A great honour for Leanne Simpson.

She’s been named the recipient of the inaugural “RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award.”

Simpson is a writer, scholar, storyteller and activist for indigenous peoples – and is a member of the Alderville First Nation at Rice Lake, Ontario.

She was nominated by Thomas King whose book, “The Inconvenient Indian:A Curious Account of Native People in North America” won the 2014 RBC Taylor Prize.

Simpson’s Emerging Writer Award comes with $10,000 and the opportunity to be mentored by Thomas King.