RSC celebrates 125 years.

The Royal Society of Canada (RSC): The Academies of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences of Canada, one of the founding members of the Council of Canadian Academies, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. A special dinner was held May 25, 2007 on Parliament Hill to celebrate the 125th anniversary of its very first meeting held May 25, 1882. A major dinner will also be held in Toronto on October 17.

The RSC, the country's oldest and most prestigious scholarly organization, came into being in 1882 at the initiative of the Marquess of Lorne, Ninth Duke of Argyll, who was Governor General. Its first meeting took place in Ottawa with McGill University principal William Dawson as president. The Society's primary objectives remain to promote learning and recognize remarkable contributions. Virtually alone among national academies around the world, the RSC embraces academies of arts and humanities, social sciences, and natural and applied sciences. Under the continued patronage of the Governor General as Honorary Patron, the RSC promotes and expands the founders' intentions. It has welcomed institutional members, which include all major Canadian universities, and together they sponsor forums on important issues of policy and ethics. International research partnerships are part of the RSC's broad and multi-disciplinary outlook. As a founding academy of the Council of Canadian Academies, the RSC is a supportive, collaborative presence on expert panel assessments. Through its representation on the Council's Scientific Advisory Committee and Board of Governors, the RSC influences the selection of assessment topics, assessment process standards and final approvals. As a vital contributor to Canadian scholarly and cultural life, the RSC continues to build on its impressive traditions.

Council of Canadian Academies