Ontario Historical Society Names New President

The Ontario Historical Society (OHS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu (HBA'01, MA'03) of Thunder Bay has been elected at the 131st Annual General Meeting of the as the new President of the Society.

A member of the OHS Board of Directors since 2013, Beaulieu holds a BA (Honours), BEd, and MA in history from Lakehead University. He obtained his PhD in History from Queen’s University. A Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History at Lakehead University and an Associate of the L.R. Wilson Institute of Canadian History, he has long been involved in the historical and heritage community provincially and nationally.

Beaulieu is currently the President of the Champlain Society, Vice-President of the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, a member of the Multicultural History Society of Ontario’s board of directors, and a long-time member of the executive of the Archives Association of Ontario’s Northwestern Ontario Archivists’ Association. Beaulieu also serves on Lakehead University’s Board of Governors. In April 2017 he was appointed as the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment.

Beaulieu is taking over from Caroline Di Cocco. “Personally, and on behalf of the Board of Directors and members, I would like to thank and extend best wishes to former President, now Past President, Caroline Di Cocco, and acknowledge her many contributions and dedication to the preservation and promotion of Ontario’s rich history and heritage.”

“It has also been a pleasure working with departing Board members Ross Fair (Toronto), Carolyn King (Hagersville), Ian Radforth (Toronto), and Joe Stafford (Kingston). I would like to welcome new Board members Laura Suchan (Oshawa), Eric L. Payseur (Ottawa), and Nora Sawyer (Alderville First Nation).”

“I look forward to working with the Government of Ontario on behalf of our over 850 affiliated societies, member organizations, and member institutions that have played a key role in the cultural sector’s $25 billion contribution to the economy, a growth of 23% since 2010, and one which has outpaced the growth of some of Ontario’s largest sectors.”