History professor Chad Gaffield has won the Prix de la francophonie de l’Ontario 2008. Professor Gaffield is also president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, Madeleine Meilleur, awarded two prizes in Toronto on March 19 as part of a gala ceremony marking the Semaine mondiale de la Francophonie. Robert-Guy Despatie received the Francophone award and Gaffield received the Francophile award.
Prior to joining SSHRC in 2006, Gaffield enjoyed a stellar 20-year career as a professor, researcher, and administrator at the University of Ottawa where, in addition to holding a research chair, he was founding director of the Institute of Canadian Studies.
Gaffield is perfectly bilingual and has always worked in both official languages, while taking a special interest in Canada's diverse Francophone communities. He has devoted a considerable portion of his academic career to studying the French presence in Ontario, in particular conflicts regarding the use of French in schools.
He was recently named Personality of the Week by Le Droit/Radio Canada.
Created by the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Francophonie Awards recognize individual citizens, Francophones and Francophiles, who have made valuable contributions to the social, economic, political and cultural vitality and well-being of Ontario's Francophone community.
