awards

2016

Recipient of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta Golden Pen Award for Lifetime Achievement

2012

        Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

        Appointment to the Order of Canada

2010

Induction into the Hall of Fame, City of Edmonton Salute to Excellence in the Arts

2007

Recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Gold Medal for Excellence in the Arts

2006

Bedlam, Editor's Choice, New York Times Book Review, 22 October 2006

2005

Bedlam, longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
Bedlam, shortlisted for the Grant MacEwan Author's Award
Bedlam, shortlisted for the Georges Bugnet Award
Bedlam, shortlisted for the City of Edmonton Book Prize

2004

Bedlam, a Globe 100 Books of the Year
Bedlam, shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize for Best Book (Caribbean and Canada Region)

1999

The Healer, Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
The Healer, Georges Bugnet Award for the Novel

1998

The Healer, Maclean's Five Best Books of Fiction
The Healer, Shortlisted for Giller Prize

1996

The Roaring Girl, Howard O'Hagan Award for Short Fiction

1995

The Roaring Girl, Governor-General's Award for Fiction

1993

White Buick, Howard O'Hagan Award for Short Fiction
White Buick, Shortlisted, Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Canada and Commonwealth Region)
Spin Dry, Georges Bugnet Award for the Novel
Spin Dry, Shortlisted, Smithbooks/Books in Canada First Novel Award