Sudbury hosts Canada Reads
Sudbury Reads returned for its fourth annual event on April 12, running 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Greater Sudbury Public Library on Mackenzie Street. (el-balad.com) Five local 'defenders' took the stage to champion selections drawn from the Canada Reads list in a community-format debate. (el-balad.com)
Sudbury turned this year’s Canada Reads shortlist into a local debate on April 12, with five community advocates pitching one book each at the main public library. (wordstocksudbury.ca) Wordstock Sudbury said Sudbury Reads ran from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Greater Sudbury Public Library’s main branch at 74 Mackenzie Street, and the event was free to attend. CBC Sudbury host Jonathan Pinto moderated the program. (wordstocksudbury.ca) The five local defenders were Lindsay Mayhew for *A Minor Chorus* by Billy-Ray Belcourt, Tammy Gaber for *The Cure for Drowning* by Loghan Paylor, Dokun Nochirionye for *It’s Different This Time* by Joss Richard, Kaylie Voutier for *Foe* by Iain Reid, and Heather Campbell for *Searching for Terry Punchout* by Tyler Hellard. (wordstocksudbury.ca) Canada Reads is the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s annual “battle of the books,” where five public figures each defend one Canadian title and vote books off over four days until one winner remains. The 2026 debates were scheduled for April 13 to 16. (cbc.ca) The 2026 national theme was “one book to build bridges,” and Sudbury’s local event used the same shortlist one day before the national broadcasts began. Wordstock described Sudbury Reads as a local version of Canada Reads centered on books that connect the community. (cbc.ca) (wordstocksudbury.ca) At the national level, the 2026 contenders were defended by actor and filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, podcaster Steve “Dangle” Glynn, singer-songwriter Tegan Quin, actor Josh Dela Cruz, and creator Morgann Book. Those same five titles formed the Sudbury lineup. (cbc.ca) (quillandquire.com) Sudbury Reads is now in its fourth year. The Sudbury Arts Council and Wordstock listings both framed the event as a community vote after the defenders made their case for which book Sudbury should read. (sudburyartscouncil.ca) (wordstocksudbury.ca) The setup keeps the national format but shifts the decision to local readers in one room on Mackenzie Street. In Sudbury, the question was not only which book all Canadians should read, but which one this city wanted to back before the national eliminations began. (sudbury.com) (cbc.ca)
