What Is 1943 Governor General's Awards

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1943 Governor General's Awards were Canada's annual national literary awards, honoring works published in 1942. No awards were given in fiction that year due to World War II's impact on publishing.

Key Facts

The 1943 Governor General's Awards honored books published in 1942
No award was given in the Fiction category due to wartime restrictions
Poetry and non-fiction categories were awarded despite the war
The awards were administered by the Canadian Authors Association until 1959
Only three awards were presented in 1943, down from previous years

Overview

The 1943 Governor General's Awards recognized the best in Canadian literature published during the calendar year 1942. Held during the height of World War II, the awards reflected the challenges of wartime publishing, including paper shortages and limited print runs.

Unlike previous years, the 1943 ceremony saw a reduction in awarded categories, with no prize given in fiction. Despite these constraints, the event continued to highlight Canada's growing literary identity and commitment to the arts during a global crisis.

Only three categories were awarded in 1943: Poetry, Non-Fiction, and Translation, reflecting wartime limitations on publishing output.
No Fiction award was presented due to a lack of eligible submissions, a rare occurrence in the award's history since its inception in 936.
The Poetry award went to Dorothy Livesay for her collection Green Rain, a work exploring personal and national identity during wartime.
The Non-Fiction award was given to C. P. Stacey for Canada and the British Army, a detailed study of military cooperation between Canada and the UK.
Translation was recognized for the first time since 1940, with the prize going to Alice Amelia Gibbon for translating Le Pèlerin de la beauté from French to English.

How It Works

The Governor General's Awards were established to honor excellence in Canadian writing across multiple genres. Administered by the Canadian Authors Association until 1959, the awards relied on jury evaluations of works published in the preceding year.

Eligibility Period: Books had to be published between January 1 and December 31, 1942, to qualify for the 1943 awards. This ensured timely recognition of recent literary contributions.
Jury Selection: Panels of writers and critics appointed by the Canadian Authors Association reviewed submissions, with final decisions made by early 1943.
Category Definitions: Fiction included novels and short story collections; Poetry encompassed original verse; Non-Fiction covered scholarly and narrative works of factual content.
Wartime Constraints: Paper rationing and travel restrictions limited book production, reducing the number of eligible works, particularly in fiction.
Award Administration: The Governor General of Canada served as the ceremonial head, though the CAA managed submissions, judging, and logistics.
Prize Recognition: Winners received a medal and national publicity, though no cash prize was awarded until after 1959.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1943 awards with those from 1941 and 1945 to illustrate wartime impact:

Year	Fiction Awarded?	Poetry Winner	Non-Fiction Winner	Total Categories
1941	Yes	Marjorie Pickthall (posthumous)	G. W. Taylor	5
1943	No	Dorothy Livesay, Green Rain	C. P. Stacey, Canada and the British Army	3
1945	Yes	A. M. Klein, Hebrew Canada	Donald Creighton, The Road to Confederation	5
1939	Yes	Earle Birney, David and Other Poems	Agnes C. Laut, Pathfinders of the West	5
1947	Yes	Phyllis McGibbon, The Still Waters	W. L. Morton, Manitoba: A History	5

The table shows a clear dip in awarded categories during 1943, with fiction absent and translation only sporadically recognized. Post-war years quickly restored full recognition, indicating resilience in Canada's literary culture despite wartime disruptions.

Why It Matters

The 1943 Governor General's Awards highlight how global events can shape cultural institutions. Despite limited output, the awards preserved a space for Canadian voices during a time of national mobilization.

Historical Benchmark: The absence of a fiction award in 1943 serves as a unique marker of World War II's impact on Canadian cultural production.
Recognition of Non-Fiction: Works like Stacey’s military history gained prominence, reflecting public interest in wartime scholarship.
Poetry’s Resilience: Dorothy Livesay’s win underscored poetry’s role in expressing emotional and national themes during crisis.
Translation Efforts: The recognition of translated works emphasized Canada’s bilingual character, even during periods of reduced activity.
Institutional Continuity: Continuing the awards during war maintained morale and signaled long-term cultural commitment.
Precedent for Future: The 1943 model influenced later decisions to adapt award structures during national emergencies.

Today, the Governor General's Awards remain a cornerstone of Canadian literary life, with the 1943 edition standing as a testament to perseverance in the face of adversity.