Heather Abbott accepts the 1996 Michener-Deacon Fellowship from His Excellency, Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada.
Ms Abbott was selected for her proposal to assess the consequences of a “piecemeal retreat of the federal government from its historic leadership role.” She also said in her outline that – “The shrinking of the state is a phenomenon troubling almost all Western democracies. In Canada, it’s created a tumultuous arena that touches on many areas including Quebec’s renewed sovereignty crusade.”
Introduced in 1987, the fellowships of the Michener Award Foundation are to advance education in the field of journalism and to foster promotion of the public interest through values that benefit the community. Each year, one or two fellowships have been awarded to mature journalists who wish to use four-month study-leaves to enhance their ability to pursue public service journalism.