Michener Award
Encyclopedia
The Michener Award is one of the highest distinctions in Canadian
journalism. The award was founded in 1970 by Roland Michener
, who was Governor General of Canada
at the time, and his wife Norah
. The idea for the award was developed in 1969 with Bill MacPherson, then president of the National Press Club and managing editor of the Ottawa Citizen
, who remained a secretary of the committee administering the award until his death. Since 1970, the Michener Award is presented yearly by the Governor General at Rideau Hall
to a Canadian news organization "whose entry is judged to have made a significant impact on public policy or on the lives of Canadians".
Although the award is presented to media organizations rather than individual journalists, five individuals of the nominated finalists are invited to the award ceremony so that their contributions can also be acknowledged. Since 1987, the Michener Foundation also attributes annually the Michener-Deacon Fellowship which provides financial support to a journalist wishing to complete a project that serves the Canadian public interest. The fellowship is named in honor of Roland Michener and late journalist Paul Deacon.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalism. The award was founded in 1970 by Roland Michener
Roland Michener
Daniel Roland Michener , commonly known as Roland Michener, was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 20th since Canadian Confederation....
, who was Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
at the time, and his wife Norah
Norah Michener
Norah Willis Michener was the wife of Roland Michener, the 20th Governor General of Canada. As the spouse of a Governor General, she held the title of Chatelaine of Rideau Hall....
. The idea for the award was developed in 1969 with Bill MacPherson, then president of the National Press Club and managing editor of the Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
, who remained a secretary of the committee administering the award until his death. Since 1970, the Michener Award is presented yearly by the Governor General at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
to a Canadian news organization "whose entry is judged to have made a significant impact on public policy or on the lives of Canadians".
Although the award is presented to media organizations rather than individual journalists, five individuals of the nominated finalists are invited to the award ceremony so that their contributions can also be acknowledged. Since 1987, the Michener Foundation also attributes annually the Michener-Deacon Fellowship which provides financial support to a journalist wishing to complete a project that serves the Canadian public interest. The fellowship is named in honor of Roland Michener and late journalist Paul Deacon.
Past winners
- 2009: The Montreal GazetteThe Gazette (Montreal)The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
for reporting on the mismanagement of a water management project in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - 2008: CBC/Radio Canada and The Canadian Press for a joint project that investigated the use of taser gunsTaserA Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
by the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted PoliceThe Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. - 2007: The Globe and MailThe Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
and La Presse for a series of articles on the treatment of prisoners of the Canadian forces in AfghanistanCanada's role in the invasion of AfghanistanCanada did not have a significant role in the first few months of the invasion of Afghanistan that began on October 7, 2001, and the first contingents of regular Canadian troops arrived in Afghanistan only in January–February 2002. Canada took on a larger role starting in 2006 after the Canadian...
, particularly after their handing over to Afghan security forces. - 2006: The Prince George CitizenPrince George CitizenThe Prince George Citizen is a daily newspaper located in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. The paper was established in 1916. Issues from 1916-1971+ are now available online in the Prince George Newspapers database, an ongoing collaborative library project....
, for a series of articles on the safety of truck drivers in the logging industry - 2005: The Globe and Mail, for a series of articles on breast cancerBreast cancerBreast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
by Lisa Priest. - 2004: The Globe and Mail, for the investigative work on the sponsorship scandalSponsorship scandalThe sponsorship scandal, "AdScam", "Sponsorship" or Sponsorgate, is a scandal that came as a result of a Canadian federal government "sponsorship program" in the province of Quebec and involving the Liberal Party of Canada, which was in power from 1993 to 2006...
by Daniel Leblanc and Campbell Clark. - 2003: La Presse, for two series of articles on poor hospital care in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - 2002: The Toronto Star, for the Investigation into Race and Crime series of articles.
- 2001: The RecordThe Record (Waterloo Region)The Waterloo Region Record is the daily newspaper covering Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, including the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, as well as the surrounding area...
, for investigating the misuse of municipal funds involving MFP Financial Services Ltd. (see RIM Park funding controversy). - 2000: The CBC TelevisionCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
programme The Fifth EstateThe fifth estatethe fifth estate is a Canadian television newsmagazine, which airs on the English language CBC Television network. The name is a play on the fact that the media are sometimes referred to as the Fourth Estate, and was chosen to highlight the program's determination to go beyond everyday news into...
for a series of reports on mistakes and abuse of the police and the justice system. - 1999: CBC National Radio News, WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
for journalist Curt PetrovichCurt PetrovichCurt Petrovich is a Canadian journalist. He has worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation since 1986.Petrovich is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia...
's work to uncover a scandal involving the Progressive Conservative PartyProgressive Conservative Party of ManitobaThe Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
's funding of Independent Native VoiceIndependent Native VoiceIndependent Native Voice, also known as Native Voice, was a short-lived political party in Manitoba, Canada. It was created in 1995 to address aboriginal issues, and ran three candidates in the 1995 provincial election. Native Voice was not registered with Elections Manitoba, and its candidates...
during the 1995 Manitoba provincial electionManitoba general election, 1995The Manitoba general election of April 25,1995 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which won 31 seats out of 57...
. - 1998: The Toronto Star, for a series of reports on problems of OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's health care system. - 1997: The Halifax Daily News, for David Rodenhiser's articles documenting sexual abuse in Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
reform schoolReform schoolA reform school in the United States was a term used to define, often somewhat euphemistically, what was often essentially a penal institution for boys, generally teenagers.-History:...
s. - 1996: The Toronto Star, for its reports on spousal abuse in Ontario and flaws in the province's child protection system.
- 1995: CBC Radio, OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, for its investigation of the Somalia AffairSomalia AffairThe Somalia Affair was a 1993 military scandal later dubbed "Canada's national shame". It peaked with the brutal beating death of a Somali teenager at the hands of two Canadian soldiers participating in humanitarian efforts in Somalia. The crime, documented by grisly photos, shocked the Canadian...
, a military scandal surrounding Operation DeliveranceOperation DeliveranceOperation Deliverance was a Canadian Forces peace keeping military operation in Somalia and formed part of the United Nations peacekeeping deployment to that country...
. - 1994: CKNW/98, New Westminster, British ColumbiaNew Westminster, British ColumbiaNew Westminster is an historically important city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and is a member municipality of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. It was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia ....
. - 1993: Ottawa CitizenOttawa CitizenThe Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
and The Globe and Mail - 1992: The Edmonton Journal
- 1991: CBC Television, Toronto and Winnipeg.
- 1990: ElmiraElmira, OntarioThe town of Elmira in Ontario, Canada is the largest community within the Township of Woolwich in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is located 15 km to the north of the city of Waterloo.-History:...
Independent (the second community weekly to win the award). - 1989: Le DevoirLe DevoirLe Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician, and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910....
. - 1988: The Globe and Mail
- 1987: CBC Television and Southam News (tied).
- 1986: The Globe and Mail.
- 1985: The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star (tied).
- 1984: Kingston Whig-StandardKingston Whig-StandardThe Kingston Whig-Standard is a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is published daily, except on Sunday. It publishes a mix of community, national and international news and is owned by Sun Media...
- 1983: Kitchener-Waterloo RecordThe Record (Waterloo Region)The Waterloo Region Record is the daily newspaper covering Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, including the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, as well as the surrounding area...
- 1982: Manitoulin Expositor (the first community weekly to win the award).
- 1981: Télé-MétropoleTVA (TV network)TVA is a privately owned French language television network in Canada. The network is currently owned by Groupe TVA Inc. , a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media...
(Montreal) and Kitchener-Waterloo Record (tied). - 1980: Edmonton Journal.
- 1979: Kingston Whig-Standard
- 1978: Kitchener-Waterloo Record
- 1977: The Globe and Mail
- 1976: Vancouver Sun, for uncovering a series of illegal break-ins by the RCMPScandals surrounding the RCMPWhile the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has a history dating back to 1873 and has been involved in several high-profile controversies during that time, particularly in the 1970s.- Early controversies:...
- 1975: Montreal Gazette and London Free PressLondon Free PressThe London Free Press is a daily newspaper based in London, Ontario, Canada.The London Free Press began as the Canadian Free Press, founded by William Sutherland in 1847. It first began printing as a weekly newspaper in 1849. In 1852, it was purchased for $500 by Josiah Blackburn, who renamed it...
(tied) - 1974: Montreal Gazette
- 1973: CTV television networkCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
- 1972: The Globe and Mail and Halifax Scotian Journalist
- 1971: CBC Television
- 1970: The Financial PostFinancial PostThe Financial Post was an English Canadian business newspaper, which published from 1907 to 1998. In 1998, the publication was folded into the new National Post, although the name Financial Post has been retained as the banner for that paper's business section and also lives on in the Post’s...
and CBC TelevisionCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
, for The Charter Revolution, a collaborative investigation of the air charter business.