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History and Archives
History of CGC
The Canadian Geoscience Council (CGC) was formed in 1972 to develop closer
coordination between Canadian earth science learned societies and
professional associations. The Council resulted from a 1970 Science Council
of Canada recommendation urging earth science community leaders to fulfill
their obligations on national committees and ensure adequate funding for
earth science through closer bonds and a national secretariat.
In 1971, the
Science Council of Canada Solid-Earth Science Study Group pursued this
topic, concluding that a Council of Canadian Earth Science Societies should
be established to provide advice to governments, and to perform functions
needed for the development of the earth science professions in Canada. When
the Study Group reported to the Senate, Senator Lamontagne remarked that
there did not seem to be any organization that could speak for Earth Science
in Canada. Study Group Chair Roger Blais then addressed the need for a
council in his 1970 Geological Association of Canada (GAC) Presidential
Address.
Three exploratory meetings were held in 1970 and 1971, and
associations initially were hesitant to form a council. Emerging federal
arrangements for science planning and coordination at the time, however,
caused some to feel a sense of urgency regarding development of a voice for
earth science. A provisional Committee led by Duncan Derry therefore met
with the federal Science Minister on November 5, 1971. The third exploratory
meeting in December 1971 then achieved sufficient momentum, and CGC was
officially formed at a meeting in Ottawa on February 6, 1972. The second
meeting of CGC was held in Toronto on March 7, 1972, following a meeting of
a steering committee which met in Toronto on March 5, 1972, to prepare a
draft constitution and bylaws. The resulting press release stated
that seven of Canada's leading national geoscience societies had accepted a
constitution and by-laws, forming a co-operative group to be known as the
Canadian Geoscience Council, with Roger Blais as first Chairman.
Examples of early CGC documents
CGC Historical Background (undated)
Earth Sciences Serving the Nation, 1971
Blais Presidential Address, 1970
Minutes, April 19, 1970
Minutes, September 1, 1970
Minutes, December 21, 1971
Minutes, February 6, 1972
Minutes, March 7, 1972
Minutes, April 9, 1972
CGC Constitution, April 9, 1972
CGC News Release, April 19, 1972
CGC History, November 8, 1974
Derry Letter, January 13, 1975
Derry Letter, July 20, 1982
Archives
2001 By-Laws
Canadian Geoscience Council Archives
- Stored at Canadian Archives Branch;
Library and Archives Canada
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