The Connector The Quebec Community Newspapers Association Newsletter
Since 1980
March 2014
BNC Finalists!
2014 AGM & Gala What makes winning weeklies? Townshipper leaves his legacy
Say it isn’t so Connie! Gleaner remembers Patrice
QCNA News Industry News Maya, Jennifer, Rita and Alan
REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steve Bonspiel, President, QCNA With a provincial election just around the corner, I thought it would be timely to take a look at our role as community newspapers, and the potential fight we will be facing if a Parti Quebecois government is elected with a majority. Bill 14, which could potentially effect municipalities served by Quebec Community Newspapers Association members, was quashed two years ago, but could come back under a PQ government, something Quebec Premier Pauline Marois has publicly vowed to do – if elected with a majority. There are certainly a lot of what ifs, but it’s a good time to examine what that would mean for us, and to be aware of our role as minority language newspapers in the event we have to take a stance to protect our communities once again. Our role is to report on it and plant our feet in a firm editorial stance against it, because Bill 14 would certainly have a negative effect on access to English services for most of our newspapers - and the people we serve. We won’t even talk about a referendum – much – but if a PQ government is elected it could be, as the famous Charles Dickens’ quote from a Tale of Two Cities goes; the best of times and the worst of times. I’m not playing Henny Penny here and the sky is certainly not falling, but it’s prudent
on our part to continue what we do best – promote and defend our communities – and fight for our right to be heard in our mother tongue. It’s different here in Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, where we are a sovereign nation and provincial laws, for the most part, do not apply. But we stand behind the right of any minority, especially English (which we all speak in Kahnawake), to use whatever language, in whichever way anyone sees fit. Anything else is oppressive and ill-conceived. No language is better than any other, but some are afforded more value by the PQ, and our job to defend is clear. We represent papers in languages other than English as well, including Greek, Hebrew and Punjabi, and to stand up for one language is to stand up for them all. Here in Kahnawake we have Cultural Awareness Month, which promotes the use of Mohawk (on our front page for one issue, along with one story on the interior), a language that has been in decline for many reasons. If we fight together for English we must stand side by side to ensure all of our QCNA languages have equal clout. Anything less is simply unacceptable.
STEVE BONSPIEL President, CCNA representative MARC LALONDE Vice President GEORGE BAKOYANNIS Secretary-Treasurer FRED RYAN Director MICHAEL SOCHACZEVSKI Director NIKKI MANTELL Director LILY RYAN Director
HEATHER DICKSON Past President QCNA STAFF
RICHARD TARDIF Executive Director CAROLYN KITZANUK Administrative Assistant MARNIE OWSTON Advertising Coordinator & Bookkeeper
This month’s cover Designed by artist Stephanie E.M. Coleman, the “fridge” shows a fridge in most homes across Quebec decorated with family achievments, including some milestones written in the local newspapers. The design reminds us that as community newspapers we are a part of the household and the community and trusted with writing the news.
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www.qcna.org
Upcoming workshops get at the heart of law and ethics, and community health
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Richard Tardif, Executive Director, QCNA There is a great story published in the March issue of The Walrus, titled The Story behind the Rob Ford Story that may explain why Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford has not sued reporters. Basically, the article, written by Ivor Tossel, why a littleknown Supreme Court ruling has unmuzzled reporters and changed Canadian journalism, says that when reporters act responsibly and provide someone the opportunity to comment, even if they do not comment, the reporter cannot be held for libel. Briefly, in 2009, in ruling on freedom of expression, the Supreme Court of Canada created a new legal defence to libel lawsuits that would shield journalists who fairly and responsibly report stories of public interest. Called "responsible communication" the law gives greater protection to broadcasters, writers and bloggers who diligently try to verify the accuracy of information in their reports, even if every statement cannot later be proven to be true. Media lawyers said the law favours the
publication of stories in the public interest, and will have the effect of increasing journalists' standards of practice, because you have to be responsible and give people fair opportunity to respond. If they choose not to, that's up to them. You've done your job. So is the case with Mayor Ford. This is certainly a man who was given fair opportunity to respond. The new law supports journalists and it is something we should all be aware of. So this June at the QCNA Annual General Meeting workshops in Mont Saint-Sauveur, Alan Conter, an independent media consultant, writer and critic who teaches law and ethics at Concordia University, will discuss this decision and a host of other issues concerning how we as journalists, editors and publishers report. “The recognition of the Responsible Journalism defence against libel suits by the Supreme Court in Grant v. Torstar in 2009 is a major step forward for incisive investigative reporting,” he said. “It is not a “get out
of jail free” card, but it does recognize and protect diligent reporting.” QCNA members will have a chance to openly debate these issues on June 6, 2014. Members will also learn more about writing the health story with former Sherbrooke Record reporter Rita Legault. Legault, a three-time winner of QCNA’s Paul Dumont-Frenette Award and winner of dozens of QCNA and CCNA awards, and an advocate for community newspapers, will bring more than two decades of health reporting experience to the workshop. “Well-researched and well-written stories can help readers understand and cope with often complex issues and decisions that are central to their lives,” said Legault. “Bad reporting can lead readers to make bad choices.” Legault will show how effective reporting on all of health issues beyond the basic news and tells stories about real people and how decisions and diseases impact them. Mark your calendars!
QCNA MISSION STATEMENT The Quebec Community Newspapers Association is dedicated to the professional and economic development of English community newspapers and their enterprises serving minority communities in Quebec.
About us. The Quebec Community Newspapers Association is as unique as the members it serves. Our English and bilingual publications distribute weekly, monthly, biweekly and daily to some 800,000 readers across the province. These publications serve an exclusive English and bilingual readership in their communities through their focus on relevant local news and high editorial-to-advertising ratio. The results from ComBase, Canada’s most comprehensive media study, show that QCNA newspapers are embraced by Quebec’s unique population more than any other medium in every market they serve. QCNA acknowledges the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Quebec Community Newspapers Association 189 Hymus Blvd, Suite 207, Pointe-Claire, Quebec, H9R 1E9 Tel. 514-697-6330 Fax 514-697-6331
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QCNA Happenings Mark Your Calendars QCNA’s annual general meeting and awards gala will take place on Friday, June 6, 2014 at the picturesque Manoir Saint-Sauveur in the heart of the Laurentians in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. A morning AGM and afternoon workshop sessions will be followed by a 6 p.m. ‘meet and greet’ cocktail hour and 7 p.m. banquet dinner. The awards ceremony where QCNA celebrates the best of the best will take place during the coffee and dessert time. There will be plenty of activities available for the entire family, and QCNA will have lots more information available along with your invitation package by the end of March 2014.
CTV’s Maya Johnson to host QCNA Gala & awards Maya Johnson has been working as a reporter at CTV Montreal since 2005, where she began as an intern while studying journalism at Concordia University. As a student, she received a scholarship from the Montreal branch of the Canadian Women’s Press Club. After graduating with distinction, Maya was profiled as an up-and-coming journalist in “Watch This Face”, a feature in The Montreal Gazette. She has also been featured as a Young Achiever in The West Island Chronicle. Maya now works as a general assignment reporter in Montreal, but spent one year working in Quebec City covering provincial politics at the National Assembly. She has also been a freelance writer for QCNA member newspapers The West Island Chronicle, and still writes occasionally for Community Contact, covering stories of interest to Montreal’s Black and Caribbean community.
QCNA welcomes Montreal event photographer Jennifer Pontarelli to 2014 Gala A fresh face to the wedding industry with a ton of creative ideas for your big day, Jennifer is a modern romance photographer with a flair for details. She started out in child photography shortly after her son was born and since then says “she has been on an endless path of images and creativity.” Working out of Ville SaintLaurent, the busy mom photographs everything from weddings, social events, Bar Mitzvahs to Boudoir. Her studio prides itself on fresh, creative & innovative photographic concepts proficient with various cultural traditions.
How’s your health, writing? Veteran reporter Rita Legault, former reporter at The Sherbrooke Record, gets the scoop poop on what to look out for when writing the health story.
Law & Ethics in Journalism Workshop - by Alan Conter
Good health reporting impacts readers in their everyday lives. Legault will talk about coverage of changing health care policies and reforms, news about limited medical resources, the shortage of family doctors, and cuts to health care services. The veteran reporter will talk about diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, HIV-AIDS, and new treatments. Effective reporting on all of these issues goes beyond the basic news and tells stories about real people and how decisions and diseases are impacting them. Well-researched and well-written stories can help readers understand and cope with often complex issues and decisions that are central to their lives. Bad reporting can lead readers to make bad choices. We will talk about where to find good stories, how to get to the nitty gritty details, and how to report on them so that readers are better informed.
Alan Conter is a communications consultant and part-time lecturer in the Journalism Department of Concordia University. He has lectured on journalism law and ethics since 2000. After a degree in Political Science and History at McGill and graduate studies in Social History at UQAM, Alan joined the CBC in 1981. He was a researcher, writer-broadcaster, producer and executive producer with CBC for over 18 years. He also produced radio documentaries for Radio-Canada. Prior to leaving CBC/Radio-Canada he was the president of the Association des réalisateurs de Radio-Canada. He is keenly interested in issues of freedom of expression and the role of responsible media in Canadian democracy.
Be sure to sign up before May 2 at http://qcna.org/media/awards/InvitePkg2014.pdf
Be sure to sign up before May 2 at http://qcna.org/media/awards/InvitePkg2014.pdf
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www.qcna.org
What makes winning weeklies? Anticipation. By Ray Laakaniemi
True story. My first boss was buying his first weekly in the 1950s from the classic, old-time printer- owner when they were interrupted by the Linotype operator. Joe, the printer, told the Lino lady “Don’t worry, I’ve got a wedding and two funerals. That ought to take care of Page One.” That is extreme but it illustrates a problem - relying too much on what happened last week as the basis for your news coverage. And since I brought up the problem, I have a one-word solution: Anticipation. Let me give you some examples. One of the surveys I did on weeklies got this response from the then-publisher in Omak- Okanogan, Washington: “We run the news before it is street talk.” In other words, they bring up ideas before the man on the street even starts talking about them. In a business often welded fast to a weekly production routine, where we react to what has happened, habits are hard to change. Start with what Don Smith used to do when he ran the Times in Monticello, Minnesota. Plan ahead. Way ahead. Don and his staff took two days in January away from phones and distractions to go over all of last year’s issues and see what stories needed follow-ups. His planning document was as thick as the New York phone book, but everyone knew what they were going to cover months in advance. Reporters anticipated major stories they
would work on, and they could work on them in what down time they found between weekly editions. They not only reported the news; they developed new story lines in time to lead the community discussion. You can’t write a Memorial Day story the week before Memorial Day. Too many other things happen; you need to reflect, plan, and find just the right person to interview. Laurie Ezzell Brown in Canadian, Texas, did a remarkable story some years ago about a woman whose pilot husband was MIA in Vietnam. Those stories are not done in a day or at the last minute. You need to keep digging for story ideas, getting them from anywhere. The Roundup (love that name) in Payson, Arizona used to do brown bags – bring your bag lunch to meet with the editors. They reported they almost never had a meeting where some interested citizen didn’t offer a good story idea. You have to eat anyway; why not get ideas over lunch? Anticipate issues as they arise and ask people involved for 500-word thoughts on their side of the story, focusing on what the public doesn’t know, see or understand. We did a series on what county offices do and what the public does not understand about them. About 300-400 words, we did 15 or so, ran out of time before we ran out of offices. Anticipating stories in advance helps re-
porters, gives your paper a focus and gives readers insights they don’t get elsewhere. No one office or group cares for the entire community like a newspaper does, and you can help the community come together by informing them on issues as well as straight news. Most weeklies can’t compete with TV or the Internet on the weather, but you can run a small box on Page One with predicted temperatures for the next several days. Your reward as editor can be better-focused reporters and a clear sense of what you want to accomplish well into the future. Remember: you edit, they read. Ideas can come from anywhere; you need to develop them. Ray Laakaniemi can be contacted at rlaakan@bgsu.edu or at his web site at www.weeklywritershandbook.com Originally published in the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors newsletter, February 2014, page 7. Permission given to reproduce by Ray Laakaniemi.
77 - 44th avenue, Lachine , Quebec, H8t 2K5, 514-364-5867 http://www.lakeshorekiwanis.ca/
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Community newspaper veteran Charles Bury succumbs to cancer By Rita Legault As I began writing this story, I was on my way back from the Eastern Townships where my mentor Charles Bury was eulogized during a memorial service at the Boroughs Falls Hall in Ayers’ Cliff where he sent numerous reporters on assignment years ago. It was a fitting location and ceremony where more than 200 old friends and colleagues came from far and wide to pay their respects. A consummate storyteller, Charlie was larger than life in so many ways. He was, for a long time, a big smoker and a big drinker – although he gave up tobacco after one of his numerous cardiac episodes, and cut down on the whisky. He was a large man who pulled more than his considerable weight in the world of journalism – both locally, as editor of The Record, and nationally, as a co-founder of the Centre for Investigative Journalism which became the Canadian Association of Journalists. For Charlie journalism was a calling, not a job. It was all about telling the stories that mattered, championing the underdog, and
making a difference in your community. As he lay dying from cancer at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) in January, he called former colleagues and asked them to come and report on hospital officials who were reluctant to allow him to use the medical marijuana prescribed by his doctor. A longtime pot smoker, the euphoric feeling helped him cope with the stress. “I’ve never died before, so I don’t know what that’s like,” he said, noting he did not want to go to heaven without his inhaler. Charles instilled a true sense of community service in all of his reporters as many colleagues, both French and English, recounted. Luc Larochelle, of La Tribune, recalled a man who was helpful, not competitive. I remember Charles offering photos of a fire or incident the competition had missed. He was famous for saying “we’re in the news business, not the competition business.” I was the reporter who worked the longest for Charles - eight years from 1988 to 1996.
Nearly three decades ago, after driving two and a half hours through a snowstorm, I walked into a cathedral of a building – a grimy tent factory that had undergone absolutely no renovations – to meet a portly, bearded man wearing coveralls. He looked more like a farmer than an editor, but I had heard lots about Charles Bury and he commanded respect from everyone. My colleague from down the hall at the Quebec press gallery, Bernard St-Laurent, who was well on his way to becoming one of Quebec’s pre-eminent political reporters, could not say enough good things about Charles. He told me I should absolutely take a terrifying two-thirds pay cut from my jobs as the researcher for The Gazette’s Quebec Bureau and part-time job as editor of the Quebec’s oldest newspaper, the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph, to go and work for the man. I actually cried, and could not believe I was considering it, but I took the job. I learned more in my first few weeks working for Charlie than I did in three years of J-school. Charles was a mentor to me and a revolving door of reporters. Many went on to the finest news outlets in Canada and the world, from the CBC to the Globe and Mail to Al Jazeera. And they all remember him well, as the many who travelled a long disContinued on next page
Charles Bury in the early days of QCNA, known then as AQREM. (Left to right) Heather Dickson, The Equity, Charles Bury, The Townships Sun and Ross Dickson, The Equity. March 2014
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Charles Bury Continued from previous page tance to bid him a fond farewell testifies to. Under his rule – yes, that best describes it – The Record was the little paper that could. It regularly scooped the much better resourced competition, local and even, on occasion, national media. Reporters in a selection of falling apart death-trap old beaters, we would never climb aboard today, crisscrossed the backcountry highways and byways to bring news to readers. One of my neighbours in Sherbrooke, a Francophone news junkie whose brother was a renowned Canadian journalist and author, told me it was necessary to read both daily newspapers because, although they mostly covered the same news, there were different points of view and he often learned more from The Record. All of this was made possible by George MacLaren, a community-minded businessman who took over the paper that had been left in ruins by Conrad Black and David Radler who, as Charlie was fond of saying, “learned how to rape and kill in the newspaper industry at The Record.” MacLaren admits he was not sure about his choice of editors, but proud of his winning pick. Later, when the paper was sold to Quebecor, it fell into neglect again, but it took years to undo what Charlie had built. Charlie’s legacy continues today in the many reporters he hired and inspired. When I visited Charles at the CHUS a few weeks before he died, I told him that I wanted to post the news on Facebook where dozens of his past employees are my “friends” in that way that Cyberspace manages to keep us in touch. He told me “I’m fine with the facts”. He accepted that he was dying. I said he
Charles Bury Journalism Scholarship Charles Bury is credited with mentoring dozens of reporters found in newsrooms across the country today, and during his tenure as Sherbrooke Record editor from 1981-1996. Record publisher Sharon McCully said The Record will continue Bury’s legacy through the Charles Bury Journalism Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a student who plans to pursue a career in journalism from each of the Townships’ three high schools: Alexander Galt, Massey-Vanier and Richmond Regional. Record alumni and others who wish to contribute to the legacy fund can send their cheques to The Record, c/o Charles Bury Scholarship Fund, 1195 Galt Street East, Sherbrooke, Qc, J1G-1Y7 had taught me to stick to the facts and so I did. Dozens of former staffers and readers commented, and I shared many of those with his family and they with him. He died knowing that he had made an impact. That mattered to him. Before moving into journalism, Charlie held a variety of jobs, including the one he most boasted about – that of a bouncer. Before landing a job at the Townships Sun, which he co-founded to challenge the foundering Record, Charlie was an anglo activist fighting Bill 101 as a member of a group that eventually spawned Townshippers’ Association. I appear to have taken the opposite track starting in journalism and continuing that community service as the Communications Director of the Quebec Community Groups Network. I guess my next job will be as a bouncer. I had better hit the gym. As an epilogue, I would like to report
that the Record has launched the Charles Bury Journalism Scholarship which will be awarded annually to a student who plans to pursue a career in journalism from each of the Townships’ three high schools: Alexander Galt, Massey-Vanier and Richmond Regional. His legacy of journalism and community service will live on.
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Eastern Door veteran leaves newspaper scene with lovely legacy by Steve Bonspiel there was no journalism scene to speak of, and Connie wasn’t paid for a year-and-ahalf for her tireless work as a Jane of all trades. In fact, the only jobs she didn’t do was graphic design – laying out the paper and creating ads. The business has changed immensely since then, and with it Connie had to learn new skills, faster, more complex computers and programs, and an ever-changing news landscape that now includes an additional newspaper, a TV channel, two radio stations and an online news component. During that time TED has written about important, politically charged stories - inIn her 22 years at The Eastern Door and her 75 years of vibrant living, what kept the cluding murder, rape and drug busts - but venerable Connie McArdle going was her she only felt scared one time in her working life at The Eastern Door. intense curiosity on how things work. “I was afraid once. I was alone in the of“I’m always interested in learning, espefi ce and this man came in and was really cially about things I haven’t a clue about,” mad because he put in an ad and it went she said. McArdle retired early from Air Cana- near the front of the paper. The next time it da after 29 years at the young age of 53, went in it was around page 19 or 20,” she and, coincidentally, a newspaper was being remembered. “He came in and he started yelling at me. launched in the community – a town that I tried to explain to him if he wanted it on only had a radio station at the time. “In the early years it was me and Kenneth, page four all the time it’s called guaranteed working in his house. I remember in the placement and you have to pay extra for beginning he did everything, sold the ads, that. He would not accept that. He leaned got the paper from the printer, delivered the over the desk with his fists and I was afraid he was going to hit me,” said Connie. paper to the stores,” she said. Luckily for the local man he didn’t do Connie explained a process that involved typing text into the text boxes - on the an- anything and left without violence. He nouncement page, for example - and then would have been in for the fight of his life. sticking a Post It note on the back of the Connie may be small but she doesn’t back pictures with corresponding numbers, and down for anyone. In her sometimes muted, humble way, sending the actual picture to the printer. “What the printer did is place the pic- Connie said she was “glad” when the paper ture on there and they took a picture of the would come out on Friday “because we had page,” she said. “And then they returned something to work towards and we could the pages and pictures to us and gave us a finally say ‘we made it!’” Getting TED out on time was one thing, big negative of the paper. but she said it was the provincial and na“The advertising people would mail us the tional awards, the recognition from judges ad they wanted in the paper and we would use special glue to stick on the page. It was from across Canada - against stiff competia special glue because sometimes we’d tion with papers of much larger circulations have to use the same ad for four weeks in - that proved the biggest measure that the team was doing a good job. a row.” “Most people in the community have posIt was so grassroots neighbours were called in to stuff the paper with inserts, and itive feedback about the paper,” she said. March 2014
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“The people that are negative are usually because of stories that involves them or their family. They will say ‘we didn’t want that to go in the paper,’ but we always tried to give both sides of the story. “Or if we made a major mistake in the paper – then people would say ‘what the hell is wrong with you?’” she laughed. Possibly the biggest mistake – which wasn’t funny at the time, but ended up winning the “Turkey Award” for best blooper with the Quebec Community Newspapers Association a few years ago– involved the church’s mass list. In it, it said: “the sanctuary lamp will burn all of the children in Kahnawake,” as opposed to “will burn FOR all the children in Kahnawake.” She still laughs to this day about that one, but the local catholic community did not see it in the same light. If anything, her 22 years in the business taught Connie to always try to laugh and look on the bright side, because nothing in life is as serious as her multiple illnesses, including cancer and a liver transplant. Connie plans on continuing to volunteer – for the Kateri Memorial Foundation – and to stay involved with the local theatre scene. She also has a keen interest in her own genealogy. “My great great grandmother was a lady in waiting to Queen Victoria,” she said, adding she helped the queen to get dressed and with other similar needs. One thing is certain, Connie didn’t wait for things to happen and she pursued her interests with as much guile, wit and positive forward motion as people half her age. Just ask anyone who knows her.
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QCNA 2013 BNC Finalists Writers' Awards B1 Best News Story (43 entries) Murphy, David - Nunatsiaq News Rowe, Daniel - The Eastern Door Stewart, Lyle - The Nation B2 Best Feature Story (39 entries) Gregoire, Lisa - Nunatsiaq News Webb, Ernest - The Nation Wilson, Cory - The Equity Honourable Mention: Staniforth, Jesse - The Nation B3 Best Business Story (26 entries) Gagné, Gilles - The Gaspé Spec Lowry, Morgan - Westmount Examiner Scholey, Lucy - The Low Down to Hull & Back News B4 Best Investigative or In-Depth Reporting (14 entries) Bonspiel, Steve - The Eastern Door Merkle, Bethann - Quebec ChronicleTelegraph Rowe, Daniel - The Eastern Door Honourable Mention: German, Amy – The Nation B5 Best Sports Story (22 entries) Greenway, Trevor - The Low Down to Hull & Back News Murphy, David - Nunatsiaq News Parry, James - Your Local Journal B6 Best Arts and Entertainment Story (31 entries) Bonspiel, Steve - The Eastern Door East, Jeremy - The Nation Greenway, Trevor - The Low Down to Hull & Back News B7 Best Column Writing (18 entries) Fabio, Carmen Marie – Your Local Journal Gunn, Cynthia – Quebec Farmers’ Advocate Murray, Ross - The Record Honourable Mention: Wajsman, Beryl – The Suburban City Edition
March 2014
B8 Best Business Column or Feature (13 entries) Merkle, Bethann - Quebec ChronicleTelegraph Scholey, Lucy - The Low Down to Hull & Back News Taylor, Ann - The Equity B9 Best Editorial (local affairs) (21 entries) Bell, Jim - Nunatsiaq News Dickson, Charles - The Equity Ryan, Fred - Bulletin d’Aylmer Honourable Mention: Bonspiel, Steve – The Eastern Door B10 Bob Phillips Award for the Best Editorial (general) (18 entries) Bell, Jim - Nunatsiaq News Dickson, Charles - The Equity Ryan, Lily – The West Quebec Post B11 Best Headline Writing (10 entries) Greenway, Trevor & Scholey, Lucy – The Low Down to Hull & Back News Lalonde, Marc – The Chronicle Wilson, Cory – The Equity B12 Best French-language News Story (7 entries) Fiilion, Sylvie – Bulletin d’Aylmer Graveline, Pier-Luc – Pontiac Journal du Pontiac Levy, Elias – The Canadian Jewish News B13 Best French-language Editorial / Column (4 entries) Bertrand, Carolle – Bulletin d’Aylmer Bomans, Dominique & Macron, André – Pontiac Journal du Pontiac Leclerc, Marcel – Bulletin d’Aylmer
B14 Best Education Story (29 entries) Bonaparte, Anthony - The Suburban West Island Greenway, Trevor - The Low Down to Hull & Back News Rowe, Daniel - The Eastern Door B15 Best Agricultural Story (12 entries) Blenkarn, Matthew – The Equity McClelland, Andrew – Quebec Farmers’ Rogers, Sarah – Nunatsiaq News B16 Best Environmental Story (24 entries) Cranfield, Andrea - The Equity Fabio, Carmen Marie & John Jantak Your Local Journal Robillard-Cardinal, Laurent - The West Quebec Post B17 Best Municipal / Civic Affairs Story (28 entries) Fabio, Carmen Marie - Your Local Journal Greenway, Trevor - The Low Down to Hull & Back News Rogers, Sarah - Nunatsiaq News Honourable Mention: McClelland, Andrew - Quebec Farmers’ Advocate & Varga, Peter - Nunatsiaq News B18 Best Community Health Story (26 entries) Bonspiel, Steve - The Eastern Door Gregoire, Lisa - Nunatsiaq News Murphy, David - Nunatsiaq News Honourable Mention: Staniforth, Jesse The Nation
Thanks to all of our judges for their dedicated time. Without you, the Better Newspapers Competition would not exist.
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QCNA 2013 BNC Finalists Photographer Awards B19 Best News Photo (18 entries) Cranfield, Andrea - The Equity Rowe, Daniel - The Eastern Door Webb, Ernest - The Nation
B20 Best Feature Photo (25 entries) Amyot, Rob - The Chronicle Burns, Danielle - Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph Greenway, Trevor - The Low Down to Hull & Back News
B21 Best Sports Photo (18 entries) Ford, Peter - Westmount Examiner Rowe, Daniel - The Eastern Door Soong, Andrew - The Suburban Laval
B22 Best Photo Essay (17 entries) George, Stanley Jason & Kawapit, Robbie - The Nation Greenway, Trevor - The Low Down to Hull & Back News Lorica, Rodney & Mohamed, Sabreena - Your Local Journal
Best Editorial Cartoon
Graphic Design Excellence
B23 Best Editorial Cartoon (5 entries) Bonaparte, Anthony – The Suburban City Edition Roach, Stan – The Chronicle Whyte, Megan – The Eastern Door
B24 Best Advertising Creation (8 entries) Molter, Elena – The Laval News Tremblay, Anne – The Nation Viau, Charles - Bulletin d’Aylmer
Best Overall Newspaper Awards Al Best Overall Newspaper (12 entries) The Eastern Door The Low Down To Hull & Back News The Suburban West Island
A4 Best Feature Page (12 entries) The Low Down To Hull & Back News The Nation Pontiac Journal du Pontiac
A2 Best Front Page (13 entries) The Chronicle The Eastern Door Westmount Examiner
A5 Best Sports Page(s) (6 entries) The Eastern Door Pontiac Journal du Pontiac The Suburban West Island
A3 Best Editorial Page (9 entries) The Eastern Door Nunatsiaq News The Suburban West Island
A6 Best Special Section (11 entries) The Chronicle The Gleaner Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph
A7 Best Community Newspaper Promotion (5 entries) The Eastern Door The Nation Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph A8 Best Ad (7 entries) The Gleaner Nunatsiaq News Your Local Journal A9 Best Website (7 entries) The Canadian Jewish News The Chronicle The Laval News
Our Gala Sponsors
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Industry news Informed Consent! The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) ethics advisory committee has released a new report on the methods journalists use to gain consent from their subjects and sources, especially those who are vulnerable and/or marginalized. The discussion paper asks if journalists should be obligated to disclose potentially harmful consequences of revealing private information in order to obtain informed consent from their sources. Is this a radical notion that potentially undermines the press’ ability to serve the public interest or should journalists take more care when dealing with vulnerable people? http://www.scribd.com/doc/210353384/CAJ-Ethics-Report-Informed-Consent-01-03-2014-FINAL-3
The Peter Gzowski Life Literacy Fellowship ABC Life Literacy Canada is now accepting applications for the 2014 Peter Gzowski Life Literacy Fellowship. Each year, the fellowship awards a Canadian journalist with a financial contribution of $3,000 to help in the development, research and publication (print, online or broadcast) of a media story focusing on adult literacy. Founded in 1993 in honour of legendary broadcaster, journalist and literacy advocate Peter Gzowski, the annual award is designed to generate public awareness of adult literacy and to inspire all Canadians to increase their literacy skills. The Fellowship is open to all accredited media working and
freelance journalists working and residing in Canada as well as media/journalism graduate students enrolled in an accredited post-graduate program in Canada. The application deadline is 5:00PM EDT on Friday, May 30, 2014. For details visit abclifeliteracy.ca/ peter-gzowski-lifeliteracy-fellowship A winner will be selected and notified by the end of July 31, 2014 and ABC Life Literacy Canada will officially announce the recipient in August 2013. The award-winner will be invited to attend Life Literacy Night in Toronto in September to receive the Fellowship and a cheque for $3,000.
CORRECTION In the December 2013 issue of The Connector, page 9, in the story “Low Down reporter nabs job at daily” the photo credit was wrongly given to the Low Down to Hull & Back News. Though the photo did appear in the Low Down, the photo was originally taken by Leona Mozes. March 2014
APME’s NewsTrain rolls into Vancouver on April 25-26 Join Associated Press Media Editors (APME) in Vancouver on April 25-26 for a unique editorial training series covering digital media, enterprise reporting, social media, video, multimedia packaging, newsroom management and much more. The two-day NewsTrain Vancouver workshop is designed to provide training in the skills, knowledge, and information needed in a rapidly changing media setting, at an affordable cost. The program is open to working journalists, educators and journalism students involved in print, broadcast and digital media. Registration is just $75 for the two-day workshop, which includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks both days. NewsTrain is sponsored by Associated Press Media Editors and this workshop is hosted by Newspapers Canada, the British Columbia and Yukon Community Newspapers Association (BCYCNA), Black Press, Glacier Media, and Postmedia. For more informstion visit www.newspaperscanada.ca
The story behind the Rob Ford story In the March 2014 issue of The Walrus: the story behind the Rob Ford story. Ivor Tossell, author of The Gift of Ford: How Toronto’s Unlikeliest Man Became its Most Notorious Mayor, examines how a little-known Supreme Court ruling unmuzzled reporters—and changed Canadian journalism. The feature-length article includes a dozen illustrated portraits of Toronto’s beleaguered mayor by frequent Walrus contributor Graham Roumieu. http://thewalrus.ca/the-story-behind-the-rob-ford-story/
The 2014 Canadian Association of Journalists conference in Vancouver! The CAJ is heading west for its annual conference, which will run May 9-10, 2014, at the Holiday Inn and Suites Downtown Vancouver. The conference will include a keynote address from Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, followed by a panel discussion on media coverage of First Nations issues. The panel will include a representative from APTN, Stewart Phillip (president of the Union of Indian B.C. Chiefs), and CAJ board member David Wiwchar. Saturday will include a plenary organized by the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma, where its new mental-health guide will be introduced to journalists for the first time. A workshop will follow. http://www.caj.ca/?p=3723 - 11 -
www.qcna.
Quebec Community Newspapers Association Better Newspapers Awards & Gala 2014 Friday, June 6, veur Mont S aint-S au
2014
Sponsorship Package
spapers community new 6 3 ith w er tn ing ar P d editors honour an s er rt po re 0 and 10 news bec’s community the best in Que
s
Photo by Leona Moze
Title Sponsor - $3,500 - $5,000. Full recognition on all conference and gala related material. Top priority in our visual presentation, award booklet at the awards gala. An address to banquet attendees and award presentation. Advertising package in your key market areas. Gala registration for four. QCNA Annual General Meeting $1,500 - $3,499. Full recognition on all conference and gala related material. Recognition in the awards newspaper, website & gala presentation. Recognition at the Annual General Meeting of member publishers. Gala registration for two.
ation
For more inform
Community Support $100 to $499. Recognition on conference material. Recognition in the awards newspaper and at QCNA.ORG. Verbal recognition throughout the event.
CNA
tive Director, Q
Tardif, Execu contact Richard
189 Hymus Blvd. Suite 207 Pointe-Claire, Quebec, H9R 1E9 514-697-6330 - www.qcna.org info@qcna.qc.ca
Serving Quebec’s English minority newspapers March 2014
Individual Category Awards $500 – $1,499. Highlight your company logo next to individual award. Recognition in the awards newspaper and at QCNA. ORG. Choose from 33 award categories.
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www.qcna.org
Patrice Laflamme: our journalist, our colleague, our friend
Photo by Richard Tardif
All those he touched throughout his career will surely remember his caring and genuine personality. He was also a valued member of the community, where he sat as a member of the Cultural Committee for the Haut SaintLaurent MRC. At one time he was also a proud member of the Huntingdon Optimist Club, and was a supporter of causes such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis. The staff and administration at The Gleaner/La Source extend their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Patrice, in his hometown of ActonVale and in the Haut Saint-Laurent.
Canadian University Press needs help The Canadian University Press (CUP) has launched a new fundraising campaign in response to its current financial difficulties. Effective March 1, CUP was forced to eliminate all part-time staff positions for the duration of the academic year. The 76-year-old student news service is appealing to alumni and members of the Canadian media industry to support its efforts to raise the necessary $50,000 to reinstate its staff and rebuild the cooperative. To learn more about the Keep Cup Strong campaign and to donate, please visit www. indiegogo.com/projects/keep-cup-strong Contact CUP President Erin Hudson at president@cup.ca if you have any specific questions.
By Sarah Rennie It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Patrice Laflamme. A quality journalist, and an esteemed member of the team at The Gleaner/La Source, he will be sorely missed. A journalist for 24 years, Patrice began his career in 1990 at the weekly paper Les Actualites in Asbestos, where he worked for over five years. He went on to work at La Pensee de Bagot, L’Impact de Sainte-Hyacinthe, and the L’Avenir de Plessisville, before taking a leave from journalism to pursue other interests. He returned to his calling fourteen years ago when he joined the team at The Gleaner/La Source as the French journalist. “When we heard the sad new on Monday, we were all in shock,” says General Manager Sheri Graham. “We are all going to miss his positive energy around the office,” she adds, reflecting on his generous nature and charisma. “He will always be a part of our lives and the success of the Gleaner.” Patrice left his hometown of Acton-Vale to pursue his education and career in journalism, but he truly never left home in his heart. Certainly many of his happiest times were the holidays and long weekends he spent in the company of his friends and family. Over time, Huntingdon and the surrounding region became his second home, and the friendships he forged here will see him live on in our fond memories. He had a passion for community journalism and a solid nose for news. Morning, noon or night, Patrice was as dedicated to his work as he was the people of the Haut Saint-Laurent. March 2014
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www.qcna.
34th Annual Better Newspapers GALA 2014 June 6 th, 2014 Annual General Meeting 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Workshops
1:00 p.m. The Pulse of the Health Article with Rita Legault, Quebec Community Groups Network 2:30 p.m. Law & Ethics Open Discussion with Alan Conter, Concordia University
Maya Johnson EMCEE CTV News Reporter
Cocktails 6 - 7 p.m. Banquet and Awards Gala 7 - 10 p.m.
Jennifer Pontarelli
Manoir Saint-Sauveur 246 Chemin du Lac-Millette St-Sauveur, QC J0R 1R3
PHOTOGRAPHER
Quebec Community Newspapers Association L’Association des journaux régionaux du Québec
March 2014
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www.qcna.