Ottawa - Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Board will name the program room at the Rideau branch the “Daniel Poliquin Room,” in recognition of Mr. Poliquin’s contribution to Franco-Ontarian literature and his links to the Lowertown and Sandy Hill communities.
When: Monday, March 20, 2023, 10:00 am
Where: OPL Rideau branch, 377 Rideau Street
RSVP at Board@BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca (by Wednesday, March 15, 2023)
Daniel Poliquin is a prolific Franco-Ontarian novelist, essayist, and award-winning writer and literary translator living in Ottawa. He was also an interpreter for the public service and the House of Commons.
Daniel was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2005 and officer of the Order of Canada in 2018. He won the Trillium Book Award in 1998, the Ottawa Book Prize in 2007, and the Prix France-Acadie in 2019. He won the Governor General’s Award for English to French translation in 2014 and 2017. France also made Mr. Poliquin a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. He is known for his political and social commitment to Canadian unity.
OPL’s Rideau branch was designated a heritage property by the City of Ottawa in 1998. Designed by Ottawa architect John Pritchard MacLaren, it was opened in 1934 by former Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden. When opened, it was reputed to be the first bilingual French-English public library in North America. Rideau branch serves a vibrant and diverse community, including students, families, older adults, and newcomers. An Ontario Heritage Foundation plaque outside the branch commemorates Marie-Rose Turcot, a Franco-Ontarian journalist, writer, and folklorist, and former resident of Lowertown and Sandy Hill.