Canadian Newsmaker of the Year


The Canadian Newsmaker of the Year is a title awarded by The Canadian Press annually since 1946, based on a survey of editors and broadcasters across the country on which Canadian has had the most influence on the news in a given year. Canadian historian Chad Gaffield stated that the practice of recognising a newsmaker of the year was a return to the study of how history can be influenced by one person, rather than studying obscure people.
The honour is often granted to politicians, sometimes upwards of multiple times, and though it is generally a positive acknowledgement, it is not guaranteed to be such. In 1999 a newsmaker of the century was chosen in place of a newsmaker of the year, with candidates having to meet the standard of "lasting significance". Voters gave a mix of compliments and criticisms to the winner, Pierre Trudeau, who responded by noting that he was "at once surprised and quite pleased with the information."

List of Newsmakers of the Year

YearAwardeeNotes
1946Igor GouzenkoEmbassy clerk who exposed Soviet espionage.
1947Barbara Ann ScottFirst North American to win World Figure Skating Championship
1948William Lyon Mackenzie KingRetired that year as the longest serving prime minister in Commonwealth of Nations history.
1949Louis St. LaurentPolitician who was appointed prime minister after his party won that year's federal election.
1950Lester PearsonDiplomat.
1951Lester Pearson
1952Lester Pearson
1953Lester Pearson
1954Marilyn BellMarathon swimmer.
1955Lester Pearson
1956Lester Pearson
1957John DiefenbakerAppointed as prime minister after his party won an unexpected minority in that year's federal election.
1958John DiefenbakerContinued as prime minister after his party won the largest majority in Canadian history in that year's federal election.
1959John Diefenbaker and Joey SmallwoodPrime minister and premier of Newfoundland, respectively.
1960John Diefenbaker
1961James CoyneResigned that year as Governor of the Bank of Canada.
1962Réal CaouetteSocial Credit politician who helped vote out the Diefenbaker government.
1963Lester PearsonWas appointed as prime minister after his party won that year's federal election.
1964Lester PearsonOversaw as prime minister the debate on Canada's flag.
1965Lucien RivardConvicted drug smuggler who escaped from prison and remained at large for 136 days.
1966John DiefenbakerRefused to surrender Progressive Conservative Party leadership.
1967Lester PearsonOversaw as prime minister the organisation of the festivities for the Canadian Centennial.
1968Pierre TrudeauAppointed as prime minister and continued in office after his party won that year's federal election.
1969Pierre Trudeau
1970Pierre Trudeau
1971Pierre Trudeau
1972Pierre Trudeau
1973Pierre Trudeau
1974Pierre Trudeau
1975Pierre Trudeau
1976René LévesqueAppointed as the first sovereigntist premier of Quebec after his party won that year's provincial election.
1977René Lévesque
1978Pierre Trudeau
1979Joe ClarkAppointed as prime minister after his party won that year's federal election.
1980Terry FoxWith an artificial leg, averaged 42 km per day during his Marathon of Hope.
1981Terry FoxDied at age 22.
1982Wayne GretzkyHockey player nicknamed The Great One, scored a record 92 goals in a single season.
1983Brian MulroneyWon the leadership election to head the Progressive Conservative Party.
1984Brian MulroneyAppointed as prime minister after his party won a record 211 of 282 seats in that year's federal election.
1985Steve FonyoCancer victim who lost a leg and ran a marathon similar to Terry Fox's.
1986Rick HansenWorld-class cross-country wheelchair athlete.
1987Rick Hansen
1988Ben JohnsonSet a world record in the 100 meter race at the 1988 Summer Olympics, but was subsequently disqualified for steroid use.
1989Michael WilsonMinister of Finance responsible for the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement.
1990Elijah HarperMember of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba who filibustered to stop the Meech Lake Accord.
1991Brian MulroneyAdvised the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and dealt with the aftermath of the failure of the Meech Lake Accord.
1992The referendum on the Charlottetown AccordThe first selection of a symbol rather than a specific person.
1993Kim CampbellBriefly served as prime minister, becoming the first woman to do so in Canada.
1994Jacques ParizeauAppointed as premier of Quebec after his party won that year's provincial election
1995Lucien BouchardLeader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the federal parliament, and a key player in the referendum on Quebec sovereignty.
1996Donovan BaileySprinter who ran 100 meter dash in record 9.84 seconds, winning gold at that year's olympics.
1997Sheldon KennedyHockey player and child abuse victim who went public in his campaign against abuse.
1998Jean ChrétienPrime minister who was chosen over the National Post's publisher, Conrad Black, by one vote, for favourable public opinion. Chrétien merely replied that a prime minister is often a newsmaker.
1999Pierre TrudeauVoted Canadian newsmaker of the 20th century, with no newsmaker named for 1999 itself. The vote also produced a top 10 list of newsmakers, in which Terry Fox came second, followed by René Lévesque, Frederick Banting, Tommy Douglas, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Lester Pearson, Wilfrid Laurier, Billy Bishop, and Brian Mulroney.
2000Pierre TrudeauEvents of the six days that marked his passing and state funeral.
2001Stockwell DayCanadian Alliance leader challenged by many in his own party. Day received 74 votes, followed by Chrétien with 12 votes. It was argued that while the Newsmaker of the Year title is often a positive title, Day was selected for perceived ineptness and probably did not want the designation.
2002Jean ChrétienEditor Don McCurdy explained: "While not everything he has done has met with a positive reaction, like the gun registry fiasco, much of it has been notable."
2003Paul MartinAppointed as prime minister after winning the his party's leadership election that year.
2004Paul MartinBecame the first minority prime minister in 25 years, after his party won that year's federal election, and was linked to the sponsorship scandal.
2005John GomeryJudge who held the inquiry into the Liberal Party sponsorship scandal.
2006The Canadian soldierMembers of the Canadian Forces engaged in the war in Afghanistan; editor Gary MacDougall said that "The issue of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan has been on the lips, and in the hearts, of Canadians all year."
2007Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceNational police force besieged by crises and scandals throughout the year. According to an editor: "The RCMP dominated Canadian news this year."
2008Stephen HarperPrime minister who tabled the apology for the residential schools and instigated that year's parliamentary dispute.
2009Stephen Harper
2010Russell WilliamsFormer Royal Canadian Air Force Colonel, found guilty of murdering and raping two women.
2011Jack LaytonLed the New Democratic Party to official opposition, Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the federal parliament, whose state funeral occurred in 2011.
2012Luka MagnottaAccused of the murder and dismemberment of a student.
2013Rob FordMayor of Toronto whose controversies attracted international attention.
2014Patrice Vincent
and Nathan Cirillo		Two soldiers killed two days apart in separate attacks on Canadian soil.
2015Justin TrudeauThe 23rd Prime Minister of Canada, who led his third-place Liberal Party to electoral victory in the year's federal election.
2016Gord DownieLead singer for the rock band The Tragically Hip, with whom he performed in a series of high-profile farewell concerts following his diagnosis with terminal brain cancer.
2017Gord DownieDied at the age of 53 from brain cancer, ten days before the release of his final album Introduce Yerself. Honoured, in part, for his work with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Foundation, which aids in the effort for reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples of Canada, and in particular survivors of the Canadian Indian residential school system.
2018Humboldt BroncosJunior ice hockey team from Saskatchewan involved in a collision with a semi-trailer on April 6, resulting in 16 deaths and 13 injuries.
2019Jody Wilson-RaybouldMember of Parliament for Vancouver Granville and former cabinet minister at the center of the SNC-Lavalin affair.