Mel Hurtig: a timeline of his life in books and politics

Some notable dates and events in the life of author,publisher and nationalist Mel Hurtig, who died Wednesday at the ageof 84.

1956: Hurtig opened Hurtig Books in Edmonton with $500, whichgrew into one of the largest retail book operations in Canada.

1972: Hurtig sold his stores and decided to concentrate onpublishing books under the imprint Hurtig Publishers. In this sameyear, he ran as a Liberal in a federal Edmonton riding withoutsuccess. He later became a founding member of the Committee for anIndependent Canada and served as their national chairman.

1980: Hurtig became an officer of the Order of Canada.

1985: The first edition of "The Canadian Encyclopedia" waspublished. It sold 155,000 sets in the first three months of
publication. The Council of Canadians was also founded that year byHurtig, Maude Barlow and Pierre Berton among others.

1988: He was awarded the Lester B. Pearson Man of the Year PeaceAward. The second edition of "The Canadian Encyclopedia" was published.

1991: Hurtig published his first book, "The Betrayal ofCanada," critiquing the North American Free Trade Agreement. HurtigPublishers is sold to Toronto-based McClelland & Stewart.

1990: The Junior Encyclopedia of Canada was published. Sales ofthe five-volume set totalled only 35,000.

1992: Hurtig became the leader of the National Party of Canada,which was created to battle foreign ownership of Canadian businessand industry.

1994: The National Party of Canada disintegrated after Hurtigresigned as leader.

Hurtig went on to write other books, including "At Twilight inthe Country: Memoirs of a Canadian Nationalist;" "Pay for Rent orFeed the Kids; "The Vanishing Country;" "Rushing to Armageddon"and "The Truth About Canada."

(Source: canadianencyclopedia.ca and The Canadian Press)