Canada: A People's History
Canada: A People's History is a 17-episode, 32-hour documentary television series on the history of Canada. It first aired on CBC Television from October 2000 to November 2001.[1] The production was an unusually large project for the national network, especially during budget cutbacks. The unexpected success of the series actually led to increased government funding for the CBC. It was also an unusual collaboration with the French arm of the network, which traditionally had autonomous production. The full run of the episodes was produced in English and French. The series title in French was Le Canada: Une histoire populaire. In 2004, OMNI.1 and OMNI.2 began airing multicultural versions, in Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian.
Canada: A People's History | |
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![]() DVD release of series 1 | |
Starring | Various |
Narrated by | Maggie Huculak |
Theme music composer | Claude Desjardins and Eric Robertson |
Country of origin | Canada |
Original language(s) | English, French (original); later dubbed to multiple foreign languages |
No. of episodes | 17 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Mark Starowicz |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 120 min/60 min |
Release | |
Original network | CBC Radio-Canada |
Picture format | NTSC (480i) |
Audio format | Stereo |
External links | |
Website |
The producers intended to make this a dramatic history of the Canadian people; as much as possible, the story was told through the words of the people involved, from great leaders and explorers to everyday people of the land at the time. The documentary makes effective use of visuals, transitions, and dramatic music from or evocative of the eras being covered. In the first season, actors representing historical figures spoke their words, while later seasons used voiceovers over photographic images and film or, when available, original recordings of the subject.[2]
In June 2017, CBC Television aired two new episodes. Part one aired on June 15, 2017, with part two on June 22nd 2017.[3]
Episodes
Source:[4]
Series 1
# | Title | Time span | Topics | Personalities |
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1 | When the World Began... | 15,000 BC–1800 AD |
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2 | Adventurers and Mystics | 1540–1670 |
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3 | Claiming the Wilderness | 1670–1755 | ||
4 | Battle for a Continent | 1754–1775 |
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5 | A Question of Loyalties | 1775–1815 |
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Series 2
# | Title | Time span | Topics | Personalities |
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6 | The Pathfinders | 1670–1850 |
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7 | Rebellion and Reform | 1815–1850 |
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8 | The Great Enterprise | 1850–1867 |
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9 | From Sea to Sea | 1867–1873 |
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Series 3
# | Title | Time span | Topics | Personalities |
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10 | Taking the West | 1873–1896 |
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11 | The Great Transformation | 1896–1915 |
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12 | Ordeal by Fire | 1915–1929 |
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13 | Hard Times | 1929–1940 |
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Series 4
# | Title | Time span | Topics | Personalities |
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14 | The Crucible | 1940–1946 |
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15 | Comfort and Fear | 1946–1964 |
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16 | Years of Hope and Anger | 1964–1976 |
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17 | In an Uncertain World | 1976–1990 |
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2017 Series
# | Title | Time span | Topics | Personalities |
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18(1) | New Times New Ways, Part 1 | 1991-2001 |
"Gays and lesbians achieve equality; Indigenous people seek redress over past abuse; the country once again stands on the brink of breakup; Cirque du Soleil conquers the world; a way of life ends in Newfoundland; the BlackBerry gives birth to Canada's own Silicon Valley; Canada's peacekeeping role suffers a near-fatal blow; and the 9/11 attack makes a small-town in Newfoundland heroic." |
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18(2) | New Times New Ways, Part 2 | 2001-2015 |
"Canada fights terrorism in Afghanistan and pays a heavy price; the Muslim community is under suspicion and makes innocent victims; Indigenous women are Idle No More; Canadian athletes own the podium at the Olympics in Vancouver; security goes rogue when the G20 meet in Toronto; the Earth's climate is in jeopardy; and a Canadian astronaut sees its frailty." |
Production
The production team, christened the Canadian History Project and later renamed the CBC Documentary Unit, was headed by producer Mark Starowicz until CBC discontinued in-house documentary production in 2015.[5] Following Canada: A People's History, the team developed and produced such CBC documentary series as The Canadian Experience, The Greatest Canadian, Hockey: A People's History and 2012's acclaimed series about Canada's aboriginal communities, 8th Fire.
Awards
In 2001, Season One of Canada: A People's History was awarded three Gemini Awards by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television:[6]
- Best Documentary Series
- Best Sound in an Information or Documentary Series or Program
- Best Original Score
The series was also recognized by the Columbus International Film and Video Festival in 2001 with a CHRIS Award in Humanities category for Best Series as well as recognition for Best Episode and Best print press/marketing materials.[7]
The extensive bilingual website created to support and enhance the series was recognized with two awards at the 2001 Baddeck International New Media Festival: one for Best Education / Information / Training Web Site and Best Technical Achievement.[8]
Canada's History Society [9] awarded the series and its executive producer Mark Starowicz its Governor General's History Award for Popular Media: Pierre Berton Award in 2001.[10]
See also
- Canada's Story
- Events of National Historic Significance
- Heritage Minutes
- Hinterland Who's Who
- National Historic Sites of Canada
- Persons of National Historic Significance
- The Greatest Canadian
References
- Karen Simonson; Gerald Friesen (2010). "Canada: A People's History Index" (PDF). University of Manitoba. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- Darren Bryant; Penney Clark (2006). "Historical Empathy and 'Canada: A People's History" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- "Canada: A People's History". 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
- "Canada: A People's History: Episode Summary". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2012-02-06.
- "Long-time executive Mark Starowicz leaving CBC".
- "Triple Gemini Win for "Canada: A People's History"".
- "2001 CHRIS Awards" (PDF).
- "Canada: A People's History Website wins two awards at the 2001 Baddeck International New Media Festival".
- "Canada's History Society".
- "Pierre Berton Award".
Further reading
- CBC; Don Gillmor; Pierre Turgeon (1 October 2002). Canada: A People's History (Vol-1). McClelland & Stewart. ISBN 978-0-7710-3324-7.
- CBC; Don Gillmor; Pierre Turgeon; Achille Michaud (1 October 2002). Canada: A People's History (Vol-2). McClelland & Stewart. ISBN 978-0-7710-3336-0.
External links
- Official website
- Canada: A People's History on IMDb
- Canada: A People's History - CBC Archives