In this episode, Allan talks with writer and media executive Richard Stursberg to explore the rise and decline of Canadian book publishing. The conversation breaks down how Canada once built a thriving literary culture, why English-Canadian publishing has lost ground, and what that means for national identity, history, and cultural sovereignty today, along with what can be done to rebuild it. Stursberg examines the dramatic decline of English Canadian publishing, tracing the rise of a vibrant national literary culture in the 1960s through the 1990s and the policy failures that allowed foreign multinationals to dominate the market. The discussion considers the relationship between publishing, national identity, cultural sovereignty, and historical literacy in Canada. Richard Stursberg’s leadership roles have included CBC English, language services, Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Television Fund, and PEN Canada.
