Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 2, 2013
• Invested on: November 21, 2014

For his accomplishments as a powerful voice in Canadian poetry and for his mentorship of the next generation of Canadian poets.

Patrick Lane is a powerful voice in Canadian poetry. Conveying a sensitivity to nature and depicting the struggles of ordinary people, his poems, short stories, essays and novel resonate with Canadians. His award-winning memoir, There Is A Season, addresses his own battle with addiction and has been a source of strength for those in recovery. Throughout a career that spans five decades, he has taught and mentored many young writers, and has supported a variety of causes, from adult literacy to ending child poverty.