On October 1st, Mingus Tourette and a volatile band of poets and writers embark on a three-week, cross-country literary tour in a fully functional 1986 Chevy C-30 One Ton Pink Ambulance.

There will be no plane tickets, no flights, no busses, and no plush hotels. There will be one-night poetry brawls at small town gin joints, and there will be screaming matches in the rum-fuelled salons of the big cities.

Write The Nation aims to spark the Canadian public’s imagination about writing and poetry in a way that hasn’t been done for years. For more information, please check the press releases.

The Dates: The Tour begins October 1st, and ends October 24th. The essential stops will be: Edmonton / Vancouver / Kamloops / Calgary / Lethbridge / Saskatoon / Regina / Winnipeg / Thunder Bay / St. Catharine's / Toronto / Ottawa / Montreal

Once we check out of Montreal, we will head back to the Boiler Room, stopping where we can. Complete dates and times can be found on the calendar.

The Players: We are looking to fill the ambulance with brash poets and writers to help slam writing into the minds of the Canadian masses and the Culture and Entertainment section. We are also looking for people who like to have some fun and don’t mind sitting in the back of an ambulance during the long haul between Winnipeg and Toronto. This tour is about speed, reading and distance, not lounging in hotel lobbies. The rock star appeal means the rock star life – long miles, good times and minimal sleep. To see who's on board so far, check out the writers on tour.

Transportation: A fully functional 1986 Chevy C-30 One Ton Ambulance. It was operating as an ambulance as late as August 2004, and fits our theme perfectly: Canadian Writing is in a State of Emergency. No one will be able to ignore it.

The Lodging: Poets and writers are advised to bring a tent with them, to carry minimum clothing and a maximum numbers of books. We are hoping to find lodging with reading organizers, hostels and campgrounds. We have comfortable sleeping room for two in the Ambulance, and cramped quarters for three. Depending on the leg of the tour, there may be a spot available.

Readings: We will be reading in independent bookstores, open mics, and small gin joints at every pit stop we make, spreading the excitement wherever we can. We also have a very loud PA system that we plan to abuse whenever deemed necessary.

The Documentary: We will be shooting a one hour special about the tour, following the writers as they read, talk, drink, walk and drive across the country. We would highlight the writers’ work, the cities, and most importantly, capture the essence of writers as they really are: opinionated, interesting, intoxicated and pumped full of literate piss and vinegar.