Presentation of the 2010 Michener Award

The 2010 Michener Award was presented to Jim Williamson, Executive Producer of CBC's the fifth estate for their stories "Out of Control" and "Behind the Wall" which depicted the last hours of Ashley Smith and exposed the story about a troubled teenager abandoned by the corrections system. Following the broadcasts, the scope of the inquest into Smith’s death was widened, making it easier for media outlets to access court exhibits and setting a precedent for a more open and transparent judicial system.

The 2011 Michener-Deacon Fellowship was awarded to Jane Armstrong, a Toronto freelance writer whose career includes 20 years as a national and international reporter with the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail. Her fellowship project will scrutinize the impact of Canada’s aid programs in Afghanistan over the past decade and explore the future of those projects when Canada’s military role winds down this summer.

The Calgary Herald’s series “Worked to Death” exposed the human costs of Alberta’s economic boom: sloppy on-site safety practices and lax enforcement which led to a disturbing number of annual workplace deaths. Lorne Motley, Editor in Chief, accepted the runner-up certificate recognizing the Calgary Herald as finalist of the 2010 Michener Award.

The Eastern Door’s sustained reporting of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake’s decision to send eviction notices to non-Natives living on the reserve put names and faces to the people involved, and sparked a public discussion in this close-knit community on what the paper called a “human rights story.” The courageous involvement of the community paper contributed to a change in direction of the execution of a decision of the Mohawk Council to evict non-Native residents living on the reserve. Steve Bonspiel, Editor and Publisher, accepted the runner-up certificate recognizing The Eastern Door as finalist of the 2010 Michener Award.

The Hamilton Spectator’s “Code Red” series combined journalistic and academic expertise to examine, diagnose and propose remedies for poverty in Hamilton. “Code Red” provided hard data to the government and to agencies to address the problems of poverty and health. The series also mobilized other agencies to help people in need and made poverty a key issue in the municipal election. “Code Red” received international attention and has since been integrated into the curriculum of a number of university courses. Jim Poling, Managing Editor, accepted the runner-up certificate recognizing The Hamilton Spectator as finalist of the 2010 Michener Award.

Radio-Canada, through its news coverage and television program “Découverte”, explored the pitfalls of rushing into shale gas exploration and exploitation, and its effect on the everyday lives of people in the St. Lawrence Valley of Quebec. The thorough coverage put the spotlight on an important public issue and helped to promote a wide-scale public debate that lead to an inquiry, to the Quebec government tightening its control on the industry, and to the adoption of stricter conditions for new drilling projects. Pierre Sormany, TV Editor for Radio-Canada, accepted the runner-up certificate recognizing Émission Découverte as finalist of the 2010 Michener Award.

The Vancouver Sun's six-part series looked at inadequate safety standards following a string of fatal float-plane accidents in British Columbia. The stories detailed inexpensive safety improvements that could save lives. Reaction from the federal government was immediate and significant, with the introduction of new safety measures, including strengthening investigation and enforcement, and the formation of a new industry association to address safety and other issues. Patricia Graham, Editor in Chief for the Vancouver Sun, accepted the runner-up certificate recognizing The Vancouver Sun as finalist of the 2010 Michener Award.