Canada's National History Society has named Legion Magazine on its shortlist for the 2012 Governor General's History Award (Pierre Berton Award) honoring Canada's top writers and producers of Canadian history in popular media.

Legion magazine (Canvet Publications) began in 1926. "Over the past two decades the magazine has evolved into an engaging and attractive popular magazine that focuses on all aspects of of Canada's military past," reads a release from Canada's History. "Today its readership includes not only the 300,000 veterans who receive the magazine, but also includes a growing book and online audience that is estimated at over one million."

Legion magazine expressed its excitement about the nomination. "Legion magazine is almost 100 years old and our mandate has always been to bring the stories of Canada to every corner of this country," said general manager Jennifer Morse. "This type of recognition can only help us share this nation's history with an even wider audience."

Legion magazine publishes six times a year in English with a French insert.

Other nominees include Richard Gwyn, a political journalist; Bernard Zuckerman, television producer; Dictionary of Canadian Biography, a bilingual history reference source; and Le Quebec, une histoire de famille, a series of short stories about best-known family names in Quebec.

The Pierre Berton Award will be handed out at Rideau Hall by the governor general of Canada in December. Along with a medal, the winner gets $5,000 from Canada's History Society.