Mel Hurtig
Melvin Hurtig, publisher, author. In 1956 he opened a small book store which grew into one of the largest retail book operations in Canada. Mr. Hurtig sold his bookstores in 1972 to concentrate on publishing Canadian books. Hurtig publishers produced many titles which have won the Governor General's Award and numerous other awards and prizes. In 1980, Mr. Hurtig launched the largest and most ambitious project in the history of Canadian publishing, the $12 million, comprehensive The Canadian Encyclopedia, published in 1985, with a new, updated and substantially expanded edition in 1988. In September of 1990 Hurtig publishers published an even larger project, the five-volume The Junior Encyclopedia of Canada, the first-ever encyclopedia for young Canadians.
He is a holder of Canada's highest honour for lifetime achievement.