Madam Speaker, on March 5 the Writers' Trust of Canada handed out more than $75,000 in prizes at the first Great Literary Awards. The Great Literary Awards is one of the richest awards galas in Canada with prizes ranging from $1,000 to $20,000. Established well known writers, those just starting out, and some not yet published were honoured.
Norman Levine received $20,000 for the Matt Cohen Award; Elizabeth Hay received $15,000 for the Marian Engel Award; Clark Blaise received $10,000 for the Pearson Writers' Trust Non-Fiction prize; Ken McGoogan received $10,000 for the Drainie Taylor Biography prize; Margaret Sweatman received $10,000 for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction prize; Kevin Armstrong received $10,000 for the Journey prize; and Alison Pick received $1,000 for the Bronwen Wallace Award.
I congratulate them and offer best wishes for their future literary works.