Our Mission

The Literary Review of Canada Charitable Organization provides a forum for lively, in-depth discussion of books, culture, politics and ideas. As “Canada’s answer to the New York Review of Books or Times Literary Supplement” (The Globe and Mail), the magazine's editorial mandate is to provide a national platform for the exchange of important, exciting ideas.

Since 1991, the Literary Review of Canada has showcased public conversations that are distinctively Canadian, offering nuanced consideration of this country’s culture and public affairs – topics absent from even the finest international publications, and too often neglected at home.

Over the past 30 years, the magazine has received praise from across disciplinary and political borders: admirers describe the publication as “the most intelligent magazine in Canada” (Alberto Manguel); “a precious forum for serious – and seriously engaging – exchanges of ideas” (Naomi Klein); “the best magazine in Canada by far” (Ken Whyte); "funny, annoying, interesting and literary…which is why I make a point of reading it” (John Ralston Saul); “Canada’s leading journal of opinion” (Tom Flanagan); “our best book review ever by far” (Michael Bliss); “the pitbull of CanLit” (Lawrence Hill) and “the contemporary record of Canadian public thought”(Michael Valpy).

The support of individual Canadians has helped us to foster bold, incisive, public discussion about issues that have an impact on all Canadians, and to survive the churn faced by other magazine titles. This support is more important than ever now, as we embark on an ambitious strategic review of the magazine's business operations aimed at sustaining and growing the Literary Review of Canada so it can continue to be a lively and authoritative forum for debate about books, culture, and ideas in Canada.

About Our Charity

Since 1991, the Literary Review of Canada has published articles by many of the country's very best writers, on everything from international relations and cloning to new fiction, and was the first publisher to win the prestigious Kroeger College Award for Public Discourse. The magazine runs engaging reviews of new Canadian books and essays by some of the country’s most thought-provoking authors, as well as original poetry and illustration. Contributors include Charlotte Gray, Linden MacIntyre, Erna Paris, Margaret MacMillan, Rawi Hage, Margaret Atwood, Douglas Coupland, Zoe Whittall, Paul Wells, John Ralston Saul, Andrew Potter, Hugh Segal, Denise Chong, and Jennifer Welsh.

Originally an incorporated not-for-profit, the Literary Review of Canada made the transition to charitable status in order to better fulfill its mission of sparking national conversation about important books and ideas. Donations help to support the efforts of the Literary Review of Canada staff, advisory council and other dedicated volunteers in advancing the cause of independent, intelligent Canadian media.

We’re pleased to thank supporters in an annual acknowledgement in the March issue of the magazine.