In Memoriam: Joan Leishman
PEN Canada is heartbroken by the sudden passing of Joan Leishman, journalist and long-time advocate for refugee writers. b. January 17, 1958 – d. August 3, 2025 As a young …
Author: PEN-Canada
Atefeh Khademolreza awarded 2025 PEN Canada-Humber Writers-in-Exile Scholarship
Atefeh Khademolreza, an Iranian-Canadian writer and filmmaker, is the recipient of the 2025 PEN Canada Humber Writers-in-Exile Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to a member of the PEN Canada …
From memory to manuscript, Writers in Exile tackle personal stories during workshop
How do authors transform the raw material of a traumatic memory into a compelling fiction or nonfiction narrative? This was the task for 10 writers at a workshop last month. …
A conversation with Ira Wells, president of PEN Canada
Ira Wells has been elected as president of PEN Canada. Wells is a critic, essayist, professor of literature, and author of three books, the latest of which, On Book Banning (Biblioasis, …
PEN Canada elects new president, Ira Wells
TORONTO – PEN Canada is pleased to announce Ira Wells as the new president of PEN Canada. He was elected on Thursday, June 12, 2025 during the PEN Canada Annual …
Joint letter to Keir Starmer on anniversary of Apple Daily closure
Jimmy Lai is a pro-democracy campaigner, writer, and founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper. He has been imprisoned in solitary confinement since December 2020 and now faces prosecution under …
Joint Call for the Withdrawal of Bill C-2
PEN Canada joins 39 organizations and 132 individuals in a joint letter demanding a complete withdrawal of Bill C-2. The following letter was sent this week to Canadian authorities, including …
PEN Canada publishes Annual Report 2024/2025
The 2024/2025 annual report, I Hope This Letter Finds You Well, explores the power of letter writing as a tool of connection and advocacy. Edited by poet and writer Eli …
Meet the jury for the 2025 Ken Filkow and Marie-Ange Garrigue prizes
PEN Canada is seeking nominations from peers and civil society partners for two annual awards: the Ken Filkow Prize, for advancing freedom of expression in Canada, and the Marie-Ange Garrigue Prize, …
A conversation with Robina Aryubwal, recent Marie-Ange Garrigue Prize winner
Photo: women enjoy a field trip that Robina coordinated. “Your experiences are your strength. You don’t need to have everything figured out—just begin.” This is the advice Robina Aryubwal would …