PEN in the news

Read what others are saying about PEN Canada…

Louise Dennys to step down as executive publisher and vice-president of Penguin Random House Canada
Globe & Mail | December 20, 2022

The world must stand with Salman Rushdie and writers like him
Globe & Mail | John Ralston Saul | September 28, 2022

After the attack on Salman Rushdie, we must continue to speak out
Special to the Globe & Mail | Grace Westcott | September 26, 2022

Attack on Salman Rushdie prompts reaction from writers, free speech advocates
Globe & Mail | August 12, 2022

Obituary: Eritrean-Canadian journalist Aaron Berhane tirelessly advocated for a free press
Globe & Mail | June 11, 2021 (published), June 14, 2021 (updated)

Margaret Atwood introduces Graeme Gibson’s Perpetual Motion and Gentleman Death
Special to the Globe & Mail | Margaret Atwood | August 26, 2020

International sanctions should be used to protect journalists, free speech, Amal Clooney says in report
Globe & Mail | February 13, 2020

Canadian author Graeme Gibson dies at 85
Globe & Mail | September 18, 2019

Desmond Cole awarded $1,000 PEN Canada/Ken Filkow Prize
Quill & Quire | December 14, 2017

Desmond Cole awarded 2017 PEN Canada/Ken Filkow Prize for freedom of expression
CBC Books |December 14, 2017

Doc celebrates free speech at critical moment
Toronto Star | November 23, 2017

NOW editors pick the week’s best news-related events
NOW Magazine | November 22, 2017

Ottawa should finish the job on advocacy work by charities: Editorial
Toronto Star | November 17, 2017

Ashraf Fayadh Honored With PEN Canada One Humanity
Poetry Foundation | October 18, 2017

Chris Selley: Libraries feel the heat on freedom of speech
National Post | September 26, 2017

De Grasse one of ‘unabashed, unapologetic’ Canadians profiled in new book
CBC Sports | September 18, 2017

Writer and humanitarian Paola Gomez uses the arts to inspire and heal
Canadian Immigrant | August 3, 2017

Holt Renfrew Toasts Release of Glorious and Free: The Canadians 
Globe and Mail | July 31, 2017

A welcome end to charity audits: Editorial
Toronto Star | May 7, 2017

‘I’m writing articles, and I’m being tried as a terrorist,’ exiled writers in Canada pushing feds for quicker refugee processing of families
Hill Times | April 19, 2017

Muslim man alleges aggressive cellphone seizure at Niagara border crossing
Niagara This Week | March 14, 2017

Celebrating Canada’s faith communities through writing
Christian Week | February 14, 2017

‘I have seen this before. We will not go silently.’
Maclean’s | January 20, 2017

Kingston writers group sponsors Syrian authors
Quill & Quire |
January 12, 2017

Time for China to release writers, journalists and activists
The Guardian | December 10, 2016

New $25K Canadian literary prize focuses on religious faith
CBC Books | November 22, 2016

New national prize awards $25,000 for faith in literature
Quill & Quire | November 21, 2016

Surveillance chill on writers and journalists in Canada
Radio Canada International | November 16, 2016

UN offers The Rebel press accreditation for climate conference after environment minister’s intervention
Financial Post
| October 30, 2016

Hey UN: leave the media censorship to North Korea
CBC News | November 7, 2016

Ottawa willing to intervene on behalf of The Rebel after journalists banned from UN climate conference
Financial Post | October 26, 2016

Lessons for Syria—from the Spanish Civil War
The Walrus | October 21, 2016

Adam Hochschild on writers who fight back against 
Maclean’s | October 19, 2016

United Nations bars Ezra Levant’s The Rebel from climate conference
Financial Post | October 17, 2016

Surrey becomes Canada’s first International City of Refuge for persecuted writers and artists
The Indo-Canadian Voice | October 17, 2016

India must overhaul legal system, culture of intolerance has taken root: Report
Hindustan Times | September 20, 2016

Bravery, Resilience and Loyalty: The story of a new Canadian
Open Canada | September 19, 2016

Six young writers longlisted for New Voices Award
The Bookseller | August 16, 2016

Fatal Police Beating Of Somali Canadian Abdirahman Abdi Raises Alarming Questions
Vice | July 26, 2016

Legal Ethics: Telling it like it is
Canadian Lawyer | June 6, 2016

Barbara Kay: The scourge of anti-Semitic Jews
National Post | April 13, 2016

Toronto-based filmmaker freed from Iranian prison after year in detention
Global News | April 9, 2016

Michael Chan ups ante in suit against Globe and Mail
Toronto Star | March 31, 2016

Diaspora Kurds demonstrate to free Kaboudvand
Kurdistan 24 | March 31, 2016

Ellen Seligman, celebrated Canadian editor and publisher, dies
CBC Radio As It Happens | March 25, 2016

One of Canada’s top literary editors dies
Guelph Mercury Tribune | March 25, 2016

Ellen Seligman helped shape generations of Canadian writers
Toronto Star | March 25, 2016

Turkey’s climate of fear and censorship
Guardian | March 24, 2016

Libérez les écrivains turcs emprisonnés
Bibliobs | March 24, 2016

Anne Carson, Joseph Boyden, Thomas King to star in 2016 Blue Metropolis
Montreal Gazette | March 22, 2016

Anti-Zionist Max Blumenthal jeered at Toronto event
Times of Israel | February 26, 2016

Councillor calls for cancellation of author Max Blumenthal’s scheduled appearance because of his ‘anti-Israel’ writings
InsideToronto.com | February 24, 2016

Barbara Kay: Anti-Israel crusader Max Blumenthal does not deserve the honour of a PEN Canada audience
National Post | February 23, 2016

‘Writers’ Freedom’ NGO Mistakes Max Blumenthal For Credible War Correspondent
Jewish Press | February 23, 2016

Big 3 
NOW Magazine | February 17, 2016

Max Blumenthal Invitation Stirs Controversy at Canada Writers Group
Forward | February 16, 2016

Canadian writers’ group rapped for inviting Israel critic Max Blumenthal to speak
Jewish Telegraphic Agency | February 16, 2016

Kingston literary group hopes to sponsor refugee writer and family
KingstonREGION.com | February 14, 2016

PEN Canada Questioned Over Anti-Israel Speaker Canadian
Jewish News | February 12, 2016

Kingston writers hope to sponsor refugee family
Kingston Whig-Standard | February 10, 2016

Ghost of Harper CRA audits linger for some charities
National Observer | January 21, 2016

When Salman Rushdie kissed Bob Rae
Toronto Star | December 12, 2015

Freedom of expression in Canada needs resuscitation
Toronto Star | November 5, 2015

The Diary: Randy Boyagoda
Financial Times | October 30, 2015

Better is possible: A preview of tonight’s PEN Canada benefit at IFOA
National Post | October 22, 2015

Dimming the beacon of free speech
Toronto Star | October 16, 2015

PEN International Congress 2015 highlights threats to freedom of speech in Canada
Quill & Quire | October 15, 2015

Barbara Kay: PEN International’s criticism of Harper hypocritical considering its own omission
National Post | October 14, 2015

PEN slams Canada for freedoms erosion
Radio Canada International | October 14, 2015

Harper’s security blanket
Telegram | August 31, 2015

Margaret Atwood: Preston Manning, Man of the Future
National Post | August 28, 2015

The Beaverton: How much further can comedic satire go in Canada?
Globe and Mail | August 21, 2015

Firing of Toronto Editor Shows Inner Workings of Chinese Media in Canada
Epoch Times | August 13, 2015

Ontario cabinet minister sues the Globe and Mail over stories about CSIS concerns
National Post | August 7, 2015

Free Expression Is Slipping Away
Huffington Post | July 3, 2015

How to sway Riyadh to free Badawi
Globe and Mail | July 2, 2015

Bill C-51 is a threat to reconciliation
Globe and Mail | June 22, 2015

Britain should treat Saudi Arabia as a pariah state
Telegraph | June 17, 2015

B.C. author wins first PEN award
Winnipeg Free Press | June 13, 2015

NGO wars: China has ‘serious challenges,’ too
Financial Post | June 1, 2015

Twelve laws that make freedom of expression in literature, cinema and art difficult in India
Scroll.In | May 22, 2015

C-51: Crowdsourced report aims to stop Canada’s slide into ‘surveillance society’
CBC | May 21, 2015

Lawrence Solomon: Pussyfooting with China
Financial Post | May 21, 2015

Groups call on India to repeal laws threatening free expression, democracy
India Gazette | May 21, 2015

PEN raises concerns about India using outdated laws to curb free speech
Scroll.in | May 20, 2015

On World Press Freedom week, no one poses a greater threat to free expression than Stephen Harper
Rabble.ca | May 4, 2015

National Post View: PEN boycotters have made themselves look like rank imbeciles
National Post | May 4, 2015

Charlie Hebdo, free speech and the problem with writer celebrity
Rabble.ca | May 1, 2015

Le bon goût et la mort
Le Devoir | April 30, 2015

Sometimes writers should shut up and write: Salutin
Toronto Star | April 30, 2015

We celebrated Charlie Hebdo’s right to offend — and some took offence
Globe and Mail | April 29, 2015

Barbara Kay: Michael Ondaatje and the PEN Six get it horribly wrong
Toronto Star | April 27, 2015

From death threats to limbo: A Colombian refugee’s 12 years of waiting in Canada
Metro | April 17, 2015

Stephen Maher: Can you remind us how you care about your opponents’ rights too, Mr. Harper?
National Post | April 17, 2015

The TSO’s turfed pianist was exhibit A in a bad week for free speech: Knelman
Toronto Star | April 12, 2015

PEN Canada blasts TSO for cancelling concert
Toronto Star | April 9, 2015

Is that photo you just took illegal?
Yahoo! News Canada | April 9, 2015

Haroon Siddiqui’s parting reflections on career and country
Toronto Star | April 1, 2015

Serious access to information reform is needed in Canada
Georgia Straight | March 31, 2015

La Loi sur l’accès à l’information devrait être étendue à d’autres organismes
Radio-Canada | March 31, 2015

Opinion: Saudi Arabia’s continued imprisonment of Raif Badawi is shameful
Montreal Gazette | March 18, 2015

We all should worry about cellphone searches
Globe and Mail | March 16, 2015

Would you trust a secret police force to this man?
NOW Magazine | March 4, 2015

Alison Gordon was a trailblazer in ‘man’s world’ of baseball
Globe and Mail | February 26, 2015

Who is Saudi activist Raif Badawi?
Al-Monitor | February 6, 2015

La mobilisation continue autour de Raif Badawi, blogueur saoudien condamné à 1.000 coups de fouet
Le Vif | February 19, 2015

Blogger Raif Badawi’s long struggle for freedom of expression
Deutsche Welles | January 30, 2015

No more Saudi business as usual
Globe and Mail | January 22, 2015

Stephen Harper keener about free expression away from home: Delacourt
Toronto Star | January 17, 2015

Saudi blogger’s second flogging session postponed for medical reasons: 50 lashes down, 950 to go
National Post | January 16, 2015

Beyond Freedom of Speech for white men
Rabble.ca | January 12, 2015

The most irritating book I read this year: Salutin
Toronto Star | January 1, 2015

Publication of Baraheni’s works facilitated: son
Iran’s Book News Agency | December 14, 2014

Le temps presse pour Raif Badawi
La Tribune | November 21, 2014

Jailed Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi Honored by PEN Canada
Huffington Post | November 8, 2014

David Cronenberg in conversation with Mark Kingwell
Quill & Quire | October 24, 2014

PEN Canada décerne un prix à Raif Badawi
La Presse | October 23, 2014

City Nights: PEN Canada Benefit
Toronto Star | October 23, 2014

The Canada-Honduras trade agreement: A stain on Canada
Rabble.ca | October 23, 2014

Imprisoned Saudi Blogger Given Canadian Award
Epoch Times | October 22, 2014

Five Years After the Coup
Briarpatch Magazine | September 1, 2014

Charitable tax credits should be abolished
Postmedia News | August 28, 2014

Nothing to see here, folks
Telegram | August 20, 2014

Reminder: You have a right to photograph and film the police
Canada.com | August 14, 2014

The War On Charities
Planet S Magazine | August 7, 2014

CRA audits are fine
Calgary Herald| August 6, 2014

PEN Canada sous la loupe de l’Agence du revenu
Radio-Canada Les samedis du monde | August 2, 2014

Canada Revenue Agency refuses to divulge audit tactics targeting charities
Globe and Mail | August 1, 2014

PEN Canada, the little charity that could – speak out
Hill Times | July 30, 2014

Revenue Canada charity audits continue to stir the political pot
Radio Canada | July 29, 2014

Terence Corcoran: Charities that don’t flout rules have nothing to fear from CRA audit
Financial Post | July 28, 2014

Is there a resurgence of censorship in Canada?
Toronto Star | July 26, 2014

Does Canada Revenue have a political agenda?
CBC The National | July 25, 2014

CTV National News [12:00 minute mark]
CTV National | July 25, 2014

Charities under the microscope [53:00 minute mark]
CBC Power & Politics | July 25, 2014

Charities not looking for fight with Revenue Canada
CBC Power & Politics | July 25, 2014

Canadian Charities: Criticize the Government and Pay
Huffington Post | July 25, 2014

CRA says charities audit was designed to probe all political groups
Globe and Mail | July 25, 2014

‘Preventing poverty’ not a valid goal for tax purposes, CRA tells Oxfam Canada
CBC | July 25, 2014

PEN audit will come back to haunt Tories
Toronto Star | July 24, 2014

Pen and the politics of charity
Globe and Mail | July 24, 2014

Conflict grows over charity audits
Radio Canada International | July 24, 2014

Canada Revenue Agency says ‘preventing poverty’ not allowed as goal for charity
Canadian Press | July 24, 2014

VIEW: Is PEN the latest target of Harper’s selective tax audits?
Tyee  | July 24, 2014

Don Cayo: Tax audits aimed at Harper government critics should worry all Canadians
Vancouver Sun  | July 24, 2014

Why is Harper punishing charities while letting tax cheats off the hook?
iPolitics| July 23, 2014

CRA smacks PEN Canada with audit in latest of Harper government’s attack on charities
Vancouver Observer | July 22, 2014

PEN Canada cooperates with controversial political-activities audit
Quill & Quire | July 22, 2014

Political Audit
CBC Metro Morning | July 22, 2014

The Canada Revenue Agency becomes an arm of the PMO
Rabble | July 22, 2014

Les activités de l’organisation caritative Pen Canada sous la loupe de l’ARC
Presse Canadienne | July 21, 2014

Pen Canada hit with political-activities audit by Canada Revenue Agency
Canadian Press | July 21, 2014

List of charities undergoing tax audits
Canadian Press | July 21, 2014

Feds hang Mohamed Fahmy out to dry
NOW Magazine  | June 26, 2014

Canada-Honduras trade agreement adopted by senate, awaits royal assent
iPolitics | June 18, 2014

Liberal Blogger Sentenced To 10 Years And 1,000 Lashes In Saudi Arabia
George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight | May 8, 2014

Not too late to change Canada-Honduras trade deal
Embassy – Canada’s Foreign Policy Newspaper | Apri 10, 2014

Canada should press Honduras on free speech : John Ralston Saul
Ottawa Citizen | April 9, 2014

PEN Canada Brings Report On Murdered Journalists In Honduras To Washington
George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight March 26, 2014

Dina Meza: a journalist living dangerously in Honduras

Toronto Star | March 26, 2014

Dark days for the creative class in India: Siddiqui
Toronto Star | February 15, 2014

Honduras: People resist despite fraud and violence
Workers World | February 15, 2014

Sochi 2014: world authors join protest against Putin

Guardian | February 6, 2014

Global community needs to hear diversity of Russian opinion
Toronto Star | February 6, 2014

Honduras: Journalism in the Shadow of Impunity (Interview with Dina Meza in Spanish)
Radio Canada International  | February 3, 2014

Honduras: Journalists’ lives in grave danger
Infosurhoy | February 3, 2014

Honduras: A Battleground for Journalism
Latino Post | February 1, 2014

PEN Canada partners with Hot Docs on a new series
Quill & Quire | January 31, 2014

Report assails violence against journalists in Honduras
LA Times | January 30, 2014

Honduras trade agreement gets support from liberals, opposition from NDP

iPolitics | January 29, 2014

Honduras: Rising Violence Against Journalists Unpunished
International Business Times | January 27, 2014

New report highlights growing violence, impunity in Honduras
Knight Center, Journalism in the Americas | January 27, 2014

Telecom firms being asked what data they are giving to police, intelligence agencies
Globe and Mail | January 23, 2014

Luis Horacio Nájera: In Honduras, it’s open season on journalists
 National Post | January 23, 2014

Crimes of the Past, Crimes of the Future — an excerpt from Honduras: Journalism in the Shadow of Impunity
Huffington Post | January 23, 2014

Report details deaths of 32 journalists in Honduras
Newsroom Panama | January 23, 2014

Harper must address online surveillance in Canada, says advocacy group
Global News | January 17, 2014

What Toronto Can Teach The Rest Of The World About Living Well
Huffington Post | January 9, 2014

Sheila Heti and Jian Ghomeshi:Memoir in the Selfie Age
Hazlitt | December 7, 2013

CBC Radio Q [53:30 mark]
CBC Radio Q| December 3, 2013

NSA leaks: UK government reaction eroding freedom, rights groups warn
Guardian | November 14, 2013

IFOA 2013: An evening with Stephen King
The Arts Scene | October 26, 2013

Review: Stephen and Owen King open the International Festival of Authors
Toronto Star | October 25, 2013

CBC evening newscast: Arts and Entertainment 
Late Night CBC TV News from Toronto October 24, 2013

Stephen King and son Owen King on family and fiction
CBC’s Q with Jian Ghomeshi October 24, 2013

PEN Canada award honours blogger Dieu Cay (Vietnamese, newscast)
Voice of America October 24, 2013

PEN Canada award honours blogger Dieu Cay (Vietnamese, article)
Voice of America October 24, 2013

Blogger Dieu Cay wins the “One Humanity Award” (Vietnamese)
Vietnam Human Rights Defenders October 23, 2013

Blogger Dieu Cay wins PEN Canada award (Vietnamese)
Four Methods blog October 23, 2013

Blogger Dieu Cay wins PEN Canada award (Vietnamese)
Nguoi Viet October 22, 2013

Jailed Democracy Dissident Wins Award 
Democracy Chronicles October 21, 2013

The Stamp Collector: The Play
CBC Here and Now Toronto October 18, 2013

The Stamp Collector
CBC Here and Now Toronto October 15, 2013

Photos: Bare it for Books calendar unveiled
Quill & Quire Blog | October 3, 2013

Freedom to photograph under threat
Toronto Star | July 28, 2013

RCMP arrested journalist in New Brunswick
Canada.com |  July 4, 2013

Censorship in the digital age: ‘Words are more powerful than ever’
Globe and Mail | April 24, 2013

Stephen King and son Owen to open IFOA’s PEN benefit
Toronto Star | April 16, 2013

Stephen King to kick off Toronto’s International Festival of Authors
CBC News | April 16, 2013

Authors bear more than their souls in Bare It for Books
Montreal Gazette | April 16, 2013

The semi-nude fundraising calendar: sweetly tasteful or totally twee?
Globe and Mail | March 6, 2013

The Stamp Collector by Jennifer Lanthier, illustrated by François Thisdale
Book Dragon | March 3, 2013

Authors uncover the goods for PEN
Winnipeg Free Press | March 2, 2013

Hope Through Stamps
Metro Morning | March 1, 2013

Big Brother Is Watching Your Bookshelf
Huffington Post | February 26, 2013

Prose in the nude: Canadian authors get naked for Bare It For Books calender
National Post | February 19, 2013

Twenty Years Ago, Salman Rushdie Surprised Toronto
Torontoist | December 7, 2012

Salman Rushie, Under Fatwa, Onstage
Hazlitt | December 6, 2012

Sci-lenced: A PEN Canada Evening on Scientists’ Freedom of Expression
Toronto Review of Books | October 24, 2012

PEN Canada Benefit with Wole Soyinka, Miriam Toews, Azar Nafisi (Video)
Book Shorts | September 30, 2012

Vancouver theatre community takes on the Prime Minister
Vancouver Sun | July 19, 2012

Moose Jaw is the write place for word-lovers
Star Phoenix | July 12, 2012

Book about fallen Chinese official a testament to journalistic courage
Globe and Mail | June 20, 2012

“Funny Strange”: TRB Tweets Calvin Trillin, Seán Cullen, and Charles Foran on Mordecai Richler
Toronto Review of Books | May 18, 2012

Funny Strange: Calvin Trillin and Charles Foran on satire and Mordecai Richler
National Post |  May 16, 2012

Calvin Trillin, Sean Cullen and why Mordecai Richler is funny
Globe and Mail May 15, 2012

PEN Canada: On Guard for Freedom of Expression
LawNow (36.4, pp. 38-46) | March/April 2012

Harper in China: Prime Minister urged to speak forcefully and against human rights abuses in China
Toronto Star | February 2, 2012

Journalist in B.C. fears deportation to Mexico
CBC News | January 19, 2012

Free speech boost will rally neo-Nazi cyberhate, say human rights activists
Global BC | December 14, 2011

The hyperlink case: freedom vs. the floodgates
Globe and Mail | October 22, 2011

Left to Die in Africa’s North Korea
National Post | September 21, 2011

The Prisoner of Asmara
Toronto Star | September 21, 2011

The lethal war on Mexico’s journalists
Globe and Mail | June 3, 2011

Anti-G20 protester launches constitutional challenge
Toronto Star | November 15, 2010

PEN, Writers Union back Mistry’s book battle
CBC News | October 21, 2010

Richard Ford urges us to pay attention
Globe and Mail | October 21, 2010

Richard Ford: National Interest
National Post | October 15, 2010

PEN focuses on ‘Blogfather’ in Iranian prison
CBC News | October 20, 2010

To silence the hate, speak out against it
Winnipeg Free Press | July 12, 2010

Beyond Green Gables
Toronto Star | April 29, 2010

Canada’s clampdown on free speech
Boston Globe | March 27, 2010

Supreme Court creates new public interest libel defence for press and bloggers
Canadian Press | December 23, 2009

John Ralston Saul to lead International PEN
CBC News | October 21, 2009

International Festival of Authors brings literary stars to Toronto
CBC News | October 21, 2009

Chinese dissident saved by Canada details horror
Toronto Star | July 26, 2009

Row over 9/11 novel at Canadian university
Guardian | September 8, 2006