The Poets Laureate of Canada
To better understand the nuances of holding the title of poet laureate, we spoke to laureates from select Canadian cities (and a Territory) about what the title means to them.
poets laureate series
pj johnson
As the first invested poet laureate in any Canadian province or territory, pj johnson considers herself a storyteller who is upholding what it means to be a Canadian writer.
Pierrette Requier
As Edmonton’s sixth poet laureate, Pierrette Requeir sustains the arts while defining her identity as a Canadian living in a cultural mosaic.
Deirdre Kessler
Deirdre Kessler on how being a poet laureate influences the ways she engages with her community.
George Elliott Clarke
Canada’s parliamentary poet laureate seeks to establish a stable identity for the position—one that proceeding poets can follow.
Micheline Maylor
Calgary’s first-ever female poet laureate is dedicated to cultivating aspiring writers to create work that will resonate with future generations.
Rebecca Thomas
Being Halifax’s first Indigenous poet laureate, Rebecca Thomas advocates for the voice of her culture to be heard through poignant spoken word performances.
