The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) is proud to present the Freedom to Read Award as part of the celebration of Freedom to Read Week across Canada in February of each year. The award recognizes work in support of freedom of expression. 

Previous winners have included author Lawrence Hill for his response to the threat to burn his novel The Book of Negroes, Quebec writer Charles Montpetit for his tireless work to help preserve the freedom to read and write in this country, Janine Fuller of Little Sisters bookstore in Vancouver for her ongoing challenges to Canada's ability to ban books at the border, and Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby for his many years of working to fight censorship.

Celebrate Freedom to Read Week: February 23 – March 1, 2025

Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom. As of 2024, Freedom to Read Week entered a new phase led by Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, and the Ontario Library Association in partnership with the Book and Periodical Council. Learn more.

FTR Week 2025 banner

In Conversation with 2024 Freedom to Read Award Winner Brandi Morin

Thursday, February 27, 2025
11:00 am PST / 12:00 pm MST / 1:00 pm CST / 2:00 pm EST / 3:00 pm AST / 3:30 pm NST
60 minutes
Hosted on Zoom
Live captions available
Free Registration

REGISTER NOW

Celebrate Freedom to Read Week and join us in this important discussion with Brandi Morin, the 2024 recipient of The Writers’ Union of Canada’s Freedom to Read Award. Hosted by author Anna Shannon, this webinar runs approximately 60 minutes, including a Q&A period. Following the discussion, we will announce this year's FTR Award winner! Learn more. 

Lawrence Hill, Winner of the 2012 Freedom to Read Award

"I was so honoured to received the Freedom to Read award, and was tickled to receive it after my daughter, Evangeline Freedman, had received it in a previous year. Apart from that unusual family connection to the award, I was honoured — and feel that it is a vital award — especially given that writers (including journalists) are at increasing threat, and their work seems even more important in these perilous times, when democracy is so threatened in North America and beyond."

Deborah Campbell, Winner of the 2017 Freedom to Read Award

"I was thrilled to receive the Freedom to Read Award because it acknowledges the struggle to tell stories that are rarely heard. It's especially significant for me, as a nonfiction writer, because of the increasing threats to the very notion of facts. We live in a time when writing and journalism are under siege, and this award is an important step towards protecting the values we hold dear."

Freedom to Read Award Winners