Olive Dickason

Author

1920 – 2011

93

Who was Olive Dickason?

Olive Patricia Dickason was a Canadian historian. She was a key figure in the study of Aboriginal History in Canada's academic world.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, her family moved to the Interlake region after losing everything they owned during the Great Depression. Aged 12, she, her sister Alice, and her mother Phoebe went trapping and fishing to provide food for the family. “Living in the bush as I did during my adolescent years, I very soon learned that survival depended upon assessing each situation as it arose, which calls for common sense and realism,” said Olive. “You neither give up nor play games.” Encouraged by mentor, Father Athol Murray, she decided to finish high school in Saskatchewan, prior to pursuing post-secondary education. She completed a BA in French and Philosophy at Notre Dame College, an affiliate of the University of Ottawa.

She first became aware of her Métis ancestry as a young adult upon meeting some Métis relatives in Regina. She began a 24-year career in journalism at the Regina Leader-Post and subsequently, worked as a writer and editor at the Winnipeg Free Press, the Montreal Gazette, and the Globe and Mail. She promoted coverage of First Nations and women's issues.

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Born
Mar 6, 1920
Winnipeg
Also known as
  • Olive Patricia Dickason
Education
  • University of Ottawa
Died
Mar 12, 2011

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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