October 21, 2004

VANCOUVER - British Columbia will recognize Canada's finest literary
non-fiction writers with the first British Columbia Award for Canadian
Non-Fiction, launched today by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Keith
Mitchell, chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation.

"Great books by great Canadian authors are an important part of our culture
and our national identity," said Campbell. "This award is an opportunity to
celebrate the rich tradition of non-fiction literature in B.C. and across
the country, and to encourage the next generation of Canadian writers."

"This is an award that honours the best of Canadian authors in the
non-fiction genre," said Mitchell. "Non-fiction provides a forum that
captures the drama of our history, provokes discussion of ideas that will
shape our future, and reflects the richness of our diverse culture and
communities. We chose to focus on non-fiction in the hope that this
recognition will ensure the genre continues to flourish in Canada."

An independent jury panel will select the winner of the British Columbia
Award for Canadian Non-Fiction from a shortlist of up to three books
submitted by Canadian publishers. The winner will receive $25,000 and will
be entitled to add the British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction seal
on the front jacket of their book. The other short-listed entries will each
receive $1,000.

Eligible books are works of non-fiction written by a Canadian citizen or
permanent resident of Canada. They must be published in English by a
Canadian publishing house between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2004. The deadline for
submissions is Jan. 15, 2005. More information on the award and the British
Columbia Achievement Foundation can be found at www.bcachievement.com or by
calling 604 261-9777.

The British Columbia Achievement Foundation is an independent foundation
established with an initial endowment of $6 million from the Province. The
Award for Canadian Non-Fiction is the third initiative of the foundation,
following the launch in 2003 of the British Columbia Community Achievement
Awards, recognizing those who have made a significant contribution to their
community, and the launch on Oct. 4, 2004 of the British Columbia Creative
Achievement Awards, recognizing outstanding work in the field of applied art
and design.