Shelagh Rogers to Interview Miriam Toews at 2025 Symons Medal Presentation 

September 17, 2025 – Award-winning author joins the veteran broadcaster on stage at Confederation Centre of the Arts, October 3, 2025 

Charlottetown, PE – Veteran broadcast journalist Shelagh Rogers will join acclaimed novelist Miriam Toews on stage at the 2025 Symons Medal Presentation and Lecture at Confederation Centre of the Arts on Friday, October 3. 

As guest interviewer, Rogers will sit down with Toews on the Sobey Family Theatre stage following the medal presentation and her talk for an in-depth, unscripted conversation. Known for her warmth and insight as host of CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, Rogers has long been one of Canada’s most trusted voices in arts and culture. 

Toews, who was announced earlier this year as the 2025 Symons Medal recipient, will first deliver her reflections on Canada through the lens of her life and writing. The pairing of these two influential voices promises a rare and intimate dialogue certain to resonate well beyond the theatre walls. 

“The combination of Miriam Toews and Shelagh Rogers on stage is extraordinary,” says Confederation Centre CEO Steve Bellamy. “To have one of our country’s most vital authors in conversation with one of its most beloved interviewers makes this year’s Symons Medal presentation truly special.” 

Best known for her bestselling novels Fight Night, Women Talking, All My Puny Sorrows, A Complicated Kindness, and her 2025 release, A Truce That Is Not Peace, Toews has captivated readers around the world with her compassion and unforgettable storytelling. Her work has earned numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Award and the Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. Women Talking was adapted into an Academy Award–winning film by Sarah Polley. 

The Symons Medal recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to Canadian life. Since 2004, the Centre has honoured 27 distinguished medallists, including Mary Simon, Senator Murray Sinclair, Dr. David Suzuki, Bob Rae, and Paul Gross. Rogers was also a Symons Medal recipient in 2022.  

Tickets for the 2025 Symons Medal Presentation and Lecture can be booked starting September 8 for free at confederationcentre.com/symons. 

Two Films to be Shown 

In collaboration with Confederation Centre, City Cinema will present “Two by Toews”, showing films based on Toews’ books. The Academy Award-winning Women Talking and All My Puny Sorrows, will both run on Sunday, September 28. Patrons can visit citycinema.ca for more information and tickets. 

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Media Contact: Jillian O’Halloran, Manager, Communications and Community Engagement, Confederation Centre 

[email protected]| 902-628-6137 

Visit confederationcentre.com for information on all The Centre’s events and exhibitions.