Jury and Call for Submissions Announced for $50,000 Donner Prize

TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2017 /CNW/ - Ken Whyte, Chair of the Board of the Donner Canadian Foundation, today announced the official Call for Submissions for the twentieth annual Donner Prize, the award for the best public policy book by a Canadian. The winner will receive $50,000, and the other shortlisted titles will each receive $7,500. "As the Donner Prize enters its twentieth year, we reflect back on its impact on shaping the Canadian policy landscape," said Whyte. "Previous shortlisted and winning titles have critically examined a wide range of pertinent issues facing society, government, and industry. It is our hope that the prize continues to encourage authors to engage with policy discourse and to foster the exchange of ideas. In this spirit, we look forward in anticipation to receiving this year's submissions."

Mr. Whyte also announced the incoming prize Chair and jury, who are tasked with selecting the shortlist and the eventual winner of the 2017 Donner Prize. "I am excited to welcome David A. Dodge as our new Chair, and it is my pleasure to see the return of last year's distinguished jurors, Peter Nicholson, Eva Busza, Jean-Marie Dufour, and Jennifer Jeffs.

David A. Dodge, O.C., this year's jury Chair, is a former Governor of the Bank of Canada and Chancellor of Queen's University. Currently, he is a Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones LLP and member of the board of CIFAR. During his distinguished career, Dr. Dodge has been Deputy Minister of Finance, Deputy Minister of Health, a member of the Bank of Canada's Board of Directors and has held multiple academic postings.

The Donner Canadian Foundation, one of Canada's largest foundations, created the prize to honour the best public policy thinking, writing and research by a Canadian, and the role it plays in determining the well-being of Canadians. In 2016, the prize went to Alex Marland for Brand Command: Canadian Politics and Democracy in the Age of Message Control.

"Being shortlisted for the Donner Prize was an honour in itself. The significance of being awarded the Donner is reflected in the countless number of people at my university and in Canadian politics who have congratulated me. It is truly a life-changing experience," said Marland.

Melissa Pitts, Director of UBC Press, publisher of Brand Command, said "We are delighted that Alex Marland's exceptional work has been selected as the recipient of the 2016 Donner Prize. The Donner Canadian Foundation, through its Donner Prize, has succeeded in dramatically raising the profile and significance of public policy writing and discourse in Canada. We congratulate not only Alex, but all of the shortlisted authors. Collectively, these researchers have made a significant contribution to our understanding of the policy challenges and decisions that continue to shape our country."

The deadline for submissions for this year's prize is November 30, 2017. The shortlist will be announced in Spring 2018, and the winner will be proclaimed at a gala dinner in Toronto in May 2018.  See www.DonnerBookPrize.com for complete rules regarding eligibility and submission procedures.

SOURCE Donner Canadian Foundation