Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 6, 2010
• Invested on: September 03, 2010

As a novelist and short story writer, Sandra Birdsell celebrates the landscape and people of the Prairies. In her many books, such as The Russländer and Children of the Day, she provides insight into the culture of Métis and Mennonite communities, and illustrates the richness and diversity of the immigrant experience in Western Canada. A highly respected mentor, she has also taught and served as a writer-in-residence at universities across Canada. She has supported numerous arts organizations, including as a founding member of the Manitoba Writers' Guild and as a director of the Sage Hill Writing Experience.