What Is 2009 Governor General's Awards

Overview

The 2009 Governor General's Awards recognized outstanding achievements in Canadian creative and academic fields, including literature, visual arts, and performing arts. These annual honors, established in 1936, highlight the nation's most impactful contributors to culture and intellectual life.

Administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, the awards are among Canada’s most prestigious. In 2009, the winners were celebrated at a formal ceremony hosted by the Governor General of Canada at Rideau Hall, emphasizing national pride in homegrown talent.

• Fourteen recipients were honored across 14 categories, including seven in literary arts and seven in visual and performing arts.
• Fiction award winner was Linden MacIntyre for his novel The Bishop's Man, a psychological exploration of clergy abuse and secrecy.
• Lorna Crozier won the Poetry award for What the Living Know, praised for its emotional depth and lyrical precision.
• Non-fiction was awarded to Charlotte Gray for Canada: A Portrait in Letters, a compilation of personal correspondence from Canadian history.
• Young People’s Literature saw two awards: one for text, won by Kenneth Oppel for Half Brother, and one for illustration, won by Jon Klassen.

How It Works

The Governor General's Awards follow a rigorous selection process involving peer assessment and independent juries. Each category is evaluated by a jury of three experts in the field, ensuring credibility and fairness in the outcome.

• Eligibility:All works must be Canadian-authored and published in either English or French during the eligibility year, typically the preceding calendar year.
• Jury Selection:Juries are appointed by the Canada Council and consist of respected professionals in literature, art, or scholarship with no conflicts of interest.
• Submission Process:Publishers or artists submit entries between May and July, with over 200 works typically entered across all literary categories.
• Jury Evaluation:Juries review all submissions and select shortlists of three to five finalists, announced in October.
• Final Decision:The winning work must receive majority approval from the jury; no award is given if consensus isn’t reached.
• Award Ceremony:Recipients are honored in a ceremony at Rideau Hall each fall, presided over by the Governor General of Canada.

Comparison at a Glance

Award categories and winners in 2009 reflect a balance between literary and artistic disciplines, as shown in the table below.

The bilingual nature of the awards is evident in separate English and French categories, though 2009’s highlighted winners were primarily English-language. French-language winners included Nicolas Dickner for fiction (Apocalypse, bientôt) and Hélène Dorion for poetry. This structure ensures national linguistic representation and promotes Canada’s dual literary traditions.

Why It Matters

The 2009 Governor General's Awards played a crucial role in elevating Canadian voices and fostering cultural identity. Recognition from these awards often leads to increased book sales, international attention, and long-term career advancement for artists.

• Boosts visibility:Winning often doubles or triples book sales and leads to reprinting and foreign publishing deals.
• Encourages diversity:The awards highlight underrepresented voices, including Indigenous authors and writers from minority communities.
• Supports the arts economy:Each winner receives $25,000, plus a medal and public recognition that enhances future funding opportunities.
• Promotes bilingualism:Separate English and French categories reinforce Canada’s official language policy and cultural duality.
• Influences education:Winning works are frequently adopted in school curricula, shaping how Canadian literature is taught.
• Preserves cultural heritage:Non-fiction and historical works help document and disseminate Canada’s social and political evolution.

By celebrating excellence across disciplines, the Governor General's Awards continue to strengthen Canada’s cultural footprint and inspire future generations of creators.