Terry Fallis Reacts to Canada Reads Win

Text is excerpt from CBC.CA:

"Following a debate that centred on how a book can contribute to change in Canada, the panellists of CBC's Canada Reads have decided on the winner of this year's book battle.

Carol Shields's Unless was knocked out early in voting during Wednesday's debate, leaving the final contest between The Birth House by Ami McKay and The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis.

In the final vote, only Debbie Travis, who had defended The Birth House for the last three days, voted for it. The 2011 winner is The Best Laid Plans.

A political satire, the winning title follows a crusty, old, engineering professor named Angus McLintock, who agrees to run as an MP because he's certain to lose, but is accidentally swept into office. He decides to see what good an honest MP, who doesn't care about being re-elected, can do in Parliament and hilarity results.

Ali Velshi, the CNN journalist who defended The Best Laid Plans, said Canada needs people like McLintock.

"This book is about the current thing that affects us now in our world, which is the people who make decisions for us," he said.

The book "speaks to frustration and disenfranchisement around the world."

Former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque agreed, saying the book could inspire interest in the political process in younger readers.

"Today, in Canada, people don't vote and we live in a democratic country. If people read this book, they would want to vote. We need this," he said.

Category:

News & Politics

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• Terry Fallis
• Best Laid Plans
• Canada Reads
• Thornley Fallis