The Symons Medal, one of Canada’s most prestigious honours, recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life.

The award evening affords the distinguished recipient the opportunity to discuss the current state and the future of the Canadian Confederation.

The Honourable Bob Rae is the 2020 awardee, in recognition of his many years of work on humanitarian issues, most recently the Rohingya refugee crisis, as well as his commitment to Indigenous issues and his decades of public service and teaching. He has always been deeply involved in the political life of Canada—as a member of Parliament, former premier of Ontario, and interim leader of the federal Liberal Party.

Bob Rae, the twentieth recipient of the Symons Medal, devotes his lecture, titled Learning from the Past, Imagining the Future: Reflections from a Political Life, to exploring such themes as Canada’s improbable origins as a nation, post-war emergence onto the global stage, active membership within the United Nations, and the significance of the ever-evolving Canadian constitution—a “living tree document.”

Learning from the Past, Imagining the Future extends the access to this inspiring lecture from a key contributor to the Canadian nation.

Esteemed Canadian writer and historian Margaret MacMillan considers the paradoxical impact the First World War has had on Canada in her 2018 Symons medal address, The Lion’s Cub.

Antonine Maillet, prodigieuse « Acadienne, femme et écrivaine », tisse habilement les fils du mythe, de la patrie et de lendemains nouveaux dans cette inspirante allocution prononcée à l’occasion de la cérémonie de remise de la Médaille Symons.

The Right Honourable Paul Martin, 21st prime minister of Canada, discusses the challenge of achieving justice for the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. Bilingual English-French turn-around book.