Latest news with #GovernorGeneral
CBC
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Giller Prize-winning author and senator David Richards joins Conservative caucus
The formerly non-affiliated New Brunswick Sen. David Richards has joined the Conservative Senate Caucus. Richards, a bestselling author and one of only a handful of writers who has received a Governor General's award in both the non-fiction and fiction categories, was appointed to the Senate in 2018 by former prime minister Justin Trudeau. "I'm proud to join the Conservative caucus and be part of a strong team that stands up for Canadians," he said in a statement released by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Sen. Leo Housakos. The party said that since his appointment, Richards has "demonstrated a consistent commitment to core conservative values," including "respect for freedom of expression" and "individual responsibility." "We are proud to welcome Senator Richards to a growing Conservative Senate Caucus — one that is home to diverse opinions and healthy debate," Housakos said in a statement. As third-party leader, Trudeau removed all Liberal senators from the national caucus at the height of the Senate expenses scandal in 2014. With this appointment, the Conservative caucus in the Senate stands at 12. The current standings in the Senate now sit at 45 senators in the Independent Senators Group; 21 in the Canadian Senators Group; 18 in the Progressive Senate Group; and eight non-affiliated senators, with one vacant seat left to fill. At the time of his appointment, Richards said he was "sitting as an independent man," and that he would "make my own decisions to the best of my ability when I'm in the chamber." Richards, who was a co-winner of the 2000 Giller Prize for his novel Mercy Among the Children and has received a number of other prestigious awards, including two Geminis for script writing, will continue to represent New Brunswick.
CBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Guy Vanderhaeghe wins book of the year at 2025 Saskatchewan Book Awards
Social Sharing Saskatchewan author Guy Vanderhaeghe won both the Non-Fiction and Book of the Year Award at the 2025 Saskatchewan Book Awards. Since 1993, the awards are presented annually in recognition of the best books in the province across 14 categories. The Esterhazy, Sask.-born Vanderhaeghe is recognized for his memoir Because Somebody Asked Me To. Because Somebody Asked Me To is celebrated writer Guy Vanderhaeghe's response to all the editors and publishers who have asked him for his insights on books, history and literature spanning his prolific career. It examines the state of Canadian literature when he first appeared on the scene in 1982, what's happened since and where it can go from here. Vanderhaeghe is a novelist, short story writer and playwright. Except for a brief stint in Ottawa, Vanderhaeghe has always lived in his home province and was part of a new generation of writers forging Saskatchewan's contemporary literary scene. His first published short story was in the second-ever issue of the long-running Grain literary magazine based in Saskatoon. Vanderhaeghe's debut short story collection Man Descending, published in 1982, earned him the Governor General's Literary Award and later the Faber Prize in Britain. He would go on to win two more Governor General's Literary Awards: in 1996 for The Englishman's Boy and in 2015 for the short story collection Daddy Lenin and Other Stories. His book The Last Crossing won Canada Reads 2004. He won the Timothy Findley Prize, the Harbourfront Literary Prize and the Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg Prize for his complete body of work. Other notable winners include Victoria Koops, Dave Margoshes, Jarol Boan and Sylvia Legris. Koops won the Young Adult Literature award for Who We Are in Real Life, a book about two young star-crossed lovers who meet in a game of Dungeons & Dragons. Koops is a Saskatchewan-based author and practicing counsellor. Who We Are in Real Life is her debut novel. Margoshes won the Fiction Book Award for his novel A Simple Carpenter, which is a blend of thriller, magical realism and biblical fable. Margoshes is a poet and fiction writer and former journalist known for blending genres and is a former finalist in the 2016 CBC Short Story Prize and the 2012 Poetry Prize. Afternoon Edition: Boan won the First Book Award for The Medicine Chest, a nonfiction book about Boan's experiences as a physician returning to her childhood home in Saskatchewan and coming to terms with the ways the healthcare system fails Indigenous communities across Canada. Boan is a physician and Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. Sylvia Legris won the City of Saskatoon Book Award for The Principle of Rapid Peering. Legris is a Saskatoon poet and author originally from Winnipeg. She has published several volumes of poetry, including The Hideous Hidden and Nerve Squall, which won the 2006 Griffin Poetry Prize and the Pat Lowther Award. "It's another year to celebrate the amazing diversity of our Saskatchewan literary community," said SBA Chair, Jack Walton," said Saskatchewan Book Award chairperson, Jack Walton in a press statement. "Except for double winner, Guy Vanderhaeghe, the book prizes were evenly distributed amongst authors and publishers. This is especially encouraging for emerging Saskatchewan authors because they see an opportunity for their books to be promoted and celebrated." The awards were presented at a gala event at Saskatoon's TCU Place and each award comes with a $2,000 prize, except for the Book of the Year Award which is $3,000. The full list of winners includes:
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Message from the Governor General of Canada on Canadian Environment Week
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian Environment Week reminds us that we all have a role to play to protect the place we love and call home. This year's theme, Ending Plastic Pollution, is an urgent call to action. Every effort, big or small, helps restore our ecosystems, fight climate change and preserve our environment for future generations. We are already witnessing the adverse effects of climate change, from wildfires and floods to melting glaciers and sea ice in the Arctic. These shifts impact our environment, precious resources and way of life. But from coast to coast to coast, people are stepping up: cities are reclaiming green spaces, new projects are blending technology with Indigenous knowledge and communities are sharing sustainable practices that offer viable solutions. Together, let's celebrate our environmental achievements and continue to help protect the unparalleled natural beauty we enjoy across the nation, for ourselves, for our children and for the world we all share. Mary Simon Stay connected:Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. SOURCE Governor General of Canada View original content: Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
5 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Message from the Governor General on Pride Season 2025
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - June is Pride Month, and it marks the beginning of Pride Season across Canada. In communities small and large, from coast to coast to coast, thousands will celebrate, speak out, dance, march and learn. For decades, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community have remained steadfast in their fight for the right to be seen, to be treated equally and to be accepted. Their contributions at every level, from grassroots to nationwide, have helped us all build a more inclusive, more connected and more understanding Canada. Yet even today, we continue to witness discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ peoples. They are disproportionally more vulnerable to online abuse and harassment, something that was highlighted during my symposium on digital respect last April. This hatred has no place in Canada, and we must speak out against it at every opportunity. We must defend those who are being targeted simply for being themselves. This June, I urge all Canadians to learn more about 2SLGBTQI+ culture and history, and to celebrate the diversity that makes us stronger as a nation. And I encourage all 2SLGBTQI+ peoples to take pride in what you have accomplished and gained, and how far you have come. Most of all, take pride in who you are and never back down. Mary Simon Stay connected: Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. SOURCE Governor General of Canada
Associated Press
5 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Message from the Governor General of Canada on National Indigenous History Month
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, I join Canadians from across the nation in celebrating the beginning of National Indigenous History Month. Our rich and diverse stories—and the resilience and wisdom they embody—have profoundly shaped this land and our national identity. I am encouraged to see more and more Canadians listening and learning from these powerful narratives. Every day, we deepen our understanding of our national history and uncover new truths through the stories of Indigenous peoples, including Survivors of residential schools. Some of these stories contain unspeakable pain, loss of culture and of language, but also tremendous courage and determination. Only by understanding the impacts of our history can we take meaningful steps toward reconciliation and build a more inclusive society for the future. History is being written every day, and with their incredible achievements and positive contributions, Indigenous peoples are writing new chapters that are shaping a vibrant and successful future we can be proud of. On this month and every month, let us honour our past and embrace the history, knowledge and traditions of our First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Mary Simon Stay connected: Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. SOURCE Governor General of Canada
