Michener Award

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 has been 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 awards 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

• 2014: The Globe and Mail for its series on thalidomide.
• 2013: The Toronto Star for its coverage of Rob Ford's substance abuse issues
• 2012: Postmedia and the Ottawa Citizen for reporting that exposed the "robocall scandal" in the 2011 Canadian federal election
• 2011: The Times Colonist in Victoria for its reporting on a B.C. government policy that reduced support for people with developmental disabilities.
• 2010: the fifth estate for reporting on the incarceration and death of Ashley Smith.
• 2009: The Montreal Gazette for reporting on the mismanagement of a water management project in Montreal.
• 2008: CBC/Radio Canada and The Canadian Press for a joint project that investigated the use of taser guns by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• 2007: The Globe and Mail and La Presse for a series of articles on the treatment of prisoners of the Canadian forces in Afghanistan, particularly after their handing over to Afghan security forces.
• 2006: The Prince George Citizen, 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 cancer by Lisa Priest.
• 2004: The Globe and Mail, for the investigative work on the sponsorship scandal by Daniel Leblanc and Campbell Clark.
• 2003: La Presse, for two series of articles on poor hospital care in Montreal.
• 2002: The Toronto Star, for the Investigation into Race and Crime series of articles.
• 2001: The Record, for investigating the misuse of municipal funds involving MFP Financial Services Ltd. (see RIM Park funding controversy).
• 2000: The CBC Television programme The Fifth Estate for a series of reports on mistakes and abuse of the police and the justice system.
• 1999: CBC National Radio News, Winnipeg for journalist Curt Petrovich's work to uncover a scandal involving the Progressive Conservative Party's funding of Independent Native Voice during the 1995 Manitoba provincial election.
• 1998: The Toronto Star, for a series of reports on problems of Ontario's health care system.
• 1997: The Halifax Daily News, for David Rodenhiser's articles documenting sexual abuse in Nova Scotia reform schools.
• 1996: The Toronto Star, for its reports on spousal abuse in Ontario and flaws in the province's child protection system.
• 1995: CBC Radio, Ottawa, for its investigation of the Somalia Affair, a military scandal surrounding Operation Deliverance.
• 1994: CKNW/98, New Westminster, British Columbia.
• 1993: Ottawa Citizen and The Globe and Mail
• 1992: The Edmonton Journal
• 1991: CBC Television, Toronto and Winnipeg.
• 1990: Elmira Independent (the second community weekly to win the award).
• 1989: Le Devoir.
• 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-Standard
• 1983: Kitchener-Waterloo Record
• 1982: Manitoulin Expositor (the first community weekly to win the award).
• 1981: Télé-Métropole (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 RCMP
• 1975: Montreal Gazette and London Free Press (tied)
• 1974: Montreal Gazette
• 1973: CTV television network
• 1972: The Globe and Mail and Halifax Scotian Journalist
• 1971: CBC Television
• 1970: The Financial Post and CBC Television, for The Charter Revolution, a collaborative investigation of the air charter business.

See also

• List of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada

External links

• Home page of the Michener Awards Foundation