Daniel Francis (born 19 April 1947) is a Canadian historian and writer. He has published thirty books, chiefly about Canadian, British Columbian and Vancouver history, on a broad range of subjects, from the Canadian fur trade and prohibition to the history of whaling, transportation and Indigenous peoples.
In 2017 he received the Governor General's History Award for Popular Media: the Pierre Berton Award, called Canada's top honour in the field of history and heritage.[1] In 2014 the City of Vancouver awarded him the Mayor's Arts Award for Literary Arts.[2] In 2010 Francis received an award of merit from the Vancouver Historical Society for his contributions to the history of the city and the province.[3]
His biography of L. D. Taylor, an early mayor of Vancouver,[4] won the 2004 City of Vancouver Book Award.[5] His book on the history of killer whales on the Pacific Coast, Operation Orca (Harbour), written with marine biologist Gil Hewlett,[6] won the Foreword Magazine prize for best nature book of 2007.[7]
The Encyclopedia of British Columbia (Harbour 2000),[8] which he edited and wrote the majority of, has been called “the most essential book for and about B.C.” In 2001 it won two awards at the annual British Columbia Book Prizes.[9]