The Giller Prize gala, known as Canada’s most prestigious literary award but now associated with controversies regarding genocide and apartheid, was held at Toronto’s Park Hyatt hotel last night.
Anne Michaels was awarded the 2024 prize for her novel Held. Michaels, a renowned poet and author, has previously received accolades such as the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Guardian Fiction Prize, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Trillium Book Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Prior to winning this year’s prize, she had been shortlisted for the Giller Prize twice in the past. In her acceptance speech, Michaels expressed solidarity with Canadian publishers and booksellers but did not address issues related to Palestine or the boycott.
Despite over 200 Canadian authors refusing to submit their works for Giller Prize consideration or participate in related events due to the Foundation’s partnerships with corporate sponsors allegedly complicit in Palestinian genocide, the gala proceeded as planned. The sponsors in question include Scotiabank, Indigo Books, and the Azrieli Foundation.
Outside the gala, authors and book workers organized a picket line and a « Boycott Giller » counter gala. Simultaneous events across Canada also focused on Palestinian liberation and supporting writers who have chosen to boycott the Giller Foundation.
While the Giller Prize cancelled its 2024 « Between the Pages » tour, writers collaborated with organizations like No Arms in the Arts and CanLit Responds to create their own tour, featuring readings in several Canadian cities. The readings showcased the work of Palestinian authors and expressed themes of resistance and liberation.
CanLit Responds highlighted past actions, including disruptions at the previous year’s Giller Prize ceremony and subsequent arrests. The ongoing boycott of the Giller Prize has garnered support from over 300 authors and book workers, signaling a significant movement within the Canadian literary community.
The press release from CanLit Responds also detailed the connections between the Giller sponsors and the Israeli military and real estate sector. Scotiabank, Indigo Books, and the Azrieli Foundation were cited for their ties to entities involved in controversial activities.
As the literary landscape in Canada faces challenges and calls for change, the future of the Giller Prize remains uncertain amidst ongoing controversies and resistance from within the literary community.
La Fondation Azrieli, bras caritatif du groupe immobilier israélien Azrieli, est critiquée pour ses investissements passés et présents dans des colonies en Cisjordanie considérées comme illégales au regard du droit international. Parmi ces investissements figurent la chaîne de stations-service Sonol, qui opérait dans des colonies illégales, et la participation actuelle dans la Banque Leumi, qui finance des projets d’infrastructure dans ces colonies. Leumi a récemment gelé le compte de l’UNWRA, entraînant la suspension des fonds d’aide aux réfugiés palestiniens. Les actions de la Fondation Azrieli soulèvent des questions sur leur soutien indirect aux colonies illégales et leur impact sur les populations locales.
