ele br ations ▁▁ ▁Canadian ▁Liter ature ▁celebrated ▁its ▁ 5 0 th ▁anni versary ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁by ▁holding ▁a ▁four - day ▁g ala ▁from ▁September ▁ 3 0 ▁to ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁It ▁included ▁a ▁two - day ▁conference ▁entitled ▁" The ▁Future ▁of ▁Canadian ▁literature ▁/ ▁Canadian ▁Liter ature " ▁featuring ▁tal ks ▁by ▁ ▁Canadian ▁writers ▁and ▁sch ol ars ▁Thomas ▁King , ▁Ro ch ▁Car rier , ▁Steven ▁Gall ow ay ▁and ▁Ar ith a ▁Van ▁Her k , ▁along ▁with ▁present ations ▁and ▁short ▁tal ks ▁by ▁Canadian ▁and ▁international ▁academ ics ▁and ▁gradu ate ▁students . ▁ ▁The ▁conference ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁launch es ▁of ▁Sh err ill ▁Grace ' s ▁book ▁On ▁the ▁Art ▁of ▁Being ▁Canadian , ▁published ▁by ▁U BC ▁Press ▁and ▁From ▁A ▁Spe aking ▁Place : ▁Writ ings ▁from ▁the ▁First ▁Fif ty ▁Years ▁of ▁Canadian ▁Liter ature , ▁edited ▁by ▁W . ▁H . ▁New , ▁and ▁published ▁by ▁R ons dale ▁Press . ▁A ▁silent ▁art ▁au ction ▁to ▁support ▁under grad uate ▁students ▁intern ing ▁at ▁Canadian ▁Liter ature ▁included ▁pieces ▁don ated ▁by ▁Margaret ▁At wood , ▁Leonard ▁C ohen , ▁Dennis ▁Lee , ▁Thomas ▁King , ▁Patrick ▁Lane , ▁J oni ▁Mitchell , ▁and ▁Fred ▁W ah . ▁ ▁Canadian ▁Liter ature ' s ▁ 6 0 th ▁anni versary ▁was ▁celebrated ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁with ▁a ▁reading ▁em ceed ▁by