April 21, 2021 – One Book, One Community, is celebrating it’s 20th year! The longest running community reading program in Canada, “OBOC”, as it is fondly referred to, celebrates books and writings of Canadian authors. Through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book, OBOC has helped create a special sense of community in the Region over it’s 20-year span.

The One Book, One Community committee is thrilled to announce that the 2021 book selection is Extraordinary Canadians: Stories from the Heart of our Nation by Peter Mansbridge and Mark Bulgutch. Featuring stories from Canadians of all walks of life, Extraordinary Canadians is a perfect feel good love letter to our country and its people. The personal stories included, highlight voices of advocates, immigrants, medical professionals, religious leaders, and many more inspiring Canadians. Different stories will resonate with different readers. Combined, the stories will inspire a strong sense of pride for the land we call home and our fellow Canadians.

Peter Mansbridge is one of Canada’s most respected journalists. He is the former chief correspondent for CBC News and anchor of The National, CBC’s flagship nightly newscast where he worked for thirty years reporting on national and international news stories. He is also the former host of Mansbridge One on One, where he interviewed world leaders, music legends, and sports heroes. Mansbridge has received numerous awards for broadcast excellence, including a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Canadian Screen and Television. He has been awarded the Order of Canada and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Follow him on Twitter @petermansbridge, visit him at thepetermansbridge.com, or listen to his show The Bridge on Sirius XM.

Mark Bulgutch is a journalist, educator, speaker, and the author of That’s Why I’m a Journalist and That’s Why I’m a Doctor. He worked for CBC for forty years, eleven as the senior editor of The National and another ten as senior executive producer of all live news specials. He has taught at the Ryerson University School of Journalism for almost thirty-five years. A regular contributor of opinion columns to the Toronto Star, he has won fourteen Gemini awards, four RTNDA Awards, the Canadian Journalist Foundation Award of Excellence, and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Gold Ribbon Award. Follow him on Twitter @markbulgutch.

“When we look back on the past twenty years of OBOC, the need for community has never been so important. As we yearn for meaningful connections during the pandemic, Extraordinary Canadians allows us to hear heartfelt stories that will uplift and connect us.” says Carroll Chapman, co-chair of One Book, One Community. “Along with co-author and esteemed CBC producer, Mark Bulgutch, this year’s OBOC selection gives us the chance to invite beloved news anchor, Peter Mansbridge back into our homes to remind us of who we are as Canadians.”

For more information on One Book, One Community and to learn about the author events in September, visit oboc.ca

Note: the virtual authors event takes place on September 23 at 7:00pm on One Book One Community’s YouTube channel. “Like” OBOC on Facebook and keep up-to-date on all of the One Book One Community news.