An Open Letter from Canadian Authors and Literary Community to the Federal Government
Make Media Literacy Mandatory for K – 12 Schools
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TO: |
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The Honourable Marc Miller |
The Honourable Sean Fraser |
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The Honourable Evan Solomon |
The Honourable Patty Hajdu |
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The Honourable Anna Gainey |
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Dear Prime Minister and Honourable Ministers,
We, the undersigned Canadian authors, believe that digital media literacy is essential to the well-being of our country and its democratic institutions. Digital media is now the primary medium for political and civic discourse; this makes us deeply concerned about disinformation, online hate and violence, frauds and scams – especially when it affects our younger citizens.
Media literacy enables informed choices, and by extension, an informed population. Therefore we urge the federal government to fund, champion, and work with provincial ministries to make digital media literacy a required component of school programs.
Canada’s reputation for having the most highly-educated citizens in the world counts for little if we don’t help our younger generations navigate an increasingly complex world; they need the skills to counter media influence, apply critical thinking, and practice digital responsibility. Embedding such skills into our education system is more than possible, as proven by the Scandinavian countries, which have long emphasized media literacy as fundamental to a well-rounded education; it promotes skills essential for: safeguarding mental health, engaging in civic discourse, and making well-informed life decisions. In this respect, Canada has fallen behind.
The Canadian government has ramped up spending for military defense, a necessary precaution. Yet internal division is as destructive to national security as any external threat. Digital media literacy skills are no longer optional. Young Canadians must learn how to recognize bias, distinguish between fact, falsehoods, opinion, and analysis to resist manipulation and understand the influences behind harmful content.
Surely this is as valuable an investment in national security as fighter jets and at a lower cost, and with generational benefits. We ask the federal government for three things:
- Establish a shared vision for digital media literacy that brings together expertise, sets metrics, avoids duplication, and ensures accountability. For decades, organizations such as MediaSmarts, the Digital Citizen Initiative, as well as various federal departments have made efforts in this direction, but it’s been a fragmented effort. The federal government needs to assign this mandate to a new or existing ministry.
- Stable, sufficient funding. A national strategy must do more than bring courseware into the classroom. The Federal government needs to ensure stable funding for a national path to digital media literacy. Funding should also cover: ongoing research to deal with changes in the media landscape, teacher training for media literacy, and results tracking.
- A national framework. While provinces and territories are responsible for their own public education systems, this doesn’t prevent Canada from achieving a cohesive national strategy. National frameworks in environmental learning and public health are already in place, and media literacy can follow this model of alignment across provinces and territories combined with flexibility for local needs. We urge you to begin by reviewing the K-12 Framework developed by MediaSmarts.
Divisive content spreads online, amplified by trolls, bots, and AI. There’s very little we can do to stop it, but if our children are equipped with media literacy, perhaps those messages will fall on barren ground.
Respectfully signed by:
(so far)
Caroline Adderson, British Columbia. Novelist and short story writer for adults and children
Susan Alexander, British Columbia
Marisa Alps, British Columbia
Donna Jones Alward, Nova Scotia. New York Times bestselling author
Katherine Ashenberg, Ontario. Non-fiction writer and novelist, living in Toronto
Margaret Atwood, Ontario
Sharon Bala, Newfoundland and Labrador. Author
Barbara Black, British Columbia.
John Blatherwick, British Columbia. Author of 24 books
Yvonne Blomer, British Columbia
Dennis E Bolen, British Columbia
Soren Bondrup-Nielsen, Nova Scotia. Author of seven non-fiction books about the importance of and conservation of nature.
Alan Bradley, British Columbia. New York Times bestselling author
Mary Burns, British Columbia. Novelist, dramatist, former journalist and documentarian
Julie Burtinshaw, British Columbia
M. H. Callway, British Columbia. Award-winning author of Canadian crime fiction
Claudia Casper, British Columbia. Award-winning and bestselling novelist of The Reconstruction, The Continuation of Love by Other Means, and The Mercy Journals
Tung Chan, British Columbia. Former CEO, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Former board member Library and Archives Canada, Richmond Public Library
Janie Chang, British Columbia. Globe and Mail bestselling author
Simon Choa-Johnston, British Columbia. Globe and Mail bestseller, Winner Jewish Book Festival Vancouver, playwright, screen writer
Christy Ann Conlin, Nova Scotia. Writer, multi-disciplinary artist
Lecia Cornwall, Alberta. Author of more than 10 works of historical fiction and romance
Lorna Crozier, British Columbia. An Officer of the Order of Canada for her contribution to Canadian literature; Governor-General's Award Winner for Poetry; Author of 23 books of poetry and two memoirs; Recipient of six honourary doctorates; Professor Emerita at University of Victoria
Jane Davidson, British Columbia. Former Artistic Director, Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts
Margaret DeRosia, Ontario. Historian, bestselling author of the novel, Eight Strings; former film and media studies professor
Wendy Donawa, British Columbia. Retired educator, poet, author of "The Time of Falling Apart"
Leanne Dunic, British Columbia. Author, musician
Marina Endicott, Saskatchewan
Terry Fallis, Ontario
Pam Galloway, British Columbia
Bill Gaston, British Columbia. Author
Bethany Gibson, Ontario
Katherine Govier, Alberta
Wayne Grady, Ontario. Novelist, essayist, translator, former Chair of the Writers' Union of Canada
Genevieve Graham, Alberta. Globe and Mail #1 and USA TODAY bestselling author of historical novels
Charlotte Gray, Ontario. Bestselling and award-winning author of non-fiction, including Sisters in the Wilderness, The Promise of Canada, The Massey Murder, Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons.
R.M. Greenaway, British Columbia. Award winning author of the B.C. Blues crime series
Bruce Grierson, British Columbia. Author, most recently, of What Makes Olga Run? (Penguin Random House)
Genni Gunn, British Columbia. Novelist, poet, translator
Jamila Hagen, Yukon Territories. Author of Kerosene and Perfect Weather
Robyn Harding, British Columbia. International bestselling author of The Drowning Woman
Aritha van Herk, Alberta. Writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and criticism
Jennifer Hillier, Ontario. Author
Kate Hilton, Ontario. Bestselling fiction writer
Pauline Holdstock, British Columbia. Internationally published novelist, short fiction writer, essayist
Leslie Howard, British Columbia. Bestselling author
Christopher Huang, Alberta. Author of: A Gentleman's Murder, Unnatural Ends, A Pretender's Murder
David Huebert, Nova Scotia
Leslie Hurtig, British Columbia. Artistic Director, Vancouver Writers Festival
Kevin Irie, Ontario
Susan Juby, British Columbia. Bestselling author, Leacock Medal award winner
Dan Kalla, British Columbia. Globe and Mail bestselling author
Sheena Kamal, Ontario. Bestselling author
Winona Kent, British Columbia. Past Chair of Crime Writers of Canada and author of 11 novels and numerous short stories
Jonina Kirton, British Columbia. Red River Métis & Icelandic Poet, Author, and Facilitator
Ken Klonsky, British Columbia. Author of three books on wrongful convictions; Director of Innocence International
Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, Ontario. Author of, most recently, Wait Softly Brother and All the Broken Things
Fiona Lam, British Columbia. Vancouver Poet Laureate 2022-2024
Eve Lazarus, British Columbia. Author of 10 non-fiction books including Beneath Dark Waters: The Legacy of the Empress of Ireland Shipwreck and Cold Case BC
Amanda Leduc, Ontario. Author of WILD LIFE, longlisted for the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction
Peter Levitt, British Columbia. Poet, Author, Translator from Chinese, Japanese, Spanish
Joanna Lilley, Yukon Territories
Ashley Little, British Columbia
J.B. MacKinnon, British Columbia. Journalist and author
Rachel McMillan, Ontario. Historical novelist
Elisabeth de Mariaffi, Newfoundland and Labrador. Award-winning novelist and essayist; executive director at Riddle Fence: A Journal of Arts and Culture, Newfoundland and Labrador's literary journal of note
Emmet Matheson, British Columbia
Liz McNally, British Columbia
Jane Munro, British Columbia. Griffin Poetry Prize winning writer and educator, author of 16 books
Joanne Naiman, British Columbia. Textbook author
Mary Novik, British Columbia. Award-winning author of Conceit and Muse
Sharon Oddie Brown, British Columbia
Susan Olding, British Columbia. Author and educator
Don Oravec, Ontario. Executive Director of the Writers’ Trust of Canada (retired); past Chair of the board of Project Bookmark Canada; past board member Toronto Word on the Street; co-founder and past Chair Carol Shields Prize for Fiction; current Chair of the board Stonewall National Museum, Archives and Library
Rhonda Parrish, Alberta
Brian Payton, British Columbia. Bestselling author and journalist
Lauren Peat, British Columbia. Poet, essayist, and literary translator
Barbara Pelman, British Columbia
Briony Penn, British Columbia. Award-winning creative non-fiction writer, activist and artist
Louise Penny, Quebec
Anna Quon, Nova Scotia. Poet Laureate for Halifax Regional Municipality, 2024-2027
Danny Ramadan, British Columbia. Award winning author of Crooked Teeth and The Foghorn Echoes. Past chairman of The Writers Union of Canada
Shazia Hafiz Ramji, British Columbia. Author of Port of Being
Roberta Rich, British Columbia. Globe and Mail bestselling author, historical novelist
K.D. Richards, Ontario. Novelist
Rachel Rose, British Columbia. Author, poet
Carol Shaben, British Columbia. Nonfiction author, editor, and educator
Alexandra Skoczylas, Ontario
Andreas Schroeder, British Columbia. Author of some 20 books, including SHAKING IT ROUGH and RENOVATING HEAVEN, Schroeder also headed up the Writers' Union's successful crusade to establish Canada's Public Lending Right program.
Jane Silcott, British Columbia
Merilyn Simonds, Ontario. Author of 22 books, founder of Kingston WritersFest, former Chair of The Writers Union of Canada, Canadian consultant for the San Miguel Literary Festival
Lynn Smith, British Columbia
Michael V. Smith, British Columbia. UBC Professor and author
Sydney Smith, Nova Scotia. Award winning Author and illustrator of Picturebooks
Janet Somerville, Ontario
Eva Stachniak, Ontario. Bestselling historical novelist. Author of The Winter Palace and The School of Mirrors
Marissa Stapley, Ontatio. Author of the New York Times bestseller Lucky
Cathy Stonehouse, British Columbia. Writer, writing instructor and parent
Nancy Taber, Ontario. Fiction and academic author, former military officer
Leslie Timmins, British Columbia. Fiction, poetry, essay writer
M.K. Tod, Ontario. Award-winning author of historical fiction and blogger at A Writer of History
Rhea Tregebov, British Columbia. Acclaimed author of eight books of poetry, two novels and five picture books
Aaron Tucker, Newfoundland and Labrador
Bryn Turnbull, Ontario. Globe and Mail #1 and international bestselling author of historical fiction
John Vaillant, British Columbia. Journalist and author
Annie Weeks, British Columbia. Book designer, novelist
Sam Wiebe, British Columbia. Award-winning and best-selling author of Pacific Northwest crime fiction
BD Wilson, Alberta
Sandra Wong, Alberta. Past President of SinC Worldwide and nationally bestselling author