Historic literary tour opens in Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Sandra Kelly, opened the first-ever VIA Rail Great Canadian Literary Tour to an enthusiastic crowd at a reception today. The national literary tour, presented by Canada Post, features a rotating lineup of 30 Canadian writers travelling by train from coast to coast.

"We knew the train began in Halifax, but Canada begins in St. John's, Newfoundland," explained Literary Tour Director, Neil Wilson. "For this tour to celebrate Canadian writing and its relationship to geography, we had to recognize Newfoundland's tremendous contribution to the arts."

The Poet and Peasant bookstore hosted Globe and Mail columnist Jeffrey Simpson, and writers Terry Jordan, Sarah Dearing and Paul Bowdring. Local author Carmelita McGrath read from her award-winning book, To The New World, before presenting a signed copy to the minister.

"I'm very pleased to see Newfoundland's Paul Bowdring and Carmelita McGrath on this historic tour," said Sandra Kelly. " The tradition of story-telling has always been an integral part of our province's history and culture, and this tour will serve to carry on that tradition."

By the time the VIA Rail Great Canadian Literary Tour ends in Vancouver, B.C., on November 29, it will have made stops in 120 communities nationwide and staged off-train events in 16 cities. Tomorrow, author Pete McCormack will join the above-mentioned writers for the first public event of the tour, a free reading and signing at The Poet and Peasant beginning at 8 p.m.

Partners with Canada Post and VIA Rail Canada include The National Literacy Secretariat (HRDC), the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canadian Booksellers Association, The Globe and Mail and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Tour information, including author bios and schedules, can be accessed on the Internet at www.writersfest.com.

Spencer Ferron-Tripp                                                              Heidi Bonnell
Literary Tour Communications                                                 Director of Communictions,
(613) 291-1401                                                                       Premier's Office
                                                                                                       (709) 729-3960

All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement