ABC Life Literacy Canada

2011 - Valerie Mutton, lawyer and journalist, won the The Peter Gzowski Life Literacy Fellowship for her feature story that examined low literacy levels in the family court system where people self-represented to fight their legal battles. Published in Lawyer's Weekly and by Canadian Press, the story shone a light on a new aspect of life literacy. Read her story.

2010 - Susan Quinlan, Prairie Post West Newspaper. Susan was awarded The Peter Gzowski Life Literacy Fellowship for her editorial proposal about the growing Low German Mennonite community in southern Alberta, and its struggles to access literacy courses. She proposes to tell the stories of these individuals, primarily farm workers, as they face the daily challenge of acquiring English language skills to better manage their new lives. Read her story.

2009 - Suzanne Ahearne, Darah Hansen, Catherine Rolfsen and Denise Ryan of The Vancouver Sun were selected as the 2009 PGLAM winners for their five-part, in-depth series, The Face of Literacy.

2008 - Karen Kawawada of the Waterloo Region Record was selected as the 2008 recipient for her feature story Books and Beyond, which details the challenges faced by adult learners.

In 2008 ABC Life Literacy Canada also presented Shelagh Rogers of CBC Radio with a special PGLAM for her outstanding body of work. Rogers picked up where Peter Gzowski left off and has helped ensure the awareness of literacy programs across the country.

2007 - Alex Shprintsen of CBC for his series of two documentaries, entitled Canada’s Shame, which profiled adult learners including Jacques Demers, former coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

2006 – Two recipients this year. Mike Aiken, reporter for the Kenora Daily Miner & News and the Lake of the Woods Enterprise, for his ongoing coverage of social and literacy issues in the Kenora, Ontario-area Aboriginal community.

Irene Davis, a Toronto-based freelancer, was recognized for her commentary in the November 22, 2005 Facts & Arguments section of The Globe and Mail, where she reflected on her more than 15 years volunteering as a tutor at the Toronto Public Library Adult Literacy Program.

2005 - Sean Fine, editorial writer for The Globe and Mail, for his editorials addressing various issues related to literacy, including calling on Canada at the end of 2004 to reach the goal of ‘most literate nation.’

2004 - Paul-Émile Cormier, Journal l'Étoile, New Brunswick, for his outstanding achievement in enhancing public awareness of the literacy issue in his community. The first Francophone to receive this award, Mr. Cormier has written a weekly literacy column for the French-language newspaper since 2001.

2003 - Alan White, Telegraph-Journal, for numerous articles written on literacy and education issues in New Brunswick since 1996. In particular, Mr. White's articles have focused on the impact of low literacy skills, informing the public on New Brunswick's low literacy rates, improving the education system, and promoting local literacy programs and literacy advocacy.

2002 - Joel Jacobson, The Halifax Herald, for his decade-long commitment to promoting literacy throughout Nova Scotia. Over the past 12 years, Mr. Jacobson has written numerous articles promoting the importance of literacy in his community, with a particular focus on positive literacy success stories.

1996 - Peter Calamai, Toronto Star, for his career-long commitment to the literacy issue. In 1987, Mr. Calamai directed a six-month study of literacy in Canada for Southam Inc. This study included the first measurement of literacy levels among Canadian adults. He also wrote a 40-part series of articles about literacy that appeared in more than two dozen newspapers coast to coast.

1993 - Denise Donlon, MuchMusic, for her creation of the “Rock’n’Roll’nReading” programs that invited prominent rock musicians to talk about reading and encourage young viewers to read. This program, which became a highly popular two-hour video series, received significant media coverage that helped shine the media spotlight on literacy at both a national and local level.