David Alexander Robertson detailed his inspiration behind his storytelling ahead of receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen’s University on Wednesday.
Robertson, a two-time Governor General Award winner, has written over 35 books throughout his career.
Robertson grew up in Winnipeg, Man. and is a member of Norway House Cree Nation. In an interview with YGK News, Robertson shared how connecting with his community drove his storytelling.
“I grew up not really having much connection to ways to learn about myself, so whether it was storytelling or family connections in that way, or stuff in school, I didn’t really have any of those things, so when I started writing professionally, I really thought about wanting to give people things that I didn’t get to have,” said Robertson.
Robertson never expected that writing books about his community and his struggles would lead to awards and a doctorate.
“I was surprised, I’m always surprised, you don’t really do any of this work expecting any sort of recognition,” said Robertson.
“I had a pretty good vision of what I wanted to accomplish, and it wasn’t awards; it was really just building stronger communities and thinking of ways that we can maybe work towards some sort of meaningful social change, and I wanted to contribute to that,” Robertson continued.
In 2025, Robertson opened up about his mental health and what it’s like living with anxiety and depression in his new book “All the Little Monsters”.
One of the reasons Robertson shared his struggles publicly was that he felt it created an environment where others could talk about their mental health.
“It’s such an isolating feeling…One of the most healing things for me was starting group therapy and realizing that I wasn’t alone,” Robertson said.
“All I can do is share my own experience and the things that have helped me…Whether it’s just hearing my stories, sometimes it’s feeling seen in that way, I think, is important for people,” Robertson continued.
Robertson spoke at Queen’s University on Thursday, where people were invited to join in conversation about identity, resilience and anxiety.
This will be the third honorary doctorate that Robertson has received. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Lethbridge in 2025 and the University of Manitoba in 2023.
