The position of Parliamentary Poet Laureate was created in 2001 under the Parliament of Canada Act.
The Poet is selected by the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons following an open nomination process. The person selected holds office for a term not exceeding two years and is an officer of the Library of Parliament which is the steward of the Parliamentary Poet Laureate Program.
The Parliament of Canada Act specifies that the Poet may:
- write poetry, especially for use in Parliament;
- sponsor poetry readings;
- advise the Parliamentary Librarian on the Library’s collection and acquisitions to enrich its cultural holdings; and
- perform other related duties as requested by the Speaker of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Commons or the Parliamentary Librarian.
During their term, the Poet may also undertake additional activities or projects that are consistent with the provisions in the Parliament of Canada Act.
More information about the position is available in the questions and answers below.
Questions and Answers
Why does Canada have a Parliamentary Poet Laureate?
The role of the Parliamentary Poet Laureate is to help enhance the understanding of and appreciation for poetry in Canada. Many other countries have a poet laureate.
Who can become Parliamentary Poet Laureate?
A person selected to be Poet Laureate has made a significant contribution to Canada’s literary community through their poetry, which can be any genre of written or spoken poetry. Poets who are Canadian residents of any province or territory, from all backgrounds and life experiences, are invited to submit their application.
Must the Parliamentary Poet Laureate reside in the National Capital Region?
Poets can reside anywhere in Canada, but they must be available to participate in parliamentary events, as required, and be available to travel on occasion throughout Canada to promote poetry. Travel costs are covered by the Library of Parliament.
How does one become the Parliamentary Poet Laureate?
Poets laureate must meet the eligibility and selection criteria. To ensure that Canada’s official languages are equitably represented, appointments to the position alternate between a poet who works primarily in English and a poet who works primarily in French.
Consult the nomination process page for more details.
How is the Parliamentary Poet Laureate selected?
The Canada Council for the Arts reviews and evaluates each nomination, then provides relevant information to the selection committee for their consideration and deliberation. The selection committee members include:
The selection committee then presents a list of three nominees to the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons, who make the final selection.
Must the Parliamentary Poet Laureate write poetry in both official languages?
The Poet may create works in either or both official languages; other languages may also be integrated into their works. These works are published here on this website in both official languages. The Library of Parliament covers the costs of translation or adaptation.
Who owns the rights to the works created by the Parliamentary Poet Laureate?
The Poet owns the copyrights of the works they create during their term. The Library of Parliament holds a licence to reproduce, publish or otherwise use the works created as part of the Poet’s roles and responsibilities.
Is the Parliamentary Poet Laureate compensated for their work?
The Poet receives an annual stipend of $20,000, in addition to a budget for travel, programming and administrative expenses.
To whom does the Parliamentary Poet Laureate report?
The Library of Parliament is the steward of the Parliamentary Poet Laureate Program and supports the Poet throughout their term.
Although the Poet is an officer of the Library of Parliament, they are not an employee; rather, they hold their office as an independent contractor of the Library.
What kind of programming support does the Parliamentary Poet Laureate receive?
As the steward of the Parliamentary Poet Laureate Program, the Library of Parliament provides programming support to the Poet. The Library:
- advises and guides the Poet in their activities, initiatives or projects as they fulfill their term. As an officer of the Library of Parliament, the Poet receives guidance from the Library to help ensure that the work they undertake during their term does not conflict with the Library’s approach to impartiality (i.e., providing services without regard to political or institutional affiliation, opinions or beliefs), and inclusion (i.e., valuing diverse perspectives and fostering a non-discriminatory and inclusive environment);
- administers and manages the Program budget, including approving expenses;
- facilitates access to the Library resources that the Poet requires during their term.
Can the Parliamentary Poet Laureate choose their activities during their term?
Although the Poet has broad discretion to determine which activities they will take part in while fulfilling their term, they must carry out their duties in a non-partisan manner.
Explore the works of former poets laureate on our website.
Can the Parliamentary Poet Laureate pursue activities outside this role during their term as Poet?
The Poet may engage in other activities or occupations during their term, as long as these do not conflict with or impair their ability to carry out their role as Poet Laureate.
