Latest news with #Renaud
Ottawa Citizen
4 days ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Citizen's Pugliese one of three recipients of prestigious award
Article content The Ottawa Citizen's David Pugliese, fellow Postmedia journalist Kim Bolan and Daniel Renaud were named recipients of the Canadian Association of Journalist's Charles Bury President's Award. Article content Article content '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 in Calgary. '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.' The association noted that 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 in 2024, Pugliese was accused by former federal cabinet minister Chris Alexander of being a paid KGB agent in the 1980s. 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,' the CAJ's 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.' Bolan, meanwhile, 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. '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 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. '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.'
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.
Otago Daily Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Unfinished business for Renaud
Gymnastics has always been part of Max Renaud's DNA. But after 10 years in the sport, Renaud decided it was time to walk away and retired from the sport he loved. An underlying feeling of unfinished business led Renaud back to the mat at the end of 2022 and now he is in line for his biggest competition yet. Renaud has been selected as part of the men's artistic gymnastics team representing New Zealand at the FISU world university games in Germany in July. The Otago Polytechnic student is part of a five-strong men's team competing in Rhine-Ruhr and is the only polytechnic, and South Island, representative among the team. "To make it back to an international level after a three-year retirement post-high school is an absolute dream come true," Renaud said. Renaud, 22, took up gymnastics when he was 7 back home in Christchurch where he trained at the Christchurch School of Gymnastics. He competed throughout New Zealand, and later overseas in Texas and at Australian nationals, before deciding to retire when he finished secondary school at 17. He then made the trip south to Dunedin to study, graduating with a bachelor of culinary arts from polytech in 2022. He is currently studying towards his honours in design. It was in Dunedin where Renaud decided to make a return to the mat. "I missed it, first of all. "I've been doing the sports since I was 7. "Second, I had some regrets. "I didn't do some of the skills I wanted to, I didn't maybe achieve what I wanted to in certain areas, so I thought to come back with a better mindset, and have a healthy outlook on it, the sport-life balance, would be good for me — and it has been." He acknowledged it was tough being an international-level gymnast in Dunedin, but the Dunedin Gymnastics Academy had been very supportive. He spent 20 hours a week training across the six artistic apparatus and will review over the next two months what he competes in in Germany — in between his studies. So what has kept him in the sport this time? "A bit of it is I don't know anything else. "It really is a love for this kind of sport. It builds character, it's [taught] me who I am ... it's really, really developmental." While there may have been a time Renaud was unsure he would ever return as an athlete, he was never far from the sport. Renaud became a judge while at secondary school and now holds the highest qualification for a judge in New Zealand with ambitions to reach an international level in the future. "I've always been super keen on it. "My old coach was always saying you do one — coaching or judging. "I picked judging and I haven't looked back."
Scotsman
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Cyber security: Lack of planning and outdated IT systems putting Scotland at risk
A number of organisations have been hit by cyber attacks in recent weeks - but the threat could be getting worse due to a lack of planning and investment. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Local authorities in Scotland have still not grasped the importance of planning for a cyber attack and are struggling with outdated IT systems, according to industry experts. Over the past week or so a number of Scottish organisations have been hit with cyber attacks, including Edinburgh and West Lothian councils. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Last week pupils in Edinburgh were cut off from revision resources during the annual exam period after an attempted cyber attack on the council's education department. Cyberfort acquires ZDL Group Staff managed to spot the 'spear-phishing', a more sophisticated form of phishing which is more personalised and therefore harder to recognise, after receiving a suspicious invitation to a meeting earlier in the day. This comes after a suspected criminal ransomware cyber attack on schools n West Lothian earlier in the week. While no personal or sensitive data was accessed in this attack, West Lothian Council had to resort to contingency measures to keep schools open. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now experts are warning bodies such as councils are not sufficiently prepared for cyber attacks, or on how to recover from an attack when it does happen. Dr Karen Renaud, a cybersecurity expert and a reader at Strathclyde University's computer and information science department, says many organisations have still not grasped the importance of having a system in place that allows them to get back on their feet after a cyber attack. 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,' she warned. 'Many organisations don't even have a plan to recover after a successful attack. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'They put most of their eggs into the 'resistance' basket. Balancing things out and trusting everyone to play their part does not need to cost that much more.' Dr Renaud says it is important public bodies enforce robust security measures via different approaches that would allow them to not only withstand attacks, but ensure that any damage done can be mitigated. She added: 'Resistance is usually achieved by using technical measures and ensuring that staff are well aware of secure actions they should take. 'Many organisations fail to give the same amount of time and attention to resilience, so when they get breached things fall apart. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many organisations fail to put measures in place that will help them to continue to function if they lose systems to hackers. 'There is a simple technique called replication where you ensure that a fully replicated system can take over if one system fails or is breached. 'Small businesses cannot afford this, but a big organisation surely can.' She added it is 'lazy and incorrect' to suggest human users are a 'weak link' that can be deceived, allowing hackers into systems. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Renauld said: 'If humans are falling for phishing attacks, they either have not been trained effectively to cope with the new AI-generated phishing attacks or the organisation has not implemented measures like two-factor authentication to act as a safety net in case people do get deceived. 'On the surface it might look as if humans are the vulnerability - the actual vulnerability is that organisations respond by applying more and more constraints, rules and restrictions on employees. 'When you treat humans as the problem, they will become the problem. 'Organisations need to start treating their employees as the solution and giving them the knowledge and ability to be the solution.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dimitros Pezaros, professor of computer networks at Glasgow University's computer science school, told Scotland on Sunday that legacy and outdated IT systems were a 'serious concern', especially in environments where so-called software 'patching' might be less straightforward than it sounds. He warns there is "clearly not" enough investment from public sector organisations to ensure key cybersecurity functions are being kept on top of. 'In contrast to other parts of our civil infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, we have traditionally approached software systems as less critical, hence prioritising requirements such as speed of development, deployment and reduced cost - at the expense of cybersecurity,' he explained. 'We have been able to get away with it and with retrofitting cybersecurity to existing systems, mainly due to the lack or slowness of pervasiveness of software systems. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'However, in this modern day and age where software and digitalisation are pervasive and are used to drive critical systems, the frequency and intensity of cyber attacks are, and will increasingly be, such that lack of native cybersecurity will be extremely costly to retrofit later, while the consequences of cyber attacks can be dramatic.' Professor Pezaros added there has been an increase in cyber attacks across many sectors, including local government, the NHS and retail, where victims are extorted over access to their sensitive data. He added: 'As a minimum, organisations should be able to report cyber incidents promptly and honestly, let relevant stakeholders know what has happened and what elements of the system have been compromised and, operationally, be able to react swiftly to detect breaches and minimise damage, for example through employing principles of data and system segregation. 'Also, be proactive, making sure that any data they store remains encrypted.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In Holyrood, pressure is now mounting on SNP ministers to make sure public bodies and local government are supported enough to fend off cyber attacks. Miles Briggs MSP, the Scottish Conservatives' education spokesman, said: 'Last week's cyber attack, which left pupils in Edinburgh unable to access revision materials days before their exams, shows there are still huge vulnerabilities in the way our councils store information. Miles Briggs MSP | screenshot 'Organisations are often too quick to blame people for the problems rather than admitting their cybersecurity system isn't up to scratch. 'SNP ministers need to ensure that public bodies and local authorities have robust cybersecurity mechanisms in place to avoid further security breaches.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton added: 'We know from previous cyber attacks on SEPA and NHS Dumfries and Galloway that these attacks can be complex, expensive and the full impact not truly understood for a considerable period of time. Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton | Press Association 'As more of our lives move online, there are also going to be an increasing number of malicious actors out there trying to cause chaos or make a profit.
