Member of the Order of Canada
Awarded on: 2013-11-21
Invested on: 2015-09-23
For her contributions to Quebec literature as a poet, essayist, novelist, critic and professor.
Madeleine Gagnon is a renowned Quebec literary figure and feminist. Recognized as one of the most profound voices in poetry, she is a writer engaged in the major issues of her time, and her writings defending the cause of women are exemplary in that respect. A former professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, she has also contributed to a number of literary reviews. Her body of work, which includes stories, essays and novels, has influenced numerous writers and won her acclaim in Canada and abroad.