Genetics Society of Canada : The Genetics Society of Canada (GSC) was formed in 1955. The Society brought together geneticists and other scientists and researchers working in the field. The GSC operated within Canada. The membership was international, although the majority of members were Canadians or were based in Canada. Members were employed in universities, government, hospitals, and the private sector. The Society continued operations until 2010.
The main functions of the society included publicizing the role of genetics in Canada, holding annual scientific conferences (1957-2000), and publishing the GSC Bulletin and the Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology. The Bulletin was published quarterly from 1969 until 2010, featuring abstracts from the annual general meeting, news, and opinion pieces. The Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology (ISO abbreviation: Can. J. Genet. Cytol. ) was published by the GSC from 1959 until 1983 when operation of the journal was transferred to the National Research Council. In 1987, with the approval of the Society, the journal was renamed Genome.
The GSC sponsored two awards to recognise contributions to the field of genetics. The Award of Excellence was established in 1976 (later renamed the William F Grant and Peter B Moens Award for Excellence in Genetics) to recognise significant contributions to the field. The Young Scientist Award was established in 1987 (later renamed the Robert H. Haynes Young Scientist Award) to recognise the contributions of a scientist made in the fifteen years after finishing a degree.
The GSC was decentralised and did not have a permanent office or staff. Office services were supplied by the Department of Agriculture until 1975 when the Society hired the Agricultural Institute of Canada (AIC), based in Ottawa, Ontario, to provide office services. The executive had a regular turnover: in general the president served a one-year term, the treasurer and secretary three-year terms, and directors a two-year term.
In 2010, the Society ceased operations as an independent organisation when, at the annual general meeting, the members voted to merge with the Canadian Society of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology (which was renamed the Canadian Society of Molecular Biosciences in 2011).
Grant, William Frederick, 1924-2011 : William Frederick Grant, geneticist and professor, was born in 1924. He was a professor of genetics at McGill University, Montréal, Québec, and established the genetics laboratory at the Macdonald College Campus of McGill University in 1952. His main field of study was cytogenetics, the study of inheritance in relation to the structure and function of chromosomes - particularly the detection and monitoring of environmental mutagens responsible for cancer, infant mortality and human genetic injury. He received an honorary Doctorate of Science from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, for his work in "plant cytogenetics, biosystematics and mutagenesis." He died 15 October 2011 at Montréal, Québec.
Prof. Grant was involved with the Genetics Society of Canada (GSC) for approximately 40 years. He was editor of the journal (1974-1982) and served on the GSC executive as a director (1964-1965), secretary (1969-1971), president (1974), and as a member of various committees. In the early 1980s, he became the archivist of the Society and was instrumental in documenting the history of the society - he wrote a history of the GSC and placed calls to the membership to donate any relevant documents. In his role as archivist, he received transfers of agendas, minutes, correspondence and reports from the executive. A large proportion of the documents in the fonds were created, accumulated and used by Prof. Grant in his capacity as editor, member of the executive, president, or archivist of the GSC.
