The Canadian Association of Journalists celebrates three journalists for their courage, perseverance and dedication to public service journalism with the annual Charles Bury Award
CALGARY, AB, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) announced that journalists Kim Bolan, Daniel Renaud, and David Pugliese have been recognized with this year's prestigious Charles Bury President's Award at the annual CAJ Awards ceremony held earlier this evening in downtown Calgary.
"Kim, Daniel and David have all exhibited incredible levels of courage and determination to persevere through unprecedented challenges to tell stories that matter," said Brent Jolly, CAJ president, in a speech announcing the awards.
"They are living proof that even in today's fragmented age, journalism matters. The power of the pen to tell the truth and expose wrongdoing is an endeavour that is so vital to the proper functioning of our society."
Bolan has been a reporter at the Vancouver Sun since 1984. During that time, she has reported internationally on wars in El Salvador, Guatemala and Afghanistan. Domestically, she has covered the Air India story from the night it happened on June 23, 1985. She has also spent her career shining a spotlight on a long list of minority, women's, education, and social service issues.
Bolan was also the first Canadian to win the International Women's Media Foundation's Courage in Journalism Award in 1999.
"Despite numerous threats on her life over the past 40 years from gangs and militant groups, Bolan's commitment to the craft has been unwavering," Jolly said.
Renaud is a reporter who specializes in reporting on organized crime at La Presse. He was recognized after a report came to light late last year that chronicled how he had been targeted for assassination in organized crime in 2021.
In Nov 2024, La Presse reported that Frédérick Silva, a professional killer-turned-police informer, placed a $100,000 bounty on Renaud's life while he was covering Silva's trial for three murders.
Earlier this year, Renaud was recognized by World Press Freedom Canada with its annual Press Freedom Award.
"Renaud's experience was a shocking revelation that should send a chill down the spine of every journalist in Canada," Jolly said. "But even when his life was on the line, he did not cower to pressure. He maintained his wherewithal and resolve and did his job, which was to shine a light on the clandestine operations of organized crime."
Pugliese has spent more than 40 years working at the Ottawa Citizen, where he specializes in covering one of Canada's most secretive government departments - the Department of National Defence.
Late last October, Pugliese was accused of being a paid KGB agent in the 1980s by Chris Alexander, a former federal cabinet minister. At the time of the comments, Alexander was testifying, under privilege, before a House of Commons committee meeting on Russian interference and disinformation campaigns. Alexander has never repeated the claims in a forum where he could be sued for defamation.
"These allegations were nothing more than a McCarthy-esque smear job," Jolly said.
"But what they show us is a shift in tactics to spread disinformation. Rather than question the accuracy of a deeply reported investigative story, bad actors now attack a journalist's credibility in an effort to impune critical inquiry. So, if you can't refute the truth, then the next best course of action is to attack the messenger."
Last year, the Charles Bury Award was presented to the Committee to Protect Journalists for their continued commitment to ensuring the safety and security of journalists who work in some of the most dangerous environments around the world.
Previous winners of the Bury Award include: journalists Jerome Turner, Jessie Winter, and Amber Bracken; the late Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi and Journal de Montréal crime reporter Michel Auger; and Radio-Canada investigative reporter Marie-Maude Denis. Organizations that have won the Bury Award include: The Aboriginal People's Television Network, J-Source, Massey College and the Canadian Media Lawyers Association.
The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.
SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2025/01/c2026.html
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
PWHL Second Season Delivers Major Gains In Fans, Sales, And Reach
ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - MAY 26: Maddie Rooney #35 of the Minnesota Frost hoists the Walter Cup after ... More the Minnesota Frost defeated the Ottawa Charge 2-1 to win the Championship at Xcel Energy Center on May 26, 2025 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by) The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) has announced historic growth following the conclusion of its second season, citing major gains across attendance, merchandise sales, digital engagement, and corporate partnerships. With the addition of expansion teams and increased community engagement, the league has taken significant steps in scaling professional women's hockey in North America and globally. The 2024–25 PWHL season welcomed a total of 737,455 fans across 102 games, representing a 52.5% increase over the league's inaugural season attendance of 483,530 (85 games). Average attendance also rose 27%, from 5,689 to 7,230 spectators per game. Since its inception, the PWHL has drawn a cumulative 1,220,985 attendees over two seasons, underscoring growing interest in the sport. 'This season, fans from every U.S. state and every Canadian province and territory caught a PWHL game, a remarkable moment for professional women's hockey,' said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations. TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 1: Fans hold signs before Toronto plays New York in their PWHL hockey game at ... More the Mattamy Athletic Centre on January 1, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by) The league's PWHL Takeover Tour™ brought nine neutral-site regular-season games to new markets, attracting 123,601 fans. A Vancouver game at Rogers Arena recorded a sellout crowd of 19,038, the fourth-largest single-game audience in PWHL history. In Detroit, 14,288 fans set a new U.S. record for PWHL game attendance at Little Caesars Arena, marking the moment the league surpassed one million cumulative fans. Merchandise sales reflected 100% year-over-year growth, driven by the launch of official team names and logos, and new branded collections, including collaborations with Barbie, Peace Collective, and lululemon. The league's partnership portfolio expanded by 50%, adding brands such as Ally, Bravado, EA Sports, Factor Meals, Intact Insurance, Midea, and SharkNinja to its growing roster of corporate supporters. TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 9: A fan's custom Toronto Sceptres shoes are seen before Game Two of the First ... More Round of the 2025 PWHL Playoffs between the Minnesota Frost and the Toronto Sceptres at Coca-Cola Coliseum on May 9, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by) Digital engagement surged, with social media interactions across platforms including X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube increasing by 68% from the first season. Live games were streamed in 106 countries, up from 88, and the redesigned website attracted more than 20 million views from users in over 150 countries. 'Season Two has been nothing short of historic,' said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. 'From our inaugural Takeover Tour to the announcement of new expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver, the growth and energy around the league are undeniable.' Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner greets fans at the beginning of a Professional Women's ... More Hockey League game against the Boston Fleet at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada, on February 14, 2025. Toronto prevails in the match by a 3-1 final score. (Photo by Mike Campbell/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The PWHL also deepened its connection to fans and players through Unity Games, which celebrated events such as Black History Month, Women's Empowerment Month, Pride, Indigenous Heritage, Mental Health Awareness, and Community Hockey Heroes. Each game featured custom artwork by community artists, and included special programming, in-game tributes, and collaborations with local and national organizations. These events showcased the league's commitment to representation, inclusion, and using the platform of professional sports to highlight diverse voices and causes. At the grassroots level, the league launched its first Fantasy Camp in Toronto in January, an immersive experience that allowed adult fans to train, compete, and engage with PWHL athletes and staff, providing a rare insider perspective on the life of a professional hockey player. In April, Minnesota hosted the inaugural PWHL Breakthrough Cup powered by PLAY Hockey, the league's first girls' hockey tournament. The event brought together teams of all ages and skill levels to compete, connect, and celebrate the game, reinforcing the PWHL's commitment to developing the next generation of female hockey playersand strengthening the sport's pipeline from youth to professional levels. As the PWHL prepares for its third season, including the introduction of expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver, the league continues to lay the foundation for sustainable growth, increased visibility, and long-term success in professional women's sports.
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
The Final ‘Life of Chuck' Trailer Is Heavy on Critical Acclaim, and Rightfully So
Fifteen out of 16 is pretty good odds, right? Let me just do the math here… yes. That's like 94%. So if something happened 15 out of 16 times, including the 12 prior times, you'd have to say there's a very good chance something is going to happen again. What the hell am I talking about? Well, The Life of Chuck, the new Mike Flanagan film based on a novella by Stephen King, won the prestigious 'People's Choice Award' last year at the Toronto Film Festival. Fifteen of the last 16 films to win that award were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and it's happened the previous 12 times. Oh, and five of them have won. So yeah, Neon has every right to be confident about the film, which opens in limited release Friday and goes wide June 13. We'll have a full review later this week but, spoiler alert, we agree that it's fantastic—and in this final trailer for the movie, which is very, very spoiler free, you'll see the chorus of praise being heaped on it. What great about that trailer (If you can really even call it a 'trailer' at a whopping 75 seconds) is that it doesn't tell you anything about the movie except 'it's really freaking good.' What The Life of Chuck is actually about is right there in the title. It's the story of a man, played by Tom Hiddleston and others, who we watch live a life that seems relatively normal on the surface, but goes beyond in other places. It's so close to release, it would be a sin to spoil much more than that but it's told in reverse order as three separate, but related, stories, and as those critics say, it's wonderful. It also has an incredible cast, which is led by Hiddleston, but also has Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Harvey Guillén, Kate Siegel, Nick Offerman, David Dastmalchian, Rahul Kohli, Heather Langenkamp, and others. Everyone wanted to be a part of this one, and it's better off for it. Again, written and directed by Mike Flanagan based on a story by Stephen King, The Life of Chuck opens in limited release June 6 and everywhere on June 13. And, odds are, it's one that you'll have to see for those Oscar polls later this year.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Canada turns to Manchester United's academy for its latest multinational recruit
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Gabriele Biancheri has a decision to make. The Manchester United Under-21 forward could go the obvious route, doing what's expected of him and what he's done before. Or, he could go off the beaten path, take a swing on a choice few might have expected him to make earlier in the hope of wider acclaim. Advertisement These options run through Biancheri's head as the up-and-coming, Cardiff-born goal-scoring dynamo decides not just what nation he will represent, but something more pressing in the moment: Which song he will stand on a chair and sing as part of his healthy initiation ritual with a senior national team? The thoughtful Biancheri scratches his head of messy, black hair as he contemplates singing Rhianna's 'Stay.' Biancheri belted out the soulful, piano-driven number in front of the Wales national team earlier in May during his first senior call-up. Now, having just stepped foot in Canada for the first time days earlier, he's weighing up singing a song by a Canadian artist to impress his possible future teammates as well. Maybe Drake, one of Canada's most famous sons? 'I don't think I have the capacity to sing a Drake song,' Biancheri bashfully told The Athletic as he laughs and runs through other options in his head. Decisions, decisions. Just 18, Biancheri is on the precipice of his entire career changing. The dual national is in Canada's training camp before the Gold Cup as a training player, making him ineligible to play in Canada's upcoming friendlies against Ukraine and Ivory Coast. Biancheri is getting a taste of the country where his mother was born and the national team he is considering choosing. 'Canada is a credible option and one I am thinking about,' Biancheri said. 'Right now, I'm just taking everything in.' Biancheri is also considering his next steps on the club side. He used his football IQ and ability to sniff out space in the box to bag 21 goals in 35 appearances this season across the U-18 Premier League and Premier League 2. He trained with Man United's first team and is eager for the next step on the club side. This summer could end up determining plenty for the rising star. Biancheri realized at a young age he wasn't going to possess the size and strength of other forwards. He stands at 5-foot-10. But that never bothered him. Born and raised in Wales after his mother moved from Canada, he watched football almost obsessively as a child. His father being Italian meant Serie A was always on TV, and his mother played the game as well. Advertisement He was originally drawn to the play of Manchester City's Sergio Agüero. Once Biancheri saw how cunning Agüero was, he realized he too could have a future as a professional. 'Like me, (Agüero) wasn't the biggest or strongest, but he knew where to be and he'd score all the time,' Biancheri said. Biancheri developed in Cardiff City's youth academy before moving to Man United's academy in 2023. He developed through Wales' youth national teams, playing in the 2023 UEFA U-17 European Championship and scoring five goals in six games for Wales in Under-19 Euro qualifying. (His participation in the youth events would require him to file for a one-time FIFA switch to represent Canada). Scoring goals led to feelings he didn't want to dissipate. 'When you score one, you want to score another,' Biancheri said. 'It's addictive. You score one and then you're like, 'Why can't I score two or three.'' That's what he's done at the club level as well, proving his technical qualities and impressive touch around the box were no fluke. Biancheri broke his hand midway through the season. Once he recovered, he added three goals in his last four Premier League 2 appearances of the season. That led, in part, to opportunities to train with the first team. 'When you're there, you don't realize it,' Biancheri said. 'But once you're done and you speak to people about it, you actually realize what you're doing: it's actually a big achievement, training with the players you're training with.' Biancheri's goal-scoring pedigree will force his decisions. With squad turnover likely after Manchester United's 15th-place finish in the Premier League, is there a chance Biancheri could push for more first team training time and possibly even a breakthrough for playing time with the first team itself? 'That's why I play football: to play at the highest level, to play for Man United's first team,' Biancheri said. 'I'll always push myself to reach the heights I know I can. Playing for United's first team is a dream, but I know I can make it happen.' Advertisement With first team spots few and far between, are there other youth players ahead of him on the pecking order? Gibraltar-born forward James Scanlon scored 17 goals in 19 appearances for United's Under-18 team this season. 'I don't really know the plan for next season,' Biancheri said, admitting a loan out of Manchester United's youth set-up to play first team football is an option being considered. 'I just take everything as it comes. If that's going on loan and learning and getting experience playing men's football, I'll take it. If that's getting a chance with the first team and playing Under-21s and earning my shot, that's what I'll do.' Perhaps his more pressing decision will be which senior international team he chooses to represent. His experience with Wales is lengthy. But there does not appear to be a chance for him in the first team right now. 'I like people having options, it's healthy,' Wales manager Craig Bellamy said in May. '(Biancheri) is not ready for our squad yet. It's something he'd like to go and have a look at, but I like to think we have done our work as well. At the end the decision will be his. He knows where we are and where he is. He's not ready for first-team football with us at this moment.' So far in Halifax, Biancheri has provided signs he might be ready for more call-ups with Canada. He's fared well in training, adapting to Jesse Marsch's physical demands with spirited defensive efforts. Biancheri made continued quick plays with the ball in physical training exercises, and he is a fan of how Marsch sees the game. 'It's different from what I've been used to. I see it quite similarly: I've always tried to press non-stop and always be on,' Biancheri said. He has also quickly bonded with a burgeoning group of young players vying for first-team minutes at their club sides. Advertisement 'You can feel it off the pitch: everyone is bonding well. And there is intensity on the pitch because everyone is so youthful,' Biancheri said. That group includes Luc de Fougerolles and Jamie-Knight Lebel, with whom he is currently rooming. The two played against each other repeatedly when Biancheri was in Cardiff City's youth setup and Knight-Lebel was a stout defender in Bristol City's academy. 'I remember playing against him … scoring against him,' Biancheri said with a pointed laugh. For Canada, Biancheri would offer a different look than some of the other up-and-coming forwards. He is certainly smaller than the likes of Promise David, who relies more on power in his game to break down defenders. '(Biancheri) is a dynamic player,' Marsch said. 'He's very good around the goal. You can see he's an intelligent player. He's a version of Jonathan David. He's not exactly the same player, but he's a striker that can play up on the backline and is also good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the build-up phase.' Canada's guaranteed 2026 World Cup spot as cohost could wind up being a differentiating factor. For a player beginning his international career, those opportunities matter. And with the squad depth, youth and quality Canada now has at its disposal and the expanded 48-team field, it's likely that future qualification remains a constant. Wales, meanwhile, is in a 2026 qualification group with a talented Belgium side and up-and-coming North Macedonia. 'Obviously the World Cup being here next year, that's a very big thing,' Biancheri said, tipping his hand ever so slightly. Whether there's space for him on Marsch's squad is another factor. It's possible that Canada's first five forward spots are spoken for right now (Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Promise David, Daniel Jebbison, Tani Oluwaseyi) meaning Marsch would have to bring a sixth forward to include Biancheri. Advertisement Marsch has a history of developing young players. And his recent history of swaying other dual nationals including Promise David, Niko Sigur and Jebbison speaks for itself. 'When (Marsch) gives speeches, you can feel the passion and emotion from it,' Biancheri admitted. Crucially, Marsch also maintains an inherent belief that players can develop with national teams, not just at club sides. And so more and more, Biancheri's decisions could become clear this summer. He won't give up on his dream of playing first-team minutes for Man United and remains committed to improving to do just that. And with each passing day, he can also imagine himself playing for a country he is just starting to get to know. 'It's not like I'm going to just wake up one day and choose. It's not just the footballing part, either,' Biancheri said, as he taps his chest. 'I have to feel it myself. You have to have pride in wearing the shirt and playing for the nation.'
