English
| Category | Winner | Nominated |
|---|---|---|
| Fiction |  Alice Munro, The Progress of Love |
|
| Non-fiction | Northrop Frye, Northrop Frye on Shakespeare |
|
| Poetry | Al Purdy, The Collected Poems of Al Purdy |
|
| Drama | Sharon Pollock, Doc |
|
Each winner of the 1986 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit was selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The four Canada Council Children's Literature Prizes, two each for children's book writers and illustrators, were outside the Governor General's Awards program for the last time. [1] For Children's Literature Prize winners 1975 to 1986, see "Children's literature" (2) and "Children's illustration" (2) in the footer navigation box.
Two awards for literary translation were also included, bringing the number of Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit from 8 in 1986 to 14 in 1987. [2]
| Category | Winner | Nominated |
|---|---|---|
| Fiction | Alice Munro, The Progress of Love |
|
| Non-fiction | Northrop Frye, Northrop Frye on Shakespeare |
|
| Poetry | Al Purdy, The Collected Poems of Al Purdy |
|
| Drama | Sharon Pollock, Doc |
|
| Category | Winner | Nominated |
|---|---|---|
| Fiction | Yvon Rivard, Les silences du corbeau |
|
| Non-fiction | Régine Robin, Le réalisme socialiste: une esthétique impossible |
|
| Poetry | Cécile Cloutier, L'écouté |
|
| Drama | Anne Legault, La visite des sauvages |
|
The 1936 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit inaugurated Canada's annual program of Governor General's Awards, late in 1937 recognizing 1936 publications. There were only two categories, fiction and non-fiction, English language only.
Each winner of the 1987 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit received $5000 and a medal from the Governor General of Canada. The winners and nominees were selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The 1941 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the sixth rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1941 and were presented in 1942. There were no cash prizes.
The 1944 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the ninth rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1944 and were presented in 1945. There were no cash prizes.
The 1945 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the 10th rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1945 and were presented in 1946. There were no cash prizes.
The 1947 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the 12th rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1947 and were presented early in 1948. There were no cash prizes.
The 1948 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the 13th rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1948 and were presented early in 1949. There were no cash prizes.
The 1949 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the 14th rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1949 and were presented early in 1950. There were no cash prizes.
The 1959 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the 24th rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new works published in Canada during 1959.
Each winner of the 1975 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit was selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The Governor General's Award for French-language poetry or drama was a Canadian literary award that annually recognized one Canadian writer for a work of poetry or drama published in French. It was one of the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit from 1959 to 1980, after which it was divided into the award for French-language poetry and award for French-language drama. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The Governor General's Award for English-language poetry or drama was a Canadian literary award that annually recognized one Canadian writer for a work of poetry or drama published in English. It was one of the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit from 1937 to 1980. After 1980 it was divided into the award for English-language poetry and award for English-language drama. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each for creators of English- and French-language books. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The Governor General's Award for English-language non-fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a non-fiction book written in English. Since 1987 it is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each for creators of English- and French-language books. Originally presented by the Canadian Authors Association, the Governor General's Awards program became a project of the Canada Council for the Arts in 1959.
The Governor General's Award for English-language children's writing is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a children's book written in English. It is one of four children's book awards among the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, one each for writers and illustrators of English- and French-language books. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council.
The Governor General's Award for French-language children's writing is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a children's book written in French. It is one of four children's book awards among the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, one each for writers and illustrators of English- and French-language books. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council.
The Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian illustrator for a children's book written in English. It is one of four children's book awards among the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, one each for writers and illustrators of English- and French-language books. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council.
The Governor General's Award for French-language children's illustration is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian illustrator for a children's book written in French. It is one of four children's book awards among the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, one each for writers and illustrators of English- and French-language books. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council.
The Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award was presented annually by the Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne des bibliothèques (CLA) to an outstanding illustrator of a new Canadian children's book. The book must be "suitable for children up to and including age 12" and its writing "must be worthy of the book's illustrations." The illustrator must be a citizen or permanent resident. The prize is a plaque and $1000 presented at the CLA annual conference. The medal commemorates and the award is dedicated to schoolteacher and artist Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon who taught academics as well as art to Ontario schoolchildren in the 1860s and early 1870s. Her best-known work An Illustrated Comic Alphabet was published in 1966 by Henry Z. Walck in New York City and Oxford University Press in Toronto.
The 1942 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the seventh rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new English-language works published in Canada during 1942 and were presented in 1943. There were no cash prizes.