The Diversity Award was a special award presented by Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to honour excellence in English-language television programming that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of Canada". It was introduced in 1988 as the Multiculturalism Award under the umbrella of the Gemini Awards,Bill Anderson, "Spotlight on Canadian TV; CBC sequel, CTV mini-series share top billing in Gemini nominations". Ottawa Citizen, October 13, 1988. and renamed to the Canada Award in 1993."Vision TV show honored for multiculturalism". Waterloo Region Record, February 10, 1993. The winner of the award was generally announced in advance of the ceremony, although the award was presented to the producers at the ceremony.
It was renamed to the Diversity Award in 2014 after the Geminis were merged into the Canadian Screen Awards. It has not been presented since the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016.
National Film Board of Canada productions and co-productions have won approximately half of all Canada Awards.
Winners by year Year Program Producers Ref 1988 Degrassi Junior High Kit Hood, Linda Schuyler "Degrassi grabs Gemini awards: CBC's teen drama series steals show". Vancouver Sun, December 1, 1988. 1989 Inside Stories Paul de Silva Greg Quill, "R.H. Thomson's Banting best Glory Enough For All the big winner at Gemini Awards". Toronto Star, December 6, 1989. 1990 Batiya Bak! Werner Volkmer "Gemini Award winners". Edmonton Journal, December 5, 1990. 1992 Drums Pnina Bloch, Jennifer Campbell, Andy Blicq Mike Boone, "Gemini Awards show scores with innovation". Montreal Gazette, March 9, 1992. 1993 It's About Time Peter Flemington, Rita Deverell 1994 Speak It! From the Heart of Black Nova Scotia Mike Mahoney, Sylvia Hamilton Ian Johnston, "N.S. film to get award at Geminis". Halifax Daily News, February 17, 1994. 1995 For Angela Nancy Trites Botkin, Joe MacDonald "Early Gemini Award winner announced". Calgary Herald, February 12, 1995. 1996 Nuhoniyeh: Our Story Allan Code, Mary Code Christopher Harris, "Film on Dene wins award". The Globe and Mail, February 23, 1996. 1997 The Mind of a Child Gary Marcuse "Pinsent to be honored at Geminis". Waterloo Region Record, February 14, 1997. 1998 (1) The Road Taken Selwyn Jacob, Dale Phillips John McKay, "Canadian TV has three days of glory: Gemini judges sifted through more than 2,200 entries to pick 64 winners". Waterloo Region Record, February 25, 1998. 1998 (2) The Rez: "They Call Her Tanya" Brian Dennis John McKay, "Gemini weekend again praises the best Canadian TV". Canadian Press, September 29, 1998. 1999 Loyalties Lesley Ann Patten "Geminis have plenty of clout, Pinsent says". North Bay Nugget, November 3, 1999. 2000 Unwanted Soldiers Karen King "Da Vinci and Dr Lucille winners at the final night of the Gemini TV awards". Canadian Press, October 30, 2000. 2001 Made in China: The Story of Adopted Chinese Children in Canada Karen Lee, Shan Tam "Burroughs honoured". North Bay Nugget, November 5, 2001. 2002 Film Club Cyrus Sundar Singh John McKay, "CBC News big winner on first of three nights of Gemini TV awards honours". Canadian Press, November 2, 2002. 2003 Carry Me Home: The Story & Music of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale Liam Romalis "Geminis name early winners; Dale, Maclear, McKenna recognized". Hamilton Spectator, September 25, 2003. 2004 Cosmic Current Anand Ramayya "Special Gemini Awards announced Monday". Niagara Falls Review, November 9, 2004. 2005 Two Worlds Colliding Tasha Hubbard, Bonnie Thompson "Special Gemini honours announced". Chatham Daily News, November 8, 2005. 2006 Wapos Bay: "There's No I in Hockey" Michael J. F. Scott, Anand Ramayya, Melanie Jackson, Dennis Jackson "Youth and lifestyle shows get Geminis". Toronto Star, October 18, 2006. 2007 Little Mosque on the Prairie Zarqa Nawaz, Mary Darling, Clark Donnelly, Susan Alexander, Michael Snook "Mr. Dressup, others to get special Geminis". Calgary Herald, October 5, 2007. 2008 Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny Mark Sandiford, Kent Martin "Gemini Special Awards winners announced". Toronto Star, October 7, 2008. 2009 Club Native Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon, Linda Ludwick "Late filmmaker Allan King, Eric Peterson to receive special Gemini awards". Canadian Press, October 1, 2009. 2010 Reel Injun Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon, Linda Ludwick "Reel Injun, Degrassi win special Geminis". National Post, October 21, 2010. 2011 The Storytelling Class John Paskievich, John Whiteway "Local filmmakers win special Gemini". Winnipeg Free Press, August 11, 2011. 2013 Blind Spot: What Happened to Canada's Aboriginal Fathers? Geoff Leo "Blind Spot documentary to receive Canada Award". Regina Leader-Post, February 26, 2013. 2014 The Defector: Escape from North Korea Ann Shin "Canadian human smuggling documentary 'The Defector' wins diversity prize". Canadian Press, January 28, 2014. 2015 The Exhibition Damon Vignale, Miho Yamamoto Katie Bailey, "Canadian Screen Awards ’15: Far-flung docs win night one". Playback, February 24, 2015. 2016 Canada in Perspective Anne Marie Varner Julianna Cummins, "Canada in Perspective wins ACCT’s Diversity Award". Playback, February 11, 2016.
See also Canadian television awards
References