– The Symons Medal Lecture will be held on Thursday, October 13 –

May 17, 2022 – One of Canada’s most esteemed broadcast-journalists will be awarded the 2022 Symons Medal in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island this fall.

Confederation Centre of the Arts announced that Shelagh Rogers, OC will be the twenty-second recipient of the prestigious honour. The Symons Medal recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life. Held annually, the medal ceremony and its associated lecture offer a national platform for an eminent Canadian to discuss the nation’s current state, shared histories, and prospects using themes related to their professional pursuits.

Shelagh Rogers is a veteran broadcast-journalist at CBC, most recently as the host and producer of The Next Chapter, an award-winning program devoted to writing in Canada. Over her illustrious career, she has hosted other national radio programs such as This Morning, The Arts Tonight, and Sounds Like Canada.

Rogers is a vocal advocate for mental healthcare, adult literacy, and for a reckoning with the truth of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. In 2011, she was inducted as an Honorary Witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a life-changing honour. In the same year, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for elevating the cause of adult literacy, fighting against the stigma of mental illness by sharing the story of her own depression, and for promoting Canadian culture. In 2016, she received the inaugural Margaret Trudeau Award for Mental Health Advocacy.

She co-edited three books in the Aboriginal Healing Foundation’s Speaking My Truth series and, in 2019, was named an inaugural Library and Archives Canada Scholar in recognition of her dedication to the promotion of the country’s literary and historical heritage. She holds eight honorary doctorates from Canadian universities and is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Victoria. Rogers is a member of the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria.

“The selection committee enthusiastically chose to award Shelagh Rogers with the Symons Medal this year,” says Robert Sear, chair of the board of Confederation Centre of the Arts, and co-chair of the Symons Medal Committee. “She is one of the nation’s most beloved storytellers, and her advocacy work has had a monumental impact on our country.”

The Symons Medal Lecture is named after Professor Thomas H.B. Symons, the founding president of Trent University and a long-time board member and supporter of Confederation Centre of the Arts. Since 2004, the Centre has honoured 21 distinguished medallists, including the Honourable Louise Arbour, Dr. David Suzuki, the Honourable Bob Rae, and Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon.

The Symons Medal Lecture will take place at Confederation Centre of the Arts on Thursday, October 13 and will also be livestreamed. A limited number of tickets for the in-person event have been released; additional seats may become available closer to the event. Confederation Centre Members can book now, and the general public can book starting Thursday, May 19. To become a member and take advantage of priority ticket booking, visit confederationcentre.com/membership. Seats can be booked online or through the box office at 1-800-565-0278. There is no cost to attend the ceremony but donations can be made to the Symons Trust Endowment Fund of the Confederation Centre of the Arts Foundation.

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Photo cutline: Shelagh Rogers, OC has been named the 2022 Symons Medallist at Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Media Contact: Emily McMahon, Communications Manager, Confederation Centre of the Arts
[email protected] | 902-628-6135