David Suzuki 2011
David Suzuki, voted one of the top ten Greatest Canadians, Companion of the Order of Canada and author of 52 books, is the 18th recipient of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding literary achievement in British Columbia.
The award was presented to Dr. Suzuki on February 3 by Canadian literary icon Margaret Atwood, a long-time friend of Dr. Suzuki and an honorary Board member of the David Suzuki Foundation.
Mayor Gregor Robertson attended the award ceremony and read a proclamation in Dr. Suzuki’s honour.
“David Suzuki is a trailblazer and it is an honour to recognize him with the prestigious George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Mayor Robertson. “Dr. Suzuki has transformed the way we view our planet and ourselves. His books will continue to inspire, inform and educate people for many years to come.”
Read Dr. Suzuki’s acceptance speech for the George Woodcock Award here.
For his work popularizing science and environmental issues, Dr. Suzuki has been awarded 23 honorary degrees. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1976 and upgraded to Companion status (the highest level) in 2006. He has also received the Order of British Columbia, UNESCO’s Kalinga Prize for science and a long list of Canadian and international honours.
In 2004, Dr. Suzuki was nominated as one of the top ten Greatest Canadians by CBC viewers. In the final vote he ranked fifth and revealed that his own vote was for Tommy Douglas, the eventual winner
“I accept this important award, but it really should be on behalf of the Canadian public who read, watched and listened to my work and supported me to make it possible to get my message out,” said Dr. Suzuki. “If the public had not been there for me, believe me, I would have had no career in writing or broadcasting. I hope we can take this to the next step which is to act on what I have written over the years.”
Dr. Suzuki is one of the few British Columbians who needs little or no introduction, said Alan Twigg of the Pacific BookWorld News Society.
“David Suzuki argues that humans must join together as a species to respond to the problems we face and accept that the laws of nature must take precedence over economics,” said Mr. Twigg.
“In terms of planetary influence, few BC authors can match or surpass David Suzuki. His politics are global and environmental and he does things his own way. Still campaigning for change, he represents the best that British Columbia has to offer.”
Dr. Suzuki’s books, audio recordings and videos are on constant loan to Vancouver Public Library users, said City Librarian Sandra Singh.
“From books for children, to how-to volumes on reducing your ecological footprint and memoirs that explore the effects of being born in Vancouver, interred by your own government and using that experience to excel and prove yourself, David Suzuki has given us literary gifts that will guide and impress generations for many years to come,” said Ms. Singh.
“Vancouver Public Library is proud to co-sponsor this annual award and we are delighted that a native Vancouverite whose influence is worldwide and whose heart has always been at home is the recipient of this year’s prize.”
The City of Vancouver, Vancouver Public Library and the non-profit Pacific BookWorld News Society initiated the annual George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 at the official opening of the Library Square complex. This year’s award is also supported by The Writers Trust of Canada and Dr. Yosef Wosk.
Dr. Suzuki’s name is inscribed on a plaque to be added to Writers Walk on the northeast plaza of Library Square and the award includes a $5000 cash prize.
Previous award recipients include Alice Munro, P.K. Page, W.P. Kinsella, Anne Cameron and Chuck Davis.
David Suzuki received the award at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver on February 3 in conjunction with a Writers Trust of Canada event that Ms. Atwood attended.
BIOGRAPHY
The geneticist-turned-broadcaster-turned-environmentalist David Takayoshi Suzuki was born in Vancouver on March 24, 1936. He grew up in southern Ontario after his family was interned in Slocan, B.C. during World War II.
Like many Japanese Canadians who were interned and had some of their family holdings confiscated or sold, David Suzuki was embittered and emboldened by his unfair incarceration, seemingly intent on proving his worth to society beyond any doubt.
David Suzuki studied at Amherst College and the University of Chicago, then taught at the University of Alberta. In 1963 he joined the UBC zoology department and won the award for outstanding Canadian research scientist under the age of 35 three years in a row. His educational television programs started with Suzuki on Science in 1971, leading to his long association with The Nature of Things on CBC, as of 1979.
“When I began to work in television in 1962,” he wrote, “I never dreamed that it would ultimately occupy most of my life and make me a celebrity in Canada.” As well, Suzuki hosted Science Magazine on CBC TV and served as the first host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks from 1975 to 1979. With his wife Tara Cullis, he has since co-founded the David Suzuki Foundation and received countless honours including the Order of Canada in 1977 and the Order of B.C. in 1995.
In his second volume of memoirs, Suzuki recalls how he proposed to his second wife, Tara, on Hollyburn Mountain in December of 1972. They have two daughters, Severn and Sarika. Suzuki also has three children, Tamiko, Troy and Laura, from a marriage that ended in 1964. “My children have been my pride and joy,” he writes, “but getting Tara to marry me was the greatest achievement of my life.”
Suzuki titled his first autobiography Metamorphosis: Stages in a Life (Stoddart) to echo his ground-breaking studies of mutations in fruit flies. David Suzuki: The Autobiography (Greystone 2005 $34.95) as an updated second instalment, expanding on material from Metamorphosis and covering his accomplishments after age fifty.
This breezy re-run doubles as a family photo album as Suzuki rubs shoulders with close friends Myles Richardson and artist Guujaaw of the Haida; entertainers Bruno Gerussi, John Denver, Sting, Graham Greene and Gordon Lightfoot; and he travels extensively to meet world leaders who have included Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama and the Kaiapo chief Paiakan of the Amazon rainforest.
When Kaiapo and his family paid a reciprocal visit to the Suzuki home in 1989, they refused to wear any western clothes that were not new, and they required new sheets, fearing diseases. The six-week visit was fraught with misunderstandings, including the misguided notion that an airplane would be purchased for their use in Brazil.
Remarkably, Suzuki contacted Anita Roddick, creator of the Body Shop empire, and she wrote a cheque for $100,000. He then found a pilot named Al “Jet” Johnson, a friend of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder Paul Watson, who checked out a used Cessna Utility 206 in Texas—then flew it to Brazil in hurricane season to ensure Suzuki kept a promise that he had never made in the first place.
Not without a sense of humour—or vanity—Suzuki includes the naked ‘fig leaf’ photo of himself for the “Phallacies” show for The Nature of Things and wrily recalls his meetings with heavyweight thinkers Noam Chomsky and Ralph Nader. Suzuki speaks fondly of Chomsky (“He is a superstar, and it was flattering to be acknowledged so generously”) and re-tells a curious anecdote about Nader (“Ralph is a very serious and intense person”).
When taken to a Lebanese restaurant in Vancouver, the puritanical Nader refused to acknowledge the gyrations of a belly dancer who approached his table, entreating him to stuff some bills into her bra. Nader kept talking, as if she didn’t exist, until the dancer left the table, unable to engage his attention in any way. “At the end of the meal,” Suzuki writes, “as we got up to leave, Ralph made no mention of the belly dancer but simply said: ‘That was a very nice meal. And no one overate.’”
It’s not easy to digest all of David Suzuki’s knowledge into one volume, but The David Suzuki Reader was an attempt to do so in 2003. It’s subtitled the ‘collected writings from One of the Planet’s Leading Thinkers.’
One of the most prolific non-fiction authors of British Columbia, Suzuki has reportedly rejected offers to run for the New Democratic Party. His politics are global and environmental–and he does things his own way.
BOOKS:
2010 THE LEGACY
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2010 MORE GOOD NEWS
With H. Dressel
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2010 THE DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE
With T. Cullis, R.Cavoukian, W.Davis, Guujaaw, Illustrated by M. Nicoll-
Yahgulanaas
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2009 THE BIG PICTURE
With D. Taylor
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2008 THERE’S A BARNYARD IN MY BEDROOM
Illustrated by E. Fernandes,
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2008 DAVID SUZUKI’S GREEN GUIDE
With D. Boyd
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2007 THE SACRED BALANCE, Updated and Expanded with A. McConnell & A. Mason
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2006 DAVID SUZUKI THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2006 GRASSROOSTS RISING
With E. Begley Jr. & R. McLean
Honour Group Publishing, Vancouver, Canada
2004 TREE A Life Story
With W. Grady
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2003 DAVID SUZUKI READER
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2003 THE SALMON FOREST
With S. Ellis, Illustrated by S. Lott
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2002 SACRED BALANCE: A Visual Celebration of Our Place in Nature
With A. McConnell and M. DeCambra
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2002 THE SACRED BALANCE, 2ND Edition, with new Introduction
With A. McConnell
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
2002 GENETICS A BEGINNERS GUIDE
Guttman, B.; Griffiths, A.; Suzuki, D.; Cullis, T.
Oneworld Oxford England
2002 GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE
With H. Dressel
Stoddart Publishing, Canada
Allen & Unwin, Australia
2002 WHEN THE WILD COMES LEAPING UP
Edited by David Suzuki
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
Also published in the USA
2000 ECO-FUN
with K. Vanderlinden
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
Allen & Unwin, Australia (Children’s Book/Tape)
1999 YOU ARE THE EARTH
with K. Vanderlinden
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
Also published in Australia (Children’s Book/Tape)
1999 FROM NAKED APE TO SUPERSPECIES
with H. Dressel
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia
1998 EARTH TIME.
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia
1998 TREE SUITCASE.
Sommerville House, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
1997 A GLIMPSE OF CANADA’S FUTURE
with E. Battle, & B. Stipdonk
David Suzuki Foundation, Vancouver, Canada
1997 THE SACRED BALANCE: REDISCOVERING OUR PLACE IN NATURE
with A. McConnell.
David Suzuki Foundation & Greystone Books, Vancouver, Canada
Also published in Australia, U.S.A., England
1996 THE JAPAN WE NEVER KNEW
with K. Oiwa
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia, U.S.A.
1995 THE BACKYARD TIME DETECTIVES
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
1994 CRACKING THE CODE
with J. Levine
Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd. Australia
1994 IF WE COULD SEE THE AIR
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
1993 NATURE IN THE HOME
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
1993 THE SECRET OF LIFE
with J. Levine
WGBH Educational Foundation, Boston, MA., U.S.A.
Also published in Germany
1993 TIME TO CHANGE
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia
1992 WISDOM OF THE ELDERS
with P. Knudtson
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in U.S.A., Australia
1991 DID YOU KNOW, ABOUT FOOD AND FEEDING
with L. Suzuki & P. Cook
General Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia (Children’s Book/Tape)
1991 DID YOU KNOW…ABOUT SHAPES AND SIZES
with L. Suzuki & P. Cook
General Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia (Children’s Book/Tape)
1990 IT’S A MATTER OF SURVIVAL
with A. Gordon
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia, England, U.S.A., Montreal
1990 DID YOU KNOW…ABOUT LIGHT AND SIGHT
with L. Suzuki & P. Cook (Children’s Book/Tape)
General Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Published in Australia)
1990 DID YOU KNOW…ABOUT INSIDES AND OUTSIDES
with L. Suzuki & P. Cook
General Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia (Children’s Book/Tape)
1989 LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENT
with B. Hehner
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
Also published in Australia, U.S.A., Quebec
1989 INVENTING THE FUTURE
Stoddart Publishing, Ltd., Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia, England
1988 GENETHICS: THE ETHICS OF ENGINEERING LIFE
with P. Knudston
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in U.S.A., Australia, England
1988 LOOKING AT WEATHER
with B. Hehner
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
Also published in Australia, Spain, U.S.A.
1987 LOOKING AT THE BODY
with B. Hehner
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
Also published in Australia, Spain, Portugal, USA
1987 METAMORPHOSIS: STAGES IN A LIFE
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada
Also published in Australia, Spain
1987 DAVID SUZUKI TALKS ABOUT AIDS
with E. Thalenberg & P. Knudtson
General Publishing Paperbacks, Toronto, Canada
1986 LOOKING AT INSECTS
with B. Hehner
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
Also published in Quebec, Denmark, Australia, Spain, Portugal, USA
1986 LOOKING AT PLANTS
with B. Hehner.
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
Also published in Quebec, Denmark, Australia, Spain, Portugal and U.S.A.
1986 EGG CARTON ZOO
with H. Blohm
Oxford University Press, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
1986 SCIENCESCAPE: THE NATURE OF CANADA
with H. Blohm, & M. Harris
Oxford University Press, Toronto, Canada
1986 LOOKING AT YOUR SENSES
with B. Hehner
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Canada (Children’s Book/Tape)
Also published in Quebec, Denmark, Australia, Spain, Portugal, USA
1986 British Columbia: FRONTIER FOR IDEAS
with H. Cullis
Western Education Development Group, Vancouver, Canada
1986 FROM PEBBLES TO COMPUTERS: THE THREAD
with D.T., Beer & H. Blohm
Oxford University Press, Toronto, Canada
1976 AN INTRODUCTION TO GENETIC ANALYSIS
with A.J.F. Griffiths
W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, CA., U.S.A.
2nd edit. 1981; 3rd edit. 1986; 4th edit. 1989; 5th edit. 1993; 6th edit.
This is the most widely used genetics textbook in the U.S. and has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Greek, Indonesian, Arabic, French and German.