Trillium Award Speech
by Antonio D'Alfonso

I am as nervous now as I was two years ago when I didn't win. Go figure.

Thank you, The Honorable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Culture.

Thank you, Ms. Marcelle Lean, Chair of Ontario Media Development Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Frappier, Janet Hawkins, and every person working at the Ministry of Culture and at the Ontario Media Development Corporation, responable for the Trillium Award.

This recognition couldn't have come at a better time in my life.

I would like to thank my publisher, Leméac éditeur, Pierre Filion, Lise Bergevin, and my editor Alessandra Bolduc, who worked with great perspicacity on this novel of mine. She came from Montreal to celebrate with us tonight. Thank you, Alessandra.

I would like to thank the members of the jury for choosing my short novel for this important award.

Not only the other finalists of this award, but also all the writers who have published this year in this country, deserve this award as much as I do.

Thank you to my parents, my sister Angela and my daughter Elisa.

I would also like to thank my friends here in Toronto who have had to endure my political babbles.

I want to thank all the writers I have published with Guernica Editions for supporting me for almost thirty years by offering me their love, intelligence and different sensibilities.

I came Toronto to work in English, and here I am defending the French language.

I have been spoiled by my francophone friends who accept me with love and respect.

You cannot image what tonight's gesture means to me.

I would not be standing here if I did not write in French.

There are things that can be said in French that don't come out well in English.

If I am here it is thanks to the French language which has given me a freedom that the English language never gave me.

If I am here it is thanks to the French language, for it offered me a house in which I could live without feeling strange.

I wanted to write a long political speech but I said to myself: Tonight all I want to do is dance. There's nothing more boring than a head drunk on ideas to spoil a party.

Francophone Ontario, thank you, with all my being.

25.04. 2005.

Original version

I am as nervous now as I was two years ago when I didn't win. Go figure.

Je remercie/ thank you, L'honorable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Culture.

Merci/Thank you, Madame Marcelle Lean, Chair of Ontario Media Development Corporation.

Merci/thank you, Monsieur Frappier, Janet Hawkins, et toutes les personnes travaillant au Minstère de la culture et de la Société de développement de l'industrie des médias de l'Ontario, responsable de ce prix.

Merci/Thank you, everyone at the Ministry of Culture and at the Ontario Media Development Corporation, responable for the Trillium Award.

This recognition couldn't have come at a better time in my life.

Je remercie Leméac éditeur, Pierre Filion, Lise Bergevin, et mon éditrice Alessandra Bolduc, qui a travaillé avec grande perspicacité sur ce roman. Elle est venue aujourd'hui de Montréal exprès pour participer à cette fête. Grazie, Alessandra.

Je remercie le jury du Prix Trillium pour avoir choisi ce court roman pour ce grand prix. Je suis sûr que non seulement les autres finalistes, mais aussi tous les auteurs qui ont publiés dans ce pays, méritent ce prix autant que moi.

Grazie ai miei genitori, mia sorella Angela et mia figlia Elisa.

I would also like to thank my friends here in Toronto who have had to endure my political babbles.

I want to thank all the writers I have published with Guernica Editions for supporting me for almost thirty years by offering me their love, intelligence and different sensibilities.

J'ai quitté Montréal pour travailler en anglais et me voici à Toronto avec un prix francophone.
Vous ne pouvez pas imaginer ce que ceci signifie pour moi.

Je suis extrêmement gâté d'avoir rencontré à Toronto des amis francophones qui m'accueillent avec amour et respect.

I came Toronto to work in English, and here I am defending the French language.

I would not be standing here if I did not write in French. There are things that can be said in French that don't come out well in English.

Si je suis ici c'est grâce à la langue française, elle m'a donné une liberté que je n'ai pas trouvé dans la langue anglaise.

Sono qua grazie alla lingua francese, perché mi ha dato una casa dove posso vivere senza sentirmi troppo strano.

Je voulais écrire un long discours politique mais je me suis dit que ce soir on danse.

Rien de plus ennuyant qu'une tête ivre d’idées pour gâcher la fête.

Merci, Ontario francophone, du fond mon coeur. Thank you. Merci. Grazie.

Le 25 avril 2005.