Governor General's Award: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Since its creation in 1937, the Governor General's Literary Awards has become one of Canada's most prestigious prizes, awarded in both French and English in the following seven categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children's Literature-Text, Children's Literature-Illustration, and Translation.

The awards were created by Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir, himself the noted author of The 39 Steps. The awards first only honoured two authors each year, and only those who wrote in English. In 1957 the awards were put under the administration of the Canada Council for the Arts and a cash prize began to be awarded to the winner.

In 1980 the Council began to announce the finalists for the awards a month before they were presented in order to attract more media attention.

Past Winners

2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 - 1999 - 1998 - 1997 - 1996 - 1995 - 1994 - 1993 - 1992 - 1991 - 1990 - 1989 - 1988 - 1987 - 1986 - 1985 - 1984 - 1983 - 1982 - 1981 - 1980 - 1979 - 1978 - 1977 - 1976 - 1975 - 1974 - 1973 - 1972 - 1971 - 1970 - 1969 - 1968 - 1967 - 1966 - 1965 - 1964 - 1963 - 1962 - 1961 - 1960 - 1959 - 1958 - 1957 - 1956 - 1955 - 1954 - 1953 - 1952 - 1951 - 1950 - 1949 - 1948 - 1947 - 1946 - 1945 - 1944 - 1943 - 1942 - 1941 - 1940 - 1939 - 1938 - 1937 - 1936