This year marks the 72nd presentation of the Governor General's Literary Awards, Canada's esteemed award for English- and French-language Canadian literature. More than 1,400 books have been submitted for the 2008 awards, in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, children's literature (text), children's literature (illustration), and translation.
The Canada Council for the Arts funds, administers and promotes the Governor General's Literary Awards. The value of each award is $25,000 and each winner will also receive a specially-bound copy of the winning book. The publisher of each winning book will receive $3,000 to support promotional activities. Non-winning finalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their selection as finalists, bringing the total value of the Awards close to $450,000.
BMO Financial Group has been the generous sponsor of the Governor General's Literary Awards since 1988. The Canada Council for the Arts is grateful to BMO Financial Group for its support.
- Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada,
will present the 2008 Literary Awards.
Media representatives wishing to cover the awards presentation should contact Marie-Ève Létourneau at the Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-998-0287 or meletourneau@gg.ca.
