Asked to share a few thoughts about the Banff International Literary Translation Centre (BILTC), program director Linda Gaboriau is momentarily stumped. “I have far more than a few thoughts; I have been eating, drinking, and living BILTC for the last five years.”

Since it began in 2003, Gaboriau says, “BILTC has succeeded in placing itself securely on the map – the program has a high profile in literary circles in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, and is recognized as an important resource centre by translators around the world.” A highly respected translator in her own right, it is clear that Gaboriau is passionate about BILTC and the role it plays in building literary heritage.

Joseph Boyden can attest to BILTC’s impact. Author of the award-winning Canadian novel Three Day Road, he participated in BILTC in 2005, working with Hugues Leroy and Josephin Rijnaarts-Van Dongen, who were translating Three Day Road into French and Dutch respectively. “It was amazing,” says Boyden, “working with Hugues and Josephin in Banff, I realized how complex translation is and that translators are largely overlooked.”

BILTC provides dedicated time and space for translators and authors to work together in an inspirational setting. “Translators join BILTC from all over the world” Gaboriau says. “They find The Banff Centre, Banff National Park, and the Rocky Mountains to be such a wonderful discovery. They interact with visual artists, dancers, and musicians—it is an inspiring introduction to Canadian culture.”

With its focus on literature from and for the Americas, BILTC has set itself apart from the network of literary translation centers that exists in Europe. In addition to international translation of North American books, the program also encourages translation into and from Aboriginal languages. Boyden returned to BILTC this summer to work with Greg Spence who is translating Three Day Road into Cree. The novel tells the story of two Cree boys who become famous Canadian Army snipers during the First World War.

“Even though Cree is one of the most widely used North American Native languages, I have noticed that fewer and fewer children are fluent,” says Boyden. “It is crucial to give back these stories in their language. As far as we know, this is the first-ever translation of a novel into Cree.”

For Gaboriau, groundbreaking stories like this are proof that five years of hard work, and inspired translation, are making a difference.

On May 23, the 2007 BILTC Reading the World Fellowship Fund event was held in Montreal at the home of Banff Centre supporters Jane and Herschel Segal. Featuring a reading by playwright and translator Michel Tremblay, the event raised over $30,000 for BILTC fellowships.

Linda Gaboriau will retire as BILTC director following the 2007 residency. Gaboriau’s vision and energy will be carried on by Calgary-based translator Susan Ouriou, who will succeed her as BILTC director.