The Canadian Press Newsmakers of the Year since 1946

OTTAWA — The group of “Freedom Convoy” protesters who took over the streets around Parliament Hill and blocked border crossings to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions have been named Canada’s Press Secretary of the Year 2022.

Here’s a list of who held the title in the past, as chosen in an annual poll of newsrooms across the country:

2021: The kids who didn’t come home from boarding schools

2020: Frontline workers during COVID-19

2019: Jody Wilson-Raybould, politician

2018: Humboldt Broncos hockey team

2017: Gord Downie, musician

2016: Gord Downie, musician

2015: Justin Trudeau, politician

2014: Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, soldiers killed

2013: Rob Ford, politician

2012: Luka Rocco Magnotta, Killer

2011: Jack Layton, politician

2010: Russell Williams, sex killer

2009: Stephen Harper, politician

2008: Stephen Harper, politician

2007: The Mounties

2006: The Canadian Soldier

2005: John Gomery, judge in Quebec

2004: Paul Martin, politician

2003: Paul Martin, politician

2002: Jean Chrétien, politician

2001: Stockwell Day, politician

2000: Pierre Trudeau, politician

1999: Pierre Trudeau, politician (appointed Canadian 20th Century Newsmaker)

1998: Jean Chrétien, politician

1997: Sheldon Kennedy, hockey player and advocate for victims of sexual assault

1996: Donovan Bailey, sprinter

1995: Lucien Bouchard, politician

1994: Jacques Parizeau, politician

1993: Kim Campbell, politician

1992: The Canadian Constitution

1991: Brian Mulroney, politician

1990: Elijah Harper, politician

1989: Michael Wilson, politician

1988: Ben Johnson, Sprinter

1987: Rick Hansen, cross-country wheelchair athlete

1986: Rick Hansen, cross-country wheelchair athlete

1985: Steve Fonyo, cross-country runner

1984: Brian Mulroney, politician

1983: Brian Mulroney, politician

1982 Wayne Gretzky, ice hockey player

1981: Terry Fox, cross-country runner

1980: Terry Fox, cross-country runner

1979: Joe Clark, politician

1978 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1977: René Lévesque, politician

1976: René Lévesque, politician

1975 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1974 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1973 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1972 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1971 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1970 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1969: Pierre Trudeau, politician

1968 Pierre Trudeau, politician

1967 Lester Pearson, politician

1966: John Diefenbaker, politician

1965: Lucien Rivard, drug smuggler

1964 Lester Pearson, politician

1963 Lester Pearson, politician

1962: Real Caouette, politician

1961: James Coyne, Governor of the Bank of Canada

1960: John Diefenbaker, politician

1959: John Diefenbaker, Joey Smallwood; Politician

1958: John Diefenbaker, politician

1957: John Diefenbaker, politician

1956: Lester Pearson, diplomat

1955: Lester Pearson, diplomat

1954: Marilyn Bell, marathon swimmer

1953: Lester Pearson, diplomat

1952: Lester Pearson, diplomat

1951: Lester Pearson, diplomat

1950: Lester Pearson, diplomat

1949 Louis St Laurent, politician

1948: Mackenzie King, politician

1947 Barbara Ann Scott, figure skater

1946: Igor Gouzenko, cipher clerk at the Soviet Embassy

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on December 20, 2022.

The Canadian Press