Will Ferguson
Encyclopedia
William Stener "Will" Ferguson (October 12, 1964) is a Canadian
writer and novelist best known for his humorous observations on Canadian history
and culture
.
His success as a writer can be attributed to an innate ability to view Canada
much the same way an outsider would, as described in his debut book, the ironically named Why I Hate Canadians. Ferguson talks about this in a recent CBC radio interview as well (see link to podcast below). Ferguson was born fourth of six children in the former fur trading post of Fort Vermilion, Alberta
, approximately 800 km north of Edmonton
. His parents split up when he was 6 during a brief interlude in Regina
. At the age of 16 he quit school and moved to Saskatoon
, Dauphin
, and Red Deer
.
He completed his High School education at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School (L.T.C.H.S.) in Red Deer, and was awarded the Alexander Rutherford Scholarships in all available categories. He then joined the Canadian government funded programs Katimavik
and Canada World Youth
. He studied film production and screenwriting at York University
in Toronto graduating with a B.F.A. (Special Honours) in 1990.
Ferguson joined the JET Programme
in the early 1990s and lived in Kyushu, Japan, for five years teaching English
. He married Terumi in Kumamoto, Japan
, in 1995. After coming back from Japan
he experienced a severe reverse culture shock
, which became the basis for his first book Why I Hate Canadians. He details his experiences hitchhiking across Japan
in Hokkaido Highway Blues, later retitled Hitching Rides with Buddha.
Ferguson has won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour
three times: first for Generica (later renamed HappinessTM) in 2002, then for Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw in 2005 and for his travel memoir Beyond Belfast in 2010.
Ferguson championed Sarah Binks
by Paul Hiebert
in Canada Reads 2003
.
He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta
, with his wife and two sons, Genki Alexander Ferguson, and Yuki Alister Ferguson. His older brother, Ian Ferguson
, also won the Stephen Leacock Medal, for Village of the Small Houses in 2004.
Ferguson is also an outspoken critic of the monarchy of Canada, both publicly and in his books. He is often quoted in the media when the monarchy issue is being debated, particularly from his 1997 book Why I Hate Canadians, in which he says "Royalty exists only through an act of willful ignorance on the part of their subjects. Call it a suspension of common sense." He also profiles Canadian secessionist and independence movements
(such as the "Republic of Madawaska
") in his book Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw (2004).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer and novelist best known for his humorous observations on Canadian history
History of Canada
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Canada has been inhabited for millennia by distinctive groups of Aboriginal peoples, among whom evolved trade networks, spiritual beliefs, and social hierarchies...
and culture
Culture of Canada
Canadian culture is a term that explains the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political and social elements that are representative of Canada and Canadians, not only to its own population, but people all over the world. Canada's culture has historically been influenced by European culture and...
.
His success as a writer can be attributed to an innate ability to view Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
much the same way an outsider would, as described in his debut book, the ironically named Why I Hate Canadians. Ferguson talks about this in a recent CBC radio interview as well (see link to podcast below). Ferguson was born fourth of six children in the former fur trading post of Fort Vermilion, Alberta
Fort Vermilion, Alberta
Fort Vermilion is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within Mackenzie County.Established in 1788, Fort Vermilion shares the title of oldest European settlement in Alberta with Fort Chipewyan. Fort Vermilion contains many modern amenities to serve its inhabitants as well as the surrounding rural...
, approximately 800 km north of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. His parents split up when he was 6 during a brief interlude in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
. At the age of 16 he quit school and moved to Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Dauphin
Dauphin, Manitoba
Dauphin is a small city in Manitoba, Canada, with a population of 7,906 as of 2006. The nearby lake was given the name "Dauphin" by the explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye in 1741 in honour of the heir to the French throne...
, and Red Deer
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
.
He completed his High School education at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School (L.T.C.H.S.) in Red Deer, and was awarded the Alexander Rutherford Scholarships in all available categories. He then joined the Canadian government funded programs Katimavik
Katimavik
-Overview:Each Katimavik program consists of groups of 11 youths aged 17 to 21 who are drawn from all across Canada. They travel together to one or two different places in Canada for a period of six months. During the 2007-2008 program year there were 99 such groups spread across Canada...
and Canada World Youth
Canada World Youth
Canada World Youth is an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing dynamic youth, ages 15–25, with an opportunity to learn about other communities, cultures and people while developing leadership and communications skills....
. He studied film production and screenwriting at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto graduating with a B.F.A. (Special Honours) in 1990.
Ferguson joined the JET Programme
JET Programme
or is a Japanese government initiative that brings college graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers and Sports Education Advisors in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations in...
in the early 1990s and lived in Kyushu, Japan, for five years teaching English
English language learning and teaching
English as a second language , English for speakers of other languages and English as a foreign language all refer to the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is...
. He married Terumi in Kumamoto, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, in 1995. After coming back from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
he experienced a severe reverse culture shock
Culture shock
Culture shock is the anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation and anger that may occur when a person is emplaced in a new culture.One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Culture shock can be described as consisting of one or more distinct phases...
, which became the basis for his first book Why I Hate Canadians. He details his experiences hitchhiking across Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in Hokkaido Highway Blues, later retitled Hitching Rides with Buddha.
Ferguson has won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour
Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour
The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour is an annual literary award presented to the best work of humorous literature in English by a Canadian writer. The award is a tribute to well-known Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock , and is accompanied by a cash prize of $15,000...
three times: first for Generica (later renamed HappinessTM) in 2002, then for Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw in 2005 and for his travel memoir Beyond Belfast in 2010.
Ferguson championed Sarah Binks
Sarah Binks
Sarah Binks is the novel by University of Manitoba professor Paul Hiebert.The novel is a fake biography of "Sarah Binks", the "Sweet Songstress of Saskatchewan"...
by Paul Hiebert
Paul Hiebert
Paul Gerhardt Hiebert was a Canadian writer and humorist best known for his book Sarah Binks , which was awarded the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour in 1948. A sequel, Willows Revisited was published in 1967....
in Canada Reads 2003
Canada Reads
Canada Reads is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.-Overview:During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles. The debate is broadcast over a series...
.
He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, with his wife and two sons, Genki Alexander Ferguson, and Yuki Alister Ferguson. His older brother, Ian Ferguson
Ian Ferguson (writer)
Ian Ferguson is a Canadian author and playwright.He is the brother of journalist and author Will Ferguson, with whom he co-wrote the 2001 book How To Be A Canadian ....
, also won the Stephen Leacock Medal, for Village of the Small Houses in 2004.
Ferguson is also an outspoken critic of the monarchy of Canada, both publicly and in his books. He is often quoted in the media when the monarchy issue is being debated, particularly from his 1997 book Why I Hate Canadians, in which he says "Royalty exists only through an act of willful ignorance on the part of their subjects. Call it a suspension of common sense." He also profiles Canadian secessionist and independence movements
Secessionist movements of Canada
Throughout the history of Canada, there have been movements seeking secession from Canada.-Newfoundland:There is a secessionist movement in Newfoundland based on its unique culture and its history, prior to 1949, of being a self-governing Dominion...
(such as the "Republic of Madawaska
Republic of Madawaska
The Republic of Madawaska was a small, unrecognized state in the northwest corner of Madawaska County, New Brunswick and adjacent areas of Aroostook County in the American state of Maine and of Quebec. The word "Madawaska" comes from the Mi'kmaq words madawas and kak...
") in his book Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw (2004).