The Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing is a Canadian literary award, presented by the Writers' Trust of Canada to the best nonfiction book on Canadian political and social issues. It has been presented annually in Ottawa at the Writers’ Trust Politics and the Pen gala since 2000,Kate Jaimet, "Spirit of Shaughnessy Cohen lives on at literary dinner on Hill". Ottawa Citizen, May 4, 2000. superseding the organization's defunct Gordon Montador Award.
The award has a monetary value of CAD40,000 as of 2025.
The prize was established in honour of Shaughnessy Cohen (February 11, 1948 - December 9, 1998), an outspoken and popular Liberal Member of Parliament from Windsor, Ontario who died after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in the House of Commons of Canada just seconds after standing to address her peers. The award is sponsored by CN.
Submissions All Canadian-based publishers of original manuscripts may enter two books; companies publishing more than ten eligible nonfiction titles during the 2012 calendar year may add one book for every additional ten eligible books (or fraction thereof) on their nonfiction list, up to a maximum of five. For example, a publisher with a list of 18 qualifying nonfiction books would be entitled to submit three — two for the first ten and one for the next ten."The Writers' Trust of Canada: Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing" 2012.
Jury A three-person jury selects the winner and finalists of the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. The jury acts independently of the Writers’ Trust and is charged with interpreting the mandate and eligibility criteria of the prize, as well as determining which of the submissions best reflect the prize mandate. In evaluating the writing, literary merit is the sole criterion. Each juror may request an unlimited number of additional titles from the publisher's lists. Such titles are on equal footing with all other submissions, provided that their publishers agree to abide by the conditions laid out in this document. The judgment of the jury in selecting the winners, determining eligibility, and interpreting these rules is final.
Winners and nominees 2000s YearJuryAuthorBookResultRef. 2001 John CrosbieRon GrahamPeter Newman Erna Paris Long Shadows: Truth, Lies and History Winner "Erna Paris wins first Shaughnessy Cohen prize for political writing". Halifax Daily News, May 4, 2001. Victoria Freeman Distant Relations: How My Ancestors Colonized North America Shortlist "Five authors up for political book award". Ottawa Citizen, April 6, 2001. Myrna Kostash The Next Canada: In Search of our Future Nation Carol Off The Lion, the Fox, & the Eagle: A Story of Generals and Justice in Rwanda and Yugoslavia Margaret Somerville The Ethical Canary: Science, Society and the Human Spirit 2002 Maggie SigginsPamela WallinHugh Winsor Daniel Poliquin (tr. Donald Winkler) In the Name of the Father: An Essay on Quebec Nationalism Winner "Daniel Poliquin wins Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for political writing". Moose Jaw Times-Herald, May 9, 2002. Ingeborg Boyens Another Season's Promise Shortlist "Shaughnessy Cohen Prize finalists named". Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 2002. Janice Gross Stein The Cult of Efficiency Linda McQuaig All You Can Eat Julian Sher Until You Are Dead 2003 Susan DelacourtBob RaeJanice Gross Stein John Duffy Fights of Our Lives: Elections, Leadership and the Making of Canada Winner "Duffy wins prize for Fight of Our Lives". North Bay Nugget, May 29, 2003. Stephen Clarkson Uncle Sam and Us: Globalization, Neoconservatism, and the Canadian State Shortlist Colin N. Perkel Well of Lies: The Walkerton Water Tragedy John Saywell The Lawmakers: Judicial Power and the Shaping of Canadian Federalism Daniel Stoffman Who Gets In: What’s Wrong with Canada’s Immigration Program – and How to Fix It 2004 Clive DoucetMargaret MacMillanPeter Mansbridge Roméo Dallaire Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda Winner "Dallaire's controversial book wins coveted prize". Orillia Packet and Times, April 2, 2004. Jane Doe The Story of Jane Doe Shortlist Julian Sher, William Marsden The Road to Hell: How the Biker Gangs Are Conquering Canada 2005 Pat CarneyAndrew CohenMarci McDonald Jane Jacobs Dark Age Ahead Winner "Jane Jacobs' Dark Age Ahead wins Shaughnessy Cohen Prize at Ottawa event". Canadian Press, April 13, 2005. Gwynne Dyer Future: Tense: The Coming World Order Shortlist "Jane Jacobs, Jack Granatstein among prize nominees". The Telegram, April 3, 2005. Jack Granatstein Who Killed the Canadian Military? Jennifer Welsh At Home in the World: Canada's Global Vision for the 21st Century Rex Weyler Greenpeace: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists and Visionaries Changed the World 2006 Sheila CoppsBill FoxChristopher Waddell Miriam Shuchman The Drug Trial: Nancy Olivieri and the Science Scandal that Rocked the Hospital for Sick Children Winner "Shuchman wins Writer's Trust of Canada award". The Globe and Mail, June 1, 2006. Kim Bolan Loss of Faith: How the Air-India Bombers Got Away with Murder Shortlist "Shortlist unveiled for Shaughnessy Cohen Prize". The Globe and Mail, April 19, 2006. William Johnson Stephen Harper and the Future of Canada Amy Knight How the Cold War Began: The Gouzenko Affair and the Hunt for Soviet Spies Susanne Reber, Robert Renaud Starlight Tour: The Last, Lonely Night of Neil Stonechild 2007 Carol GoarArthur KroegerSusan Riley Max Nemni, Monique Nemni (tr. William Johnson) Young Trudeau: Son of Quebec, Father of Canada, 1919-1944 Winner "Trudeau bio earns prize". Prince George Citizen, March 5, 2007. John English Citizen of the World: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Volume 1: 1919-1968 Shortlist "Gotlieb, Off finalists for writing prize". Calgary Herald, January 26, 2007. Eddie Goldenberg The Way It Works: Inside Ottawa Allan Gotlieb The Washington Diaries, 1981-1989 Carol Off Bitter Chocolate: Investigating the Dark Side of the World’s Most Seductive Sweet 2008 Robert BothwellLawrence MartinBrigitte Pellerin Janice Gross Stein, Eugene Lang The Unexpected War: Canada in Kandahar Winner "Book on Canada at war wins political writing prize". Victoria Times-Colonist, February 29, 2008. Clive Doucet Urban Meltdown: Cities, Climate Change and Politics as Usual Shortlist "Contenders for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize". Ottawa Citizen, February 24, 2008. Richard Gwyn John A: The Man Who Made Us; The Life and Times of John A. Macdonald, Volume One: 1815–1867 Andrea Mandel-Campbell Why Mexicans Don’t Drink Molson David E. Smith The People’s House of Commons: Theories of Democracy in Contention 2009 Chantal HébertWilliam JohnsonDavid Walmsley James Orbinski An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the Twenty-first Century Winner "James Orbinski wins $25,000 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing". Canadian Press, March 4, 2009. Daphne Bramham The Secret Lives of Saints: Child Brides and Lost Boys in Canada’s Polygamous Mormon Sect Shortlist "Cohen Political Prize Shortlist Revealed". National Post, February 10, 2009. Erna Paris The Sun Climbs Slow: Justice in the Age of Imperial America Marie Wadden Where the Pavement Ends: Canada’s Aboriginal Recovery Movement and the Urgent Need for Reconciliation Chris Wood Dry Spring: The Coming Water Crisis of North America
2010s