Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
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Description area
Dates of existence
History
Gertrude Mary Laing, 1905-2005, was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She graduated in French from the University of Manitoba and did post-graduate studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. She later taught at the University of Manitoba. In 1952 she moved to Calgary, Alberta with her husband, Stanley B. Laing, an oil industry executive. The Laings had two sons, Colin, a metallurgical engineer, and Alan, a composer.
From 1963 to 1971 Gertrude served on the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. From 1968 to 1972 she was a member of the Canadian Radio-Television Commission. She also served as chair of the Canada Council, and was a delegate to the Unesco General Assembly. She was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary in 1973.
She was co-author (with Solange Chaput Rolland) of Face to Face. - Toronto : New Press, 1972.