Writers' Trust Gala

About the Event

A room abound with lively, literary energy.

With a Canadian writer at each table, the Writers’ Trust Gala is unlike any other fundraiser in the city. Past guest authors include literary luminaries Margaret Atwood, Adrienne Clarkson, Cherie Dimaline, Emma Donoghue, Lawrence Hill, Thomas King, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Anne Michaels, and Noah Richler.

The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the $50,000 Writers’ Trust Fellowship honouring one of the leading Canadian writers of our time. The 2018 recipient is Charles Foran; past Writers’ Trust Fellows include Michael Crummey, Miriam Toews, and most recently, Eden Robinson.

2018 Writers' Trust Fellowship Finalists

Winner

Charles Foran

More about the prize

2018 Gala Host

Steve Patterson

Best known to over 700,000 weekly listeners as Canada’s least moderate debate moderator on CBC’s hit show The Debaters, Steve Patterson is a veteran headline comic who has performed across Canada, North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. His material is a combination of off-the-cuff and meticulously-crafted topical social commentary. He’s also been known to break into song.

Patterson was twice named Best Male Stand-up Comedian at the Canadian Comedy Awards and has been nominated for Canadian Screen Awards as Host of HGTV’s I Wrecked My House and The Great Canadian Screen Test. Steve’s nationally-toured theatre show entitled This is Not Debatable is now available on iTunes, and in 2016 his first aptly-titled collection, Book of Letters I Didn’t Know Where to Send, was published by Goose Lane Editions.

Steve’s latest role is as a budding producer with his show The Smartass-ociates, making smart people funnier and funny people smarter.

2018 Gala Chair

Mark Sakamoto

Gala Chair Mark Sakamoto is the Executive Vice President for Think Research, a leading digital health company. A lawyer by training, Mark has enjoyed a rich and varied career, having worked at a national law firm, a national broadcaster, and served as a senior political advisor to a national party leader. He is an entrepreneur and investor in digital health and digital media and has been instrumental in driving the growth of Think Research. In 2014, he authored his first book, Forgiveness: A Gift from My Grandparents, which went on to be a national best seller and was selected as the one Canadian book to read by CBC Canada Reads in 2018. Mark is currently the Chairman of the Ontario Media Development Corporation Board.