Looking ahead to a new normal, there’s an enormous opportunity to build on this work and strengthen Canada’s culture of innovation to build a better tomorrow. Rideau Hall Foundation‘s Teresa Marques and the Right Honourable David Johnston are shining a light on how the RHF is helping to support and recognize Canadian excellence in innovation in a new feature in the National Post.
The story is part of a special insert on Canadian Innovation partnerships developed in collaboration with Mediaplanet. The full article by Anne Papmehl was originally published here.
“As a national and independent charity, our organization seeks to connect, honour, and inspire Canadians, while working with partners to build a better country for all Canadians,” says The Right Honourable David Johnston, 28th Governor General of Canada and Chair of the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF).
Through its range of programs and initiatives, the RHF strives to tap into our collective national spirit, unlock our potential as a country, and help make Canada a more equitable society for all people to reach their fullest potential.
The RHF’s flexible partnership model — which connects people, causes, and organizations — has helped the foundation accomplish so much within a short time, and will be a critical driver to its future success. “Together with our outstanding network of partners, we can have significantly greater impact on the challenges facing Canada,” says Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the RHF. “We can achieve so much more when efforts coalesce than we could individually.”
Strengthening Canada’s culture of innovation is the cornerstone to growth and development, particularly throughout this pandemic. Canadians have responded by rapidly innovating in the areas of public health, education, individual well-being, manufacturing, and in so many other sectors.
This is often occurring at a local level, with communities and businesses pivoting to re-tool their operations to survive the crisis or to assist with community recovery efforts. Looking ahead to a new normal, there’s an opportunity to build on the progress that has occurred over the past year and to strengthen Canada’s culture of innovation and sustain it over time.
Canadian Innovation Week recognizes Canadian achievements and inspires the next generation of innovators. Outstanding innovators across all sectors and regions showcase their accomplishments. Canadian Innovation Week will return May 17 to 21, 2021.
Mirroring excellence and the pathways taken to reach it demonstrates that the potential to innovate is always within reach. Through different award programs, the RHF recognizes truly exceptional and transformative Canadian innovators and thought leaders.
Awarded annually, the Governor General’s Innovation Awards (GGIAs) celebrate Canadian innovations that exemplify excellence. Canada’s highest honours in innovation, the GGIAs recognize outstanding innovators — who contribute to Canada’s success, who help shape the future, and who inspire the next generation of big thinkers. The GGIAs are made possible thanks to a vast network of more than 65 nominating partners. The recipients of the seventh annual GGIAs will be announced in spring 2021.
The ingenuity and resilience of Canada’s North are showcased through the Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP), Canada’s largest annual prize. The RHF is honoured to support the AIP, which funds projects tackling issues that are the most meaningful to northern communities. Key to its sustainability and impact, the AIP is made up of a diverse community of partners, ambassadors, selection committees, and members of the northern-led Trust. This year, more than $3 million was awarded to seven remarkable northern teams.
In an era where false information travels faster than the truth, journalism has never been more important. The Michener Awards, which are brought to life through a partnership between the Michener Awards Foundation and the RHF, honour and celebrate excellence in Canadian public service journalism that helps us frame our public debates and make informed decisions to strengthen our communities and our country. The 2020 Michener Award recipient will be named in June.
Through these examples and more, the RHF is proud to work with partners to recognize Canadians’ ground-breaking work and excellence in innovation.
Please join us in celebrating Canadian Innovation Week May 17-21, 2021.
