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Scotiabank Giller Prize to be awarded tonight in Toronto

Author Elizabeth Hay, centre, is congratulated by author Alice Munro, left, and Giller Prize founder Jack Rabinovitch, right, after accepting the Giller Prize for Canadian literature for her book Late Nights on Air in Toronto, Tuesday, November 6, 2007. Since the Giller's inception in 1994, founder Rabinovitch has been sending out one long-stem red rose with each gala invite, along with decorating the annual black-tie soiree with the flower. THE CANADIAN PRESS/J.P. Moczulski.
Author Elizabeth Hay, centre, is congratulated by author Alice Munro, left, and Giller Prize founder Jack Rabinovitch, right, after accepting the Giller Prize for Canadian literature for her book Late Nights on Air in Toronto, Tuesday, November 6, 2007. Since the Giller's inception in 1994, founder Rabinovitch has been sending out one long-stem red rose with each gala invite, along with decorating the annual black-tie soiree with the flower. THE CANADIAN PRESS/J.P. Moczulski.

TORONTO – One Canadian author will be $100,000 richer tonight after the Scotiabank Giller Prize is awarded at a glitzy gala in Toronto.

There are five finalists for this year’s award, including Toronto author Andre Alexis for “Fifteen Dogs,” which won the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize last week.

Other finalists include Montreal’s Heather O’Neill for the short story collection “Daydreams of Angels,” and Vancouver-based Anakana Schofield for “Martin John.”

The list is rounded out by Montreal’s Samuel Archibald for the story collection “Arvida,” translated by Donald Winkler, and London-based Rachel Cusk for “Outline.”

This year’s jury, which was expanded to five members from the usual three, read 168 books submitted by 63 publishers.

The prize was established in 1994 by businessman Jack Rabinovitch in honour of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller.

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Comedian Rick Mercer will host this year’s televised gala on CBC-TV.

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