Canada Reads opens

Canada Reads 2026 opened on Monday, April 13, with five celebrity defenders debating five books and one title set to be eliminated on Day 1. (cbc.ca) The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s annual “battle of the books” is running April 13 to 16, with live debates starting at 10:05 a.m. Eastern time on CBC Books, YouTube and CBC Gem, plus later broadcasts on CBC Television and CBC Radio. (cbc.ca) This year’s contenders are *A Minor Chorus* by Billy-Ray Belcourt, defended by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers; *Searching for Terry Punchout* by Tyler Hellard, defended by Steve “Dangle” Glynn; *The Cure for Drowning* by Loghan Paylor, defended by Tegan Quin; *Foe* by Iain Reid, defended by Josh Dela Cruz; and *It’s Different This Time* by Joss Richard, defended by Morgann Book. (cbc.ca) Canada Reads works as a daily knockout contest: five panellists argue for the one book they think the whole country should read, then vote one title off each day until one winner remains. Ali Hassan is hosting the 2026 debates. (cbc.ca) The 2026 edition is the program’s 25th year, extending a format that began on CBC Radio in 2002 and later moved to live studio shows in 2010. CBC says winning titles routinely become national bestsellers after the debates. (quillandquire.com) (cbc.ca) CBC’s live Day 1 page said it would include spoilers and confirmed the opening-day structure before the debate began, including the first elimination. The same page also said viewers outside Canada could watch on YouTube. (cbc.ca 1) (cbc.ca 2) The show’s stated theme this year is finding one book to “build bridges,” with CBC framing the shortlist as stories that connect readers to different people, places and perspectives. (cbc.ca) CBC says the books are matched with panellists through a selection process aimed at finding well-known readers who are not the usual literary commentators, then pairing them with titles that fit their tastes and public profiles. (cbc.ca 1) (cbc.ca 2) Day 1 opened the same way Canada Reads usually does: five advocates, one live debate, and the first book moving out before the field narrows again on Tuesday. (cbc.ca)