On March 10, The Writers’ Trust of Canada held its Politics and the Pen fundraising dinner at Ottawa’s Fairmont Château Laurier. At the event, author John English was presented with the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing (which is sponsored by CTVglobemedia) for the second volume of his Trudeau biography, Just Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau: 1968“2000 (Knopf Canada). This year marks the 10th anniversary of the prize. (All photos by Jake Wright/Courtesy of The Writers’ Trust of Canada)

Justin Trudeau, federal MP and, obviously, son of the late subject of English’s prize-winning bio.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and his wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar.

CBCers (former and current) Peter Mansbridge, Senator Pamela Wallin, and Don Newman.

Politics and the Pen co-chairs Patrick Kennedy and Charles King.

Laureen Harper (wife of PM Stephen) and Liberal MP Bob Rae. (You see? Books do bring people together.)

Clare Carey, wife of the British High Commissioner, Margaret Atwood, and Jacqueline LaRocque, manager of public policy at GlaxoSmithKline.

Former deputy PM (and the evening’s co-host) Anne McLellan abandons Ottawa air-kiss protocol and moves in to hug prize-winner John English while MP Jay Hill (the evening’s other host) either awaits his turn or looks on nervously.