually to two distinguished Canadians: one in the arts and the other in the social sciences and humanities.
The prizes recognize the recipients’ outstanding career achievements and ongoing contributions to the cultural and intellectual life of Canada.
Established in 1964, the prize is funded from the income of a $1 million endowment given to the Canada Council by the Molson Family Foundation.
The Canada Council administers the awards in co-operation with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and both winners were selected by a peer assessment committee that includes both artists and academics.

General information

The Canada Council for the Arts is Canada’s national arts funder. Its grants and payments to artists and arts organizations benefit Canadians by ensuring a vibrant arts sector in Canada. Its awards celebrate creativity by recognizing exceptional Canadians in the arts, humanities and sciences. The Canada Council Art Bank is a national collection of over 17,000 Canadian contemporary artworks - all accessible to the public through rental, loan and outreach programs. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO operates within the Canada Council.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal research funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. By focusing on developing Talent, generating Insights and forging Connections across campuses and communities, SSHRC strategically supports world-leading initiatives that reflect a commitment to ensuring a better future for Canada and the world.

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Media contacts:

Canada Council for the Arts

Heather McAfee: 1-800-263-5588 or 613-566-4414, ext. 4166
Mireille Allaire: 1-800-263-5588 or 613-566-4414, ext. 4523

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Julia Gualtieri: 613-944-4347

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Métis fiddler and philosophy professor win Molson Prizes

News Release

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