HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY HISTORY FOUNDATION CELEBRATES CANADA’S HISTORY WITH VIDEO SERIES
The HBC History Foundation is enlisting Man in Motion hero Rick Hansen to celebrate the explorer and surveyor David Thompson in its second Country of Adventurers history segment.
“We are delighted to have the ‘Man in Motion’ Rick Hansen help tell the remarkable story of’ David Thompson,” said Richard Baker, governor and executive chairman of HBC, in a statement. “Hansen’s personal journey pushing his wheelchair around the globe is a wonderful parallel to Thompson’s, who also overcame a physical setback and went on to explore and map Canada and vast regions of the entire continent.”
Thompson became one of the most pioneering geographers in Canada. No matter where he traveled, he would mark down the latitude and longitude, temperature and geographical characteristics. Ultimately, he mapped almost half of North America between the 46th and 60th parallels, from the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes all the way to the Pacific. His work was so accurate that it remained the basis of all maps of the west for almost a century.
“It’s an honour to help share these inspiring stories of adventurers from Canada’s past,” said Rick Hansen, CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation. “When I learned about Thompson and what he endured and accomplished in his lifetime I was in awe. By sharing his courageous story, we will inspire today’s adventurers to explore and celebrate Canada.”
Hudson’s Bay Company established the HBC History Foundation to advance the knowledge and interest in Canadian history. This new series features modern day Canadian adventurers sharing stories of explorers from Canada’s rich history.
