Accession UAA-1995-200 - UAA-1995-200

Publisher, Author, Politician, 1932-. Melvin Gordon Hurtig was born in Edmonton in 1932, and in 1956 opened a bookstore in Edmonton which grew into one of the largest retail book operations in Canada. He sold his stores in 1972 and concentrated on publishing Canadian books, most notably 2 editions of the highly acclaimed <em>The Canadian Encyclopedia</em> (1985 and 1988) and <em>The Junior Encyclopedia of Canada</em>(1990). He sold Hurtig Publishers to Toronto-based McClelland & Stewart in 1991. A well-known economic nationalist, Mr. Hurtig was a founding member of the Committee for an Independent Canada and in 1985 he was founding chairman of the Council of Canadians. A critic of the high degree of foreign ownership and control in Canada, he campaigned vigorously against the Free Trade Agreement with the US. His first book, <em>The Betrayal of Canada,</em> was the best-selling book in Canada in 1991. In 1992 he was the driving force behind a new political organization, the National Party, a party committed to nationalist and populist goals. Mr. Hurtig was selected the party's leader and wrote its policy statement, A New and Better Canada. Mr. Hurtig resigned as leader in 1994 and the party subsequently disintegrated. He has received much recognition for his outspoken nationalism, including numerous honorary degrees. He also received the Lester B. Pearson Man of the Year Peace Award (1988) and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. His autobiography, <em>At Twilight in the Country: Memoirs of a Canadian Nationalist </em>was published in 1996.