Scientist Eric Marshall and Journalist Chris Turner are Joint Recipients of the 2014 Freedom to Read Award
“The closing of federal libraries has been a focus for TWUC in the past year,” said Dorris Heffron, chair of TWUC. “Reports of lost and destroyed works in our national collections are greatly disturbing to Canada's writers, who have a long history of both contributing to and using our federal library system. The incoming Chair of TWUC, Harry Thurston, is an award-winning science writer who has personally used the Marshall Library as a research facility.”
The Freedom to Read Award is offered annually to an individual or individuals whose work has contributed to the national discussion around issues of freedom of expression and the freedom to read.
“The Union has been offering this award for many years,” added John Degen, TWUC executive director. “It’s one of the meaningful ways Canada’s writers participate in Freedom to Read Week.”
Previous recipients have included Toronto publisher, Patsy Aldana, Quebec writer Charles Montpetit, Janine Fuller of Little Sisters bookstore in Vancouver, lawyer Clayton Ruby, novelist Lawrence Hill, and writers John Ralston Saul and Alan Borovoy. Freedom to Read Week (February 23-March 1, 2014) is an initiative of the Book and Periodical Council (freedomtoread.ca).
The Writers’ Union of Canada’s 2014 Freedom to Read Award will be presented at the 30th anniversary celebration of Freedom to Read Week, February 25, 7 pm at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St West in Toronto.
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The Writers’ Union of Canada is our country’s national organization representing more than 2,000 professional authors of books. The Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of all writers. www.writersunion.ca
For additional information:
John Degen, Executive Director
The Writers' Union of Canada
416.703.8982 Ext. 221
jdegen@writersunion.ca
Dorris Heffron
Chair, The Writers’ Union of Canada
chair@writersunion.ca
