Tom Hanson (photojournalist)

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Tom Hanson (May 1, 1967 – March 10, 2009) was a Canadian photojournalist who covered major news events across Canada and around the world. He was born in Rochester, New York, and grew up in Montreal. Hanson studied at Vanier College and Concordia University before starting his career with the Canadian Press (CP) in 1989, becoming a CP staff photographer in Ottawa in 1992.

Hanson’s work earned him recognition in Canadian journalism. He won the Canadian Press Picture of the Year Award in 1992 and was named Canadian Press Photographer of the Year in 2002. His photography captured many significant moments, including the Oka Crisis, the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in 2001, the 2006 evacuation of Canadians from Lebanon, and the Canadian mission in Afghanistan.

Personal life:
- Spouse: Catherine Marshall
- Interests: playing guitar, motorcycles, and ice hockey

Death:
Hanson died of an apparent heart attack after a pickup hockey game in Ottawa, at the age of 41. His colleagues and leaders across party lines, including the Prime Minister, paid tributes to him in the Canadian House of Commons.

Famous photos:
- One of Hanson’s most enduring images shows Mohawk warrior Richard Nicholas atop an overturned police car during the Oka Crisis. Nicholas died in a car crash later that day, at the same age as Hanson. Hanson was also among the photographers present at the signing of the Ottawa Treaty in 1997, which banned landmines.