Go to main content

GET READY FOR CANADA READS: ONE NOVEL TO CHANGE OUR NATION! MARCH 3-6 ON CBC RADIO ONE, CBCBOOKS.ca, CBC-TV & DOCUMENTARY

Celebrity panelists battle it out to crown Canada’s must-read title for 2014

 

CBC’s annual battle of the books, CANADA READS, is gearing up for the live debates from Mar. 3 to 6 at the CBC Broadcasting Centre in Toronto. In this year’s edition, CANADA READS: ONE NOVEL TO CHANGE OUR NATION, five celebrity panelists will determine Canada’s must-read title for 2014 during four hour-long impassioned discussions in front of live audiences. The debates will air on CBC Radio One, CBCBooks.ca, CBC-TV and documentary.

 

This year’s CANADA READS line-up:

Olympic gold medallist Donovan Bailey will defend Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

Comedian and writer Samantha Bee will defend Cockroach by Rawi Hage

Actress Sarah Gadon will defend Annabel by Kathleen Winter

Hip-hop artist, broadcaster and educator Wab Kinew will defend The Orenda by Joseph Boyden

Activist Stephen Lewis will defend The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

 

Jian Ghomeshi, host of CBC’s arts and culture program Q on CBC Radio and TV, will preside over the debates and will interview the winning author and panelist on Q on Friday, March 7.

 

How to catch this year’s debates:

 

Monday, March 3 to Thursday, March 6

In Toronto: audiences are invited to the live shows (details at CBCBooks.ca)

Live video-streaming of the debates, with live chat, on CBCBooks.ca at 10 a.m. ET

CBC Radio One broadcast at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

CBC-TV broadcast at 4 p.m. (4:30 NT).

documentary broadcast at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT (encore at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT)

SiriusXM 169 broadcast at 11 a.m., 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET (the following day)

 

Saturday, March 8

A one-hour recap special on CBC Radio One at 4 p.m. (4:30 NT)

 

Sunday, March 9

A one-hour recap broadcast special on CBC-TV at 1 p.m. (1:30 NT)

 

To receive media accreditation to attend the debates, please contact Dayna Shiskos by end of day on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at [email protected].

 

For more information on the books and their champions, visit CBCBooks.ca. Follow all the action on social media @CBCBooks #CanadaReads2014

 

-30-

ABOUT CBCBOOKS.ca

CBCBooks.ca features all of CBC’s rich literary content and major events and programs such as Canada Reads, the Massey Lectures and Canada Writes. This one-stop destination for book lovers and writers includes in-depth information on books, exclusive interviews with authors, the latest news stories from the publishing world, book recommendations, best-seller lists, writing workshops and challenges, plus discussions and blogs. CBCBooks.ca is where readers click.

 

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus five languages for international audiences. In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada celebrated 75 years of serving Canadians and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of Canada.

 

 

For further information please contact:

Dayna Shiskos, publicist, CBC

[email protected]

(o) (416) 205-7973

(c) (416) 420-5241

 

Related content

CBC Books

Discover

3 hours ago

The Tragically Hip to release live album and CBC to air The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration Concert in full

Relive the night Canada stood still for the live broadcast of The Tragically Hip’s 2016 Man Machine Poem Kingston show, re-broadcasting and streaming commercial-free on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 7 p.m. local time on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio and CBC Music’s YouTube page.
May 4th at 11:05

Son of a Critch Gets Ready to Graduate as Cameras Roll on the Final Season of the Coming-of-Age Comedy

As production begins on Season 5 of Son of a Critch (12x30), co-creator, executive producer and star Mark Critch announced today that the upcoming season will be the series’ last.
April 23rd at 11:29

CBC and BBC Northern Ireland Greenlight New Romantic Comedy Series Committed, Starring Dustin Milligan and Diona Doherty

CBC and BBC Northern Ireland today announced the greenlight of new original comedy series Committed (10x30), starring Dustin Milligan (Schitt’s Creek, Hot Frosty) and Diona Doherty (Derry Girls, Blue Lights).
April 21st at 10:40

New to CBC Gem in May 2026

Highlights of programs new to CBC Gem this May include the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, hosted by Andrew Phung on May 31; the Asian Heritage Month Collection featuring documentary series Our Ocean Table (May 1) with journalist Hannah Sung and marine biologist and filmmaker Sonya Lee; and new CBC Kids original series Tralala (May 19), following the musical adventures of a seven-year-old frog and her dad. 
April 14th at 5:55

CBC Launches New Spring/Summer 2026 Podcast Slate

CBC, the #1 Canadian podcaster, is launching a new spring/summer slate of original podcasts, including in-depth investigations, candid personal revelations, and lighthearted comedy.