The newest Tory senator is a Trudeau appointee. What to know about about David Adams Richards

Article content
He's married to Peggy McIntyre, with whom he has two sons, John Thomas and Anton Richards.
Article content
While his first published work after studying literature and philosophy at St. Thomas University in the early 1970s was a small book of poems, Richards became an acclaimed Canadian novelist with 16 titles on his resume, along with six non-fiction books and two collections of short stories.
Article content
His writings have been translated into 12 languages and are part of the curriculum of Canadian and U.S. universities, according to the Senate of Canada.
Article content
In a style said to be influenced by the likes of Leo Tolstoy and compared to William Blake, his fiction work is mostly set in the Miramichi Valley where he grew up and the characters are inspired by the lives and experiences of its poor and working-class people.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Richards has been a writer-in-residence at multiple universities and colleges across Canada, three of which have awarded him honorary doctorates — the University of New Brunswick (1995), Mount Allison University in Sackville (2008), and St. Thomas University in Fredericton (1990). He received the same honour from the Atlantic School of Theology in 2010.
Article content
In 1998, he became one of just three Canadian writers to win a Governor General's Literary Award in both fiction and non-fiction for Nights Below Station Street (1988) and Lines on the Water: A Fisherman's Life on the Miramichi (1998). Writers Laura G. Salverson and Hugh MacLennan are the others. Meanwhile, his 1993 fiction novel For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down and 2007's The Lost Highway were also nominated for the government honour.
Article content
Article content
In 2000, his Mercy Among the Children was a co-winner of the Giller Prize along with Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje, the only time two recipients have shared the honour in its 31-year history. Lost Highway and The Friends of Meager Fortune (2006) were both longlisted for the Giller.
Article content
Richards has also been awarded two Gemini Awards for scriptwriting (Small Gifts and For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down), the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Canadian Authors Association Award for his novel Evening Snow Will Bring Such Peace, the 2011 Matt Cohen Award for a distinguished lifetime of contribution to Canadian literature and the Canada-Australia Literary Prize.
Article content
He is a member of the Order of New Brunswick (2005) and the Order of Canada (2009).
Article content
Richards the Senator
Article content
When first appointed to the Senate by Trudeau in 2017, two years after the then-prime minister established the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments to make the Upper House less partisan, Richards joined the relatively new Independent Senators Group (ISG).

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Cision Canada

3 hours ago

• Cision Canada

Pizza 73 Celebrates the Heart of Oil Country with Free Heart Pizzas for Fans

EDMONTON, AB, June 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Pizza 73, the beloved Alberta-born pizza chain and official pizza partner of the Edmonton Oilers, is celebrating Oilers Country after an unforgettable season that brought pride, passion, and unity to fans across Alberta. On Monday, June 23, from 1–4 p.m. MT, fans can visit one of seven participating Pizza 73 locations to receive a free Heart Pizza — a one-day-only, walk-in offer created to honour Oil Country's passion and pride. The Heart Pizza is a cheese or pepperoni medium pizza featuring a heart cut out in the center — symbolizing Edmonton's unwavering love for its team. "As an Alberta brand and long-standing partner of the Edmonton Oilers, we feel every moment of the season right alongside the fans," said Adam Williamson, Marketing Director at Pizza 73. "This team gave the city so much to be proud of, and this is our way of showing appreciation to the heart of the community — Oil Country." As a long-standing partner of the Edmonton Oilers, Pizza 73 has always been committed to supporting local communities and celebrating what brings Albertans together — especially their unwavering love for hockey. Participating Pizza 73 Heart Pizza locations — walk-in only, limit one per person: 10424 122 Street, T5N 1M3, Edmonton 10839-101 St, T5H 2S7, Edmonton 11435 Kingsway Ave, T5G 3E8, Edmonton 5003-118 Ave, T5W 1B8, Edmonton 9561 - 118 Ave NW, T5G 0P9, Edmonton #123 -16 Westway Road, T5T 4R4, Spruce Grove 5433 Gateway Blvd., T6H 2H3, Edmonton About Pizza 73 Pizza 73 was founded in 1985 in Edmonton, Alberta, and remains Canadian-owned and operated to this day. Today, there are over 100 Pizza 73 restaurants across Western Canada. Guided by their core promise, "Better meal. Better deal," the brand is celebrating 40 years in Western Canada this year. Its mission is to make every occasion with Pizza 73 an enjoyable and memorable experience by offering the highest quality fresh products and exemplary service. For more details and to stay updated, visit and follow Pizza 73 on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. Campaign creative is by Zulu Alpha Kilo, with PR outreach led by spPR Inc.

Winnipeg Free Press

17 hours ago

• Winnipeg Free Press

Natalie Sue wins Leacock Medal for Humour for novel ‘I Hope This Finds You Well'

Natalie Sue's debut novel 'I Hope This Finds You Well' has won this year's Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. The $25,000 award is given to the best Canadian book of literary humour published in the previous year. The novel follows the story of an office worker in her early thirties who one day stumbles upon all of her colleagues' private emails and decides to use their gossip to help save her job. 'I Hope This Finds You Well' was published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Sue is a Calgary-based author of Iranian and British descent who spent her early years living in western Canada. Runners-up, who received $5,000 each, were Greg Kearney for 'An Evening With Birdy O'Day,' about an aging hairstylist who lost connection with his childhood best friend when he left to pursue a pop music career, and Patricia J. Parsons for 'We Came From Away: That Summer on the Rock,' which follows one woman's attempt to reconnect her family with Newfoundland. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.

Toronto Star

a day ago

• Toronto Star

Margaret Atwood guest of honour at masked ball that raised $1.5 million

On June 7 philanthropist Bruce Bailey held the third edition of his Canadian fête champêtre at his farm outside Toronto, raising $1.5 million. The gala celebrated fundraising for the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; Canadian Opera Company; Pelee Island Bird Observatory; the Israel Museum, Jerusalem; and Calgary's Glenbow Museum. Margaret Atwood was guest of honour at the party, whose theme was 'un ballo in maschera' (a masked ball), and many of the 500 guests rose to the occasion by wearing elaborate masks and costumes. Performers included a Montreal circus group, opera soprano Ambur Braid and dancers from Canada's National Ballet School.