Shaughnessy Cohen Prize goes to history professor’s book on postwar prime ministers

The Writers’ Trust of Canada says a history professor from the University of Regina has won this year’s Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing.

Raymond B. Blake took home the award at the Politics and the Pen fundraiser in Ottawa for his book “Canada’s Prime Ministers and the Shaping of a National Identity.”

Jurors say the book’s “analysis of prime ministerial storytelling in the post-war era is remarkably well-timed” for the current political moment.

Runners-up for this years prize include journalist Tanya Talaga for her book “The Knowing” and former health minister Jane Philpott for “Health for All: A Doctor’s Prescription for a Healthier Canada.”

Rounding out the short list was journalist Stephen Maher’s “The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau” and “The Adaptable Country: How Canada Can Survive the Twenty-First Century” by University of Massachusetts professor Alasdair Roberts.

The award was increased this year to $40,000 from $25,000 to mark the prize’s 25th anniversary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2025.

Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press