Gabriel Allahdua

Harvesting Freedom: The Life of a Migrant Worker in Canada has been named the winner of the 2023 Ontario Speaker’s Book Award.

Written by migrant justice organizer Gabriel Allahdua with Edward Dunsworth, the book is a first-hand account of the challenges faced by those who come to Canada to work under Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). Harvesting Freedom (Between the Lines) was one of six books shortlisted for this year’s award.

Ted Arnott, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, announced the winner at a ceremony at Queen’s Park on October 23.

The award, which was established in 2012, honours nonfiction books by Ontario authors that reflect the province’s diverse culture and history. The winner receives a monetary award and the winning book is stocked in the legislature gift shop and in the legislative library.