Jan Andrews
I was at the initial launch in Ottawa when we gathered in some now-forgotten location to pick up our cheques in person. People were stunned. They had all assumed they would be getting some sort of token amount but, as the envelopes were opened and we realized this was real money, there were all these cries of surprise and delight. One writer burst into tears. She said something to the effect that this meant next month’s groceries were now secured. I think of that each time the new cheque comes. It’s still a life-saver, still very much a part of how I, as a writer, keep bread on the table. It may not seem like much to politicians, but it’s a huge amount to me
Text taken from « Writer’s Testimonials about the Public Lending Right » compiled by The Writer’s Union of Canada on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Public Lending Right Commisison (2011)
