2010 Canada-Japan Literary Award Ceremony

 

 

English award winner:
Spirit of the Nikkei Fleet: BC’s Japanese Canadian Fishermen by Masako and Stanley Fukawa

 

 

French award winner:
D’âmes et d’ailes / of souls and wings by Janick Belleau

 

The 2010 Canada-Japan Literary Award Ceremony was held at Ambassador Kaoru Ishikawa’s residence on February 3rd, 2011. The Canada-Japan Literary Awards, now in their 21st year, recognize literary excellence by Canadian authors writing on Japan, Japanese themes or themes that promote mutual understanding between Japan and Canada.  The funds for these awards are financed in part by the Canada-Japan Fund, created in 1988 by the Government of Japan to further strengthen and promote the ties between the arts communities of the two countries. The Canada Council for the Arts administers the Awards.

(Photo credit: Mr. Patrick Doyle, Canada Council for the Arts)  

Laureates Ms. Masako and Mr. Stanley Fukawa pose with Ambassador Ishikawa and Mr. John Goldsmith, Director of Stakeholder Relations for the Canada Council for the Arts.

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Patrick Doyle, Canada Council for the Arts)  

Laureate Ms. Janick Belleau poses with Ambassador Ishikawa and Mr. John Goldsmith, Director of Stakeholder Relations for the Canada Council for the Arts.

 

Ambassador Ishikawa and Mr. John Goldsmith, Director of Stakeholder Relations for the Canada Council for the Arts, together presented the prizes to the laureates.  For the English prize, Ms. Masako Fukawa and Mr. Stanley Fukawa, co-authors of the Spirit of the Nikkei Fleet: BC’s Japanese Canadian Fishermen received this year’s award.   The prize for the French category was awarded to Ms. Janick Belleau, who wroteD’âmes et d’ailes / of souls and wings, a tanka collection in French and English. Ms. Debbie Brown of Harbour Publishing and Ms. Jeannine Joyal of Éditions du Tanka Francophone, publishers of the English and French works respectively, were also presented with certificates to honour their efforts.

 

 

Ms. Debbie Brown of Harbour Publishing receives a certificate from Ambassador Ishikawa and Mr. John Goldsmith

 

 

Ms. Jeannine Joyal of Éditions du Tanka Francophone receives a certificate from Ambassador Ishikawa and Mr. John Goldsmith.

 
Ambassador Ishikawa, in his welcoming remarks, said: “Although the two award-winning works are different in form, they open our hearts and minds. In the case of Ms. and Mr. Fukawa’s book, the words take us through different eras along the shores of Canada’s west coast”, referring to the account of the 130-year history of the Japanese-Canadian fishery in British Columbia. The Ambassador then continued in French, “By savouring Madam Belleau’s verses, we are plunged into deep emotions which erase the notion of national borders.  I believe that this is the magical power of literature.”   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

For more information on the Canada-Japan Literary Awards please visit the Canada Council for the Arts website: http://www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/canada_japan_literary/