Governor General honours the 2008 laureate of the Michener Award for Journalism

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, presented the 2008 Michener Award for meritorious public service in journalism and the 2009 Michener-Deacon Fellowship during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 10, 2009.

The Governor General awarded the 2009 Michener-Deacon Fellowship to Mr. Ed Struzik, senior writer at the Edmonton Journal. The fellowship of the Michener Awards Foundation, introduced in 1987, is known today as the Michener-Deacon Fellowship (named after the late Roland Michener and the late Paul Deacon, a senior media executive and Michener Awards Foundation president). The fellowship is to encourage excellence in investigative print and broadcast journalism that serves the public interest through values that benefit the community.

The Governor General presented the 2008 Michener Award to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Société Radio-Canada and the Canadian Press. On stage to accept the award were Mr. Frédérick Zalac (left), Mr. Jim Bronskill (middle) and Ms. Esther Enkin. Launched in 1970 under the auspices of Canada’s third Canadian governor general, the late Roland Michener, the award focuses on the degree of public benefit generated by media projects, both large and small, in print and broadcast. The annual award is open to daily and weekly newspapers, news agencies, radio and television stations and networks, periodicals and online journalism. The winners are chosen on the basis of hard-hitting impact, journalistic professionalism, and the resources available for the project.

During the evening, the Governor General also recognized Mr. Clark Davey for his incredible work within the Michener Awards Foundation.

Official photo of Their Excellencies with the winner of the 2008 Michener Award: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation / Société Radio-Canada and the Canadian Press.