The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/11/17 at 21:00 EST

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/11/17 at 21:00 EST

This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over-delivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing.

Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. bro.ca. The following is a CBC Radio One special presentation. Hey there, I'm Talia Schlanger. I'm an arts and culture host on CBC Radio. And tonight I am here to bring you the 2025 Giller Prize Award Ceremony in Toronto, hosted by Rick Mercer. The Giller Prize recognizes the best in Canadian.

fiction. This year's shortlist showcases the incredible range of storytelling happening across this country. The five finalists this year are Emma Knight for the life cycle of the common octopus, Mona Awad for We Love You Bunny, Eddie Boudel-Tan for the Tiger and the Cosmonaut, Suvankum Tamavansa for Pick a Color, and Emma Donahoo for the Paris Express. That's five authors, five distinct Canadian novels spanning literary fiction to mystery to historical fiction and horror. Jack Rabinovich founded the Giller Prize in 1994 to honor his late wife, Doris Giller. Tonight marks the award's 32nd anniversary. Who is the winner of this $100,000 prize?

You'll know by the end of the hour. But first, let's go to Rick Mercer. He's about to take the stage. This is the 2025 Giller Prize on CBC Radio One. Thank you. Wow. Thank you so much. Thank you for that kind. Welcome. Welcome to the Giller Prize. Proudly sponsored by the Giller Prize. Tonight, we are going to celebrate the best in Canadian fiction.

Canadian fiction that tells our stories to one another and our stories to the world. This is, hands down, the most exciting things to happen in Toronto in easily two weeks. I've hosted this show a couple of times now, and I've got to tell you, it's one of my favorite nights of the year. And you know why? While many award shows will give out a fancy trophy, which is lovely, and we do that. But what is really lovely is the Giller Prize comes with a fancy check. A spectacular check for 100,000. That's double what Treya Savage made this year, and he pitched three games in the World Series.

Of course, that is the dream of many a young major leaguer that someday, if the stars align, they could earn the same as a Canadian author. Winning the Giller Prize is life-changing for many authors, and not just because of the money. because winning this prize leads to an astronomical increase in book sales. In the world of publishing, it's known as the Giller Effect. In fact, everyone here well knows. There are only two things that can guarantee massive book sales in Canada.

That sticker on the cover that says, winner of the Giller Prize, or the words written by Jordan Peterson. It's funny because it's true. tonight we are broadcasting on cbc radio cbc television and cbc jim and in the room tonight we have an incredible live audience in fact everywhere i look i see people who love cbc radio cbc television and cbc jem yes oh my goodness i see i see media personalities i see ex-politicians and the best of the literary community when i look around this crowd and i include myself

in this. I can't help but think. In any kind of calamity, nobody in this room will be of any help whatsoever. Nobody has ever looked at me and said, thank God you're here. Did you bring your tools? We are fourth responders at best.

But I tell you, if for some reason someone is in a desperate need of a pithy comment, tables 1 through 17 is the place to go. Now personally,