Latest news with #PressFreedomAward
Malaysian Reserve
5 days ago
- Malaysian Reserve
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.
Cision Canada
5 days ago
- Cision Canada
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.
Cision Canada
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
La Presse reporter Daniel Renaud wins 2025 Press Freedom Award Français
Media law pioneer wins Career Achievement Award OTTAWA, ON, May 1, 2025 /CNW/ - World Press Freedom Canada (WPFC) is pleased to announce that La Presse reporter Daniel Renaud is the 2025 winner of our Press Freedom Award, while longtime newspaper lawyer Bert Bruser is awarded our Career Achievement Award. Judges considered nominations from across Canada for the annual Press Freedom Awards. Categories include a local journalism, the Career Achievement Award in honour of Spencer Moore, the Student Achievement Award and the International Editorial Cartoon Contest. WPFC recognized Renaud for his diligent, fearless reporting on organized crime in Quebec and for demonstrating exceptional resilience in pursuing stories that serve the public interest despite obstacles to press freedom. In 2024, Renaud spent months investigating hitman Frédérick Silva, uncovering his ties to the Montreal mafia. In retaliation, Silva ordered Renaud's murder — a plot later aborted. Despite the threat, Renaud missed only one day of work and continued to show up in court for every hearing during Silva's trial. With nearly 30 years of fearless reporting on organized crime, his work sparked vital public discourse on the value of independent journalism. Bruser was awarded the WPFC Career Achievement Award in recognition of his decades-long, groundbreaking work as newsroom legal counsel for The Toronto Star. He is recognized as a pioneer media lawyer who helped defend courageous and often controversial journalism from lawsuits designed to intimidate and silence. WPFC President Heather Bakken offered her congratulations to all award winners. "At this pivotal moment, we must recognize the courageous work of Canadian journalists, especially during an election year when the fight against disinformation, foreign interference and media manipulation is not just about protecting our information ecosystem — it is about safeguarding democracy. And a free press is often the last line of defence," she said. "Under this year's theme, we spotlight the challenges journalists face in the battle to preserve fact-based evidence, accountability, and public trust." In addition to the above-mentioned winners, WPFC presented a Press Freedom, Local Journalism Award to the Waterloo Region Record. The committee is honouring The Record for a collection of articles which pierced the veil of secrecy on secret land deals, college recruitment of foreign students and school board practices. The journalists are editor-in-chief Jim Poling, Terry Pender, Robert Williams, Luisa D'Amato and Jeff Outhit. A Certificate of Merit award goes to The Globe and Mail's Grant Robertson and Kathryn Blaze Baum for their investigation that exposed damning revelations about the country's food safety system putting Canadians at risk; as well as to investigative reporter Patti Sonntag who uncovered abuse of Indigenous procurement policies. The Student Achievement Award goes to Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman and Aidan Raynor of The Concordian at Montreal's Concordia University for their series on the lack of transparency at Canadian universities and a broken access to information system. WPFC is also announcing the winners of our International Editorial Cartoon contest, which had a theme this year of "It's a Trump World" and the increasing difficulty to discern the truth. Constantin Sunnerberg, a Moscow native now living in Belgium received first prize. Greek cartoonist Dimitios Georgopalis won second, and Hicabi Demirci from Turkey won third prize. The awards will be presented at our annual luncheon at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on May 1, in honour of the United Nations' World Press Freedom Day which takes place annually on May 3. Our keynote speaker is Kevin Newman, a veteran newscaster and co-founder of a disinformation watchdog; Catherine Clark, President, Catherine Clark Communications, will emcee. World Press Freedom Canada is an Ottawa-based, non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to champion press freedom in Canada and abroad. We do this by advocating for the rights of journalists and a free press to uphold democracy, celebrating the vital role of journalists in promoting transparency and accountability and identifying press freedom violations.
Associated Press
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Renowned Canadian broadcaster Kevin Newman to be the keynote speaker at press freedom luncheon May 1
The theme of this year's luncheon is Disinformation and Democracy: Standing on Guard OTTAWA, ON, March 27, 2025 /CNW/ - World Press Freedom Canada (WPFC) is pleased to announce that former newscaster and current disinformation watchdog Kevin Newman will be the keynote speaker at its annual World Press Freedom Day luncheon. The theme of this year's luncheon is Disinformation and Democracy: Standing on Guard. Newman will address the threat that the growing flood of disinformation poses to Canadian unity, security and democracy, and to the country's traditional media. The Press Freedom luncheon will take place at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on May 1, and is timed to mark World Press Freedom Day which was proclaimed by the United Nations. Newman has a wealth of journalistic experience. During his career, he held a number of prominent positions in TV journalism, including as anchor of W5 at CTV News, Good Morning America at ABC News, Midday at CBC News, and developed and anchored Global National. He co-produced award-winning documentaries and series which earned international awards, and the memoir 'All Out' which he wrote with his son was a national bestseller. He is currently co-founder of a collective of researchers, fact-checkers, and creatives fighting back against misinformation and disinformation. In addition to Newman's speech, the WPFC luncheon will recognize award winners in the following categories: Press Freedom Award, recognizing a journalist or media worker who demonstrates their public-interest work was frustrated by a cloak of secrecy, legal manoeuvres, political intimidation, or tactics that put their safety or career at risk. Press Freedom Award, Local Journalism, recognizing journalists who works for a small-market news organization. Career Achievement Award in honour of Spencer Moore, which honours a Canadian journalist or media worker whose work reflects a dogged pursuit of press freedom and freedom of information. Student Achievement Award, which recognizes an outstanding student journalist who has demonstrated a commitment to press freedom. International Editorial Cartoon Contest is awarded to a cartoonist who best captures this year's theme, 'It's a Trump World.' Once again this year, our emcee will be Catherine Clark, president of Catherine Clark Communications, and co-founder of The Honest Talk, a platform that champions the empowerment of women across Canada. Tickets are available through our website. Special thanks to our event partner the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, to our major corporate sponsor the Canadian Bankers Association, and to our platinum sponsor Power Corporation. About World Press Freedom Canada World Press Freedom Canada is an Ottawa-based, non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to champion press freedom in Canada and abroad. We do this by advocating for the rights of journalists and a free press to uphold democracy, celebrating the vital role of journalists in promoting transparency, accountability, and democracy in Canada and beyond and identifying press freedom violations. We commemorate UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day by honouring those whose public interest reporting has overcome significant press freedom challenges at our annual Awards Luncheon.
