League of Canadian Poets : The League of Canadian Poets, literary association, was founded in 1966 by poets Raymond Souster, John Robert Colombo, Earle Birney, Al Purdy and Eli Mandel. Its goal was to advance the writing of poetry in Canada and to promote the interests of Canadian poets. In 1967, it had some 50 members, including Margaret Atwood, George Bowering, Fred Cogswell, Louis Dudek, R.G. Everson, R.A.D. Ford, Ralph Gustafson, John Glassco, D.G. Jones, George Johnston, Dorothy Livesay, Douglas LePan, Tom Marshall, bp Nichol, Gwendolyn MacEwen, Alden Nowlan, Michael Ondaatje, Joe Rosenblatt, F.R. Scott, A.J.M. Smith, Robin Skelton, George Woodcock, and Miriam Waddington.
The membership was drawn from across Canada, but represented only English-language poets. To join the League, a poet had to be published, nominated by two members of the League, and approved by the League's Membership Committee. By 1981, the League had 166 regular members and 52 associate members.
The League held its first general meeting in 1968, attended by some thirty Canadian poets including its then chairman Eli Mandel, secretary Harry Howith, Margaret Atwood, Louis Dudek, Ralph Gustafson, George Johnston, Dorothy Livesay, Alden Nowlan, Michael Ondaatje, F.R. Scott, and A.J.M. Smith. By its next general meeting in 1970, the League had established an executive committee, consisting of a chairman to co-ordinate all activities of the various regions, a vice-chairman acting as secretary/treasurer, and six regional representatives from across Canada. The League's general meetings were held biennially until 1977, after which they were held every year.
In 1971, the League received its first Canada Council grant to finance a reading tour of Canadian universities by selected member poets, headlined by F.R. Scott and Earle Birney. The League hired Gerald Lampert of the Lampert Advertizing Company to organize the readings. In 1972, it received its first Ontario Arts Council grant to finance readings in Ontario high schools as well. Lampert was joined by his wife, Arlene, and together they organized tours for the Playwrights Co-op, Writers' Union of Canada and the League, under the umbrella "Platform for the Arts".
In 1974, Arlene Lampert was hired as the League's Executive Secretary, whose responsibilities included grant applications, special fund-raising, the League's finances, correspondence and all readings except the national tours.
In 1976, the League of Canadian Poets was denied charitable status by Revenue Canada. A group of poets associated with the League consequently established the Canadian Poetry Foundation, to try to attract private funding to support the aims of the League. The Foundation's stated goal was to advance education specifically in the field of Canadian poetry. Its directors were Gerald Lampert, Shirley Gibson, Brian Thackray, Fred Cogswell and Ralph Gustafson. While the Foundation did receive money from the Koerner Foundation to underwrite poetry readings in British Columbia high schools, the untimely death of Gerald Lampert in 1978 and the Foundation's limited success in obtaining funds resulted in its folding in 1980.
As well as school readings and national tours, the League organizes international tours for its members, particularly in Great Britain. It has also organized an archival project of recording senior members reading their poetry and speaking about their work. The League published a teaching guide, "When is a Poem: creative approaches to teaching poetry," in 1980 and a series of poetry pamphlets, "Lines", 1979-1980. It publishes a members' directory, or catalogue, as well. Its secretariat is located in Toronto, Ontario.
