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The 2007 Michener Award Finalists
Ottawa, April 22 2008 – The Michener
Awards Foundation today announced six finalists for the 2007
Michener Award for meritorious public journalism and named the
winner of the 2008 Michener-Deacon Fellowship.
The finalists are: a joint entry from the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation and The Globe and Mail; Le Devoir; entries combined by
the judges from The Globe and Mail and La Presse; The London Free
Press; The Province, Vancouver; and the Toronto Star.
The judges unanimously awarded the Michener-Deacon Fellowship to
Denise Davy of the Hamilton Spectator. She will investigate and
report on “the crisis in children’s mental health and shine a light
on this most urgent and neglected issue.” More children are being
diagnosed with mental health disorders but most are not getting the
appropriate treatment, according to Ms. Davy’s application.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General
of Canada, will host a ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 13 where the
winner of the Michener Award for 2007 will be announced and the
Michener-Deacon Fellowship will be presented.
The Michener Award, founded in 1970 by the late Right Honourable
Roland Michener, then Governor General, goes to a news organization.
The judges’ decisions are heavily influenced by the degree of public
benefit generated by the entries submitted for consideration.
The following entries are the 2007 finalists:
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and The Globe and Mail: Stories
broadcast on the fifth estate and published in the newspaper
revealed details of the financial relationship between former Prime
Minister Brian Mulroney and German-Canadian businessman Karlheinz
Schreiber. The House of Commons Ethics Committee held hearings on
these financial dealings and a public inquiry was called.
Le Devoir: More than a dozen stories revealed a serious financial
crisis at the Université du Quebec à Montreal created largely by
huge cost overruns on real estate projects, including one involving
a student residence and an inter-city bus terminal. Following
publication of these stories, the Auditor General of Quebec
conducted a special audit of the situation and the Quebec government
adopted new rules requiring universities to seek approval for real
estate projects.
The Globe and Mail and La Presse: Stories published by The Globe and
Mail in March and April on the treatment of prisoners in Afghanistan
led to an inquiry and a new agreement that allowed Canadian
investigators access to detainees. Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor
was shuffled out of his position following criticism of his handling
of the issue. Stories published by La Presse in October and November
indicated that abuse was continuing. In January the Canadian
government revealed that the transfer of prisoners to Afghan
authorities had been suspended.
The London Free Press: More than 40 articles about elevated levels
of lead in London’s drinking water were followed by prompt action by
the Ontario government. All schools and day care centres in the
province are now required to test and flush their water systems
daily, rather than weekly. Requirements for water testing by
municipalities were also strengthened.
The Province: A series of articles called “Fear on the Fraser”
exposed the threat of floods on the Fraser River in great detail.
Following the series, the British Columbia government announced that
it would spend $33 million to upgrade dikes on the river and a total
of $100 million over the next 10 years on flood mitigation measures
in the province.
Toronto Star: A series on patient safety called “Medical Secrets”
exposed a number of problems in Ontario hospitals. Following the
series, the Ontario government announced that the public will be
able to access patient safety information by hospital online and
that hospitals will be required to post data on adverse events on
their websites.
Judges for the 2007 Michener Award:
Russell Mills (chair), Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Media
and Design, Algonquin College in Ottawa and former Publisher of the
Ottawa Citizen; Kim Kierans, Professor and Director of the School of
Journalism at the University of Kings College in Halifax and former
CBC News reporter and editor; Donna Logan, Professor Emerita and
Founding Director of the School of Journalism at the University of
British Columbia and former Vice President of English Radio Networks
for the CBC; Dr. Catherine McKercher, Associate Professor of
Journalism and Communications, Carleton University, and former
Washington correspondent, The Canadian Press; René Roseberry, former
News Editor, Le Nouvelliste, Trois Rivières, former Director of
Public Relations and Information, Université du Québec and President
of the Grand Prix des Hebdos du Québec.
More information:
Russell Mills
(613) 727-4723 (5179)
Email: millsr@algonquincollege.com
Press Office, Rideau Hall
(613) 993-8158 / 998-0287
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