Rules and Regulations

The Government of Canada History Awards are presented by the Government of Canada and Canada’s National History Society. Up to $200,000 in prizes will be presented to exceptional young Canadians in two categories: High School and University. By submitting an essay or teaching activity for consideration, students agree to the rules and regulations as presented below.

Eligibility

The Government of Canada History Award University Category is open to university students completing or having recently completed a Master’s degree or Bachelor of Education with a registered Canadian institution. Eligible participants must have graduated or be eligible to graduate between January 1, 2017 and July 1, 2018.

How to Enter

The competition will officially begin August 18, 2017 at 12:01:00 am ET and ends December 15, 2017 at 11:59:59 pm ET (The deadline for submissions for the University Award has been extended until January 31, 2018). All submissions must be received by no later than the end date. Regardless of format selected the total text should be no more than 2000 words. Submissions longer than this will not be accepted.

  • Master's Degree – Students will submit an original essay on Canadian History based on their Master’s research or program. The essay should highlight important aspects of the participants work for a wide audience of Canadians. It is not a summary of the participant’s thesis. The submission should include a bibliography and foot notes. Additional links to relevant supporting websites and primary source documents can also be included if available. The submission should be no more than 2000 words in length.

  • Teaching Degree – Student’s will submit an original activity for teaching Canadian history. Submissions should include an overview of an important moment in Canadian history with suggested culminating classroom activities. The submission should also include a bibliography and foot notes. Additional link to relevant supporting websites and primary source documents can also be included if available. The submission should be no more than 2000 words in length.

Applicants should also submit a letter of support from a professor or teaching supervisor outlining their interest and success in learning about Canadian History.

Entries must be submitted online. Entries emailed or mailed will not be accepted. Each submission must be the original work of a student specific to this competition. Students may work individually or in teams of two to create their submission (prize money will be divided between partners for team submissions). All submissions will be reviewed for plagiarism. Plagiarism of any sort will result in immediate disqualification.

Formatting/Footnotes/Bibliography

Projects should be submitted in a Word or PDF document in standard 8.5 by 11 inches paper size and portrait format with 1 inch margins all around (top, bottom, sides). Please use a regular business font (Times New Roman or Arial) at 12 point size. Cover pages are not required.

All submissions must include proper citations following a consistent style. The suggested citation method for footnotes and endnotes is the Chicago Manual of Style. Guidelines on the style are available here: http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/writing/kit/reference-cm.pdf. Students should also include a bibliography of relevant referenced works. Footnotes/Endnotes/Bibliographies will not count towards the word count.

Review Criteria

All submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee for the following criteria:

  • Quality of Writing: Does the task motivate students to learn about Canadian history?
  • Historical Thinking: Does the task promote historical thinking and literacy in activities such as evaluating sources; using historical evidence to support an argument; tackling issues of significance, causation, continuity and change; and historical perspective taking.
  • Innovation: Are the research and teaching initiatives presented innovative and creative? Do they approach the topic in an interesting or unique way?
  • Indigenous and Diverse Perspectives: Does the project encourage Canadians to examine Indigenous and diverse perspectives of our past?

University Category Prizing

Each recipient will receive a prize of $2,000. Prize money will be divided between any partners selected as recipients. The number of prizes awarded in each category will be determined by the number of participants.

Terms and Conditions

The prize is nonnegotiable and non-transferable. By entering this awards program, the participant agrees that any information sent to Canada’s History becomes the property of Canada's National History Society to publish online or in Canada’s History magazine at their discretion and, should they win, a photo may be posted and/or published.

Employees of Canada's National History Society, Kayak Magazine, Canada’s History Magazine, and their partners, or their representatives, agents, or family members, are not eligible. Subject to all applicable laws. Void where prohibited.

By accepting a prize, recipients agree to grant the Government of Canada and Canada’s History the right to use their names, photographs, city/province of residence, biographical information, statements, voice, and likeness for promotional purposes relating the competition in any media or format, now and in the future without a time limit, and without compensation or notification. Entries not complying with these Official Rules may be disqualified.

For further questions or comments regarding this contest please contact Canada’s History Society at 515 Portage Avenue, Bryce Hall Main Floor, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9; at jralph@canadashistory.ca; or by telephone at 1-866-952-3444, x 221.