Canadian Authors Association Explained

The Canadian Authors Association is Canada's oldest association for writers and authors. The organization has published several periodicals, organized local chapters and events for Canadian writers, and sponsors writing awards, including the Governor General's Awards.

History

The Canadian Authors Association was founded in 1921. The founding organizers included John Murray Gibbon, Bernard Keble Sandwell, Stephen Leacock, and Pelham Edgar.[1] By the end of its first year the organization had more than 700 members.[2]

In its early years the association was known for its conservative views on literature and its support of traditional writing genres,[3] including colourful idealized stories in quaint local settings.[4] Local chapters of the CAA organized activities to encourage and develop the skills of Canadian writers, including study groups, readings, and workshops.[5]

In 1919, the CAA founded a magazine, Canadian Bookman.[6] [7] In 1936, the association founded Canadian Poetry, edited by E. J. Pratt.[8]

The Canadian Authors Association discussed the idea of awards with Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir (1935-1940) who approved the use of the name of his office in the establishment of the Governor General's Awards in 1936, the first ones being awarded in 1937. They remain Canada's highest literary award, as well as the Canadian Authors Association Awards.[9] [10]

Notable presidents

Awards

The Canadian Authors Awards, originally known as Canadian Authors Association or CAA Awards and now occasionally called Literary Awards, were created in 1975 to fill in for the Governor General’s medals, as these were overtaken by the Canada Council for the Arts, and were presented in multiple categories to authors who are Canadian born or permanent residents.[10] The following is an incomplete list of winners of the award, originally given out in three categories (fiction, poetry and drama), before the category Canadian History and the Emerging Writer Award were added in 1997 and 2006. After 2017 all categories were discontinued and replaced by the Canadian Authors Fred Kerner Award, which had already been accoladed the first time in 2016.[13] [14]

CAA Award for Fiction (1975–2017)
CAA Award for Poetry (1975–2017)
CAA Award for Canadian History (1997–2017)
CAA Emerging Writer Award (2006–2017)
CAA Award for Drama (1975–prior 2017)
Canadian Authors Fred Kerner Award

Notes and References

  1. Book: Harrington, Lyn. Syllables of Recorded Time: The Story of the Canadian Authors Association, 1921–1981. 2014-07-10. 1981. Dundurn. 978-0-88924-112-1. 21–22.
  2. "Some Canadian authors", The Glengarry News, November 25, 1921. from the Glengarry Archives website
  3. Book: Reingard M. Nischik. History of Literature in Canada: English-Canadian and French-Canadian. 2008. Camden House. 978-1-57113-359-5. 154–155.
  4. http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/thesisfile19471.pdf "The Modern-Realistic Movement in English-Canadian Literature"
  5. Book: W.G. Fleming. Educational Contributions of Associations: Ontario's Educative Society. December 15, 1972. University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division. 978-1-4875-9706-1. 251–252.
  6. Book: William H. New. Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada. April 22, 2016. 2002. University of Toronto Press. 978-0-8020-0761-2. 566.
  7. Book: W.H. New. William Herbert New. A History of Canadian Literature. August 6, 2003. McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP. 978-0-7735-2597-9. 131.
  8. http://digitalcollections.mcmaster.ca/hpcanpub/case-study/men-cloth-and-book-ej-pratt-and-lorne-pierce "Men of the Cloth and the Book: E.J. Pratt and Lorne Pierce"
  9. See article by Irvine, Professor Andrew: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/bsc/article/view/22260/18075 accessed June 15, 2024. See also: Irvine, Andrew, The Governor General's Literary Awards of Canada: A Bibliography, University of Ottawa Press, Ottawa, Canada, 2018
  10. Web site: Canadian Authors Association . . December 22, 2014 . December 16, 2013. John Lennox.
  11. News: Heads Authors' Association. July 4, 1950. Lethbridge Herald. Lethbridge, Alberta. 16.
  12. News: Prof. George Hardy: Author-Educationist . Trimmer. Bob. September 21, 1963. Lethbridge Herald. Lethbridge, Alberta. 5 .
  13. https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/12729-canadian-authors-association-award Canadian Authors Association Award Winners
  14. https://canadianauthors.org/national/awards/about-the-awards/ About the Awards
  15. Web site: Previous Winners . Canadian Authors Association . May 1, 2020.
  16. https://canadianauthors.org/national/awards/1146-2/2015-awards-winners/ CAA winners 2015
  17. https://canadianauthors.org/national/awards/1146-2/2016-winners/ CAA winners 2016
  18. https://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/320 Wheaton
  19. Web site: 2020 Fred Kerner Book Award Winner . Canadian Authors . 27 November 2022.
  20. Web site: 2021 Fred Kerner Book Award Winner . Canadian Authors . 27 November 2022.
  21. Web site: 2022 Fred Kerner Book Award Winner and Shortlist . Canadian Authors . 27 November 2022.

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