Inspired by a passion for writing and history, her love of Canada’s northern wilderness and a deep appreciation for the Arctic and the Inuit, author, historian, researcher and Trent alumna Shelagh Grant is making major tracks as a Canadian expert on Arctic Sovereignty.

Her whirlwind schedule will see her appear next in Toronto on Thursday, March 1 as part of the Walter and Duncan Gordon Speakers Series at the Munk School for Global Affairs.  Ms. Grant will be speaking on “Arctic Sovereignty Revisited -- 2012.″

In November 2011, the adjunct professor in Canadian Studies and research associate of the Frost Centre was appointed a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Also in 2011, Ms. Grant’s book, Polar Imperative: A History of Arctic Sovereignty in North America, published by Douglas & McIntyre, won the Lela Common Award from the Canadian Authors Association, the Lionel Gelber Prize, and the J.W. Dafoe Book Prize. It was shortlisted for a Governor General History Award and nominated for the Canadian Historical Association’s John A. Macdonald Prize which recently gained status as a Vice-Regal Award.

A copy of the book now sits in the parliamentary library in Ottawa, where it was added to the collection a year ago, upon being nominated for the 2011 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing.

“My success in historical research and writing would not have been possible without the opportunities provided by Trent University and the support and encouragement of so many colleagues,” said Ms. Grant. “Trent’s interdisciplinary community made me appreciate the importance of context and comparative aspects of any issue,” she added.

A graduate of the Master’s program in History at Trent in 1982, Shelagh Grant taught at Trent on a sessional basis for 18 years. She has contributed to Trent’s outstanding reputation in Canadian Studies through additional award-winning publications on the Arctic such as On Trial for Murder and through her work with Inuit communities in Nunavut.

According to Ms. Grant, Canada needs to maintain control over its area in the Arctic, not just by military means but through significant investment in infrastructure. Deep sea ports, inspection facilities, coast guard / patrol boats, search and rescue operations and oil spill clean-up will require ongoing upgrading and maintaining, “so that we can protect the environment and the people who live there,” said Ms. Grant.

“Having sovereign rights over an area is also a responsibility to the people who live there. Canada would be concerned with protecting the environment and food sources from contamination and ensuring the sustainability of the economy.”

In high demand as a panellist and public speaker, Shelagh Grant’s list of speaking engagements is growing, with invitations from the British North America Committee Conference as well the "Arctic Leadership" Conference, being held this year at the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut and co-sponsored by Berkeley University School of Law.

Yet Shelagh is not the only member of the Grant family, and friend of Trent, to be featured in the news of late. Her husband, Mr. Jon Grant, former chair and honorary member of Trent University’s Board of Governors, was recently honoured by the Ontario Forestry Association for his outstanding achievements in, and contributions to, the field of forestry education in Canada and the world. The Award is in recognition of continuing practice of the highest principles of professional forestry in education, forest management, research, land use and public forestry awareness. Current chair of the Ontario Biodiversity Council, Mr. Grant was among the first Canadian business leaders to marry the concept of environmentally-conscious decision making with commercial interests.

Posted on Thursday, March 1, 2012.