Quebec literary prize suspended after protest over Amazon sponsorship

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A prestigious Quebec literary prize has been suspended after the five finalists protested the sponsorship of Amazon Canada.

In an open letter published in Le Devoir, the finalists for the 2019 edition of the Prix littéraire des collégiens said they felt their joy was “tainted” when they learned of the “financial collaboration of the multinational Amazon” as the sponsor. The authors believe Amazon’s involvement counters the organization’s mission of promoting Quebec literature and urged the organizers to reconsider the sponsorship.

The prize, a $5,000 award intended to promote Quebecois literature and chosen by college students in the province, announced its five finalists on Nov. 9. The finalists, authors Lula Carballo, Dominique Fortier, Karoline Georges, Kevin Lambert and Jean-Christophe Réhel, wrote a letter to the organizers expressing their discomfort with Amazon Canada’s sponsorship and asking them to explore alternative methods of funding. When they didn’t receive a response, they published the letter in Le Devoir.

“Our great unease comes from the dangerous competition that this giant has with Quebec bookstores," the letter read. “Need we remind you of the precariousness of the book trade and literary publishing?”

In a statement e-mailed to The Globe and Mail, Amazon Canada said they “support Prix littéraire des collégiens’ mission to support contemporary Quebec literary and engage young readers with local authors.” Amazon Canada also sponsors literacy initiatives such as the First Novel Award, but would not disclose others they support.

“The organizers of the Prix littéraire des collégiens have our full support as they address the next steps of the 2019 edition,” the statement said. As of publication, the award’s website still had Amazon’s logo on the top banner next to their own logo.

The organizers did not respond to a request for comment.

Shortly after the letter was published, organizers announced the prize would be suspended. They said they will meet with members of the literary community and are ready to relaunch the contest if they receive enough support.

Two hundred and eight Quebec professors also signed a letter of support calling for the government to intervene and fund the Prix litteraire des collegiens, ensuring the prize is “maintained and valued in the long term.”

Brigitte Roussy, spokesperson for Nathalie Roy, the provincial Minister of Culture and Communications, said in an e-mail the government is “really concerned” about the suspension, calling it “premature.”

She said Ms. Roy would consider what can be done to help the prize. She did not say if the government would provide money for the award.

“We are on the same page with the entire book industry about that partnership between Le Prix littéraires des Collégiens and Amazon Canada. There are a lot of questions there,” the e-mail read.

Ms. Fortier says government funding could fall under the mandate to continue to invest in Quebec literature and culture. She told The Globe the finalists have not heard from the organizers since the suspension of the award, but would be glad to discuss next steps. Some finalists considered withdrawing from the prize, but they didn’t want to penalize the students, who have the opportunity to choose the winner.

“We will be happy to meet with the college students, that’s for sure,” Ms. Fortier said. “That’s the one thing we didn’t want to threaten.”

Nicolas Dickner, who won the Prix littéraire des collégiens in 2006 for his book Nikolski, declined to comment on the situation, but said the prize is “without a doubt one of the most important and beloved literary awards in Quebec.”

“For 15 years, it gathered thousands of students to read and debate books, and it’s a pity we are now fighting over it,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Ms. Fortier said the book industry in Quebec is in a fragile place and needs preserving.

“The link from the author to the publisher to the distributor to the bookseller, this is what really makes our books live. We really depend on one another,” she said. “So that’s why the announcement of Amazon was such a big deal here. The Quebec booksellers are the ones who defend our books.”

The Prix littéraire des collégiens allows college students across Quebec to be part of a jury that spends six months reading and discussing five literary works of Quebec fiction. They also meet with the authors. The students then choose the winner of the prize, which is presented in May at the Salon international du livre de Quebec.