Acknowledgements
This book honours the in-depth journalism of Canadian reporters, editors, producers, broadcasters and publishers who, over decades, have stood up to bullies, uncovered secrecy, fraud and wrongdoings, and given voice to marginalized communities. Their stories had an impact. They mobilized voters to defeat corrupt officials and brought down governments, they explained and exposed systemic injustices, and they shamed politicians to change laws and policies and forced transparency. Journalism for the Public Good: The Michener Awards at Fifty pays tribute to their ongoing mission to speak truth to power and in the process strengthen our democratic institutions. Their journalism is the heart and soul of the work of the Michener Awards Foundation and this book.
As a Michener judge, I had the honour to read, watch and listen to twelve years of the best in investigative journalism from across the country. I am grateful to the Michener Awards Foundation and my fellow judges — you know who you are — for your combined wisdom and shared purpose. A special thank you to former board member Tim Kotcheff for giving me unfettered access to the Michener archives, which he single-handedly built and maintained until he left the board in 2014.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Bill Lahey, president of the University of King’s College, and my colleagues in the School of Journalism, Writing and Publishing. King’s was my intellectual home, first in the Foundation Year Program as a student, and years later, as a journalism professor. King’s was the springboard that launched this project.
Journalism for the Public Good was conceived, researched and written at Massey College at the University of Toronto. Thank you to the late Hugh Segal, principal of Massey College, and Amela Marin, registrar, for opening the iron gates to welcome me as a visiting scholar in 2018, to Tom Kierans and Mary Janigan for their support, to principal Nathalie Des Rosiers for inviting me back in 2021 as a Senior Fellow and resident, and to the Junior Fellows at Massey College. These phenomenal graduate students encourage and inspire me daily with their intellect, humour, compassion and dedication to making the world a better place.
In researching this book, thanks go to Sophie Tellier at Library and Archives Canada, Liseanne Cadieux and Mélanie Frias from Rideau Hall Library, and Allan Thompson, Emily Hotton and Cindy Kardash-Lalonde at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication.
I am ever grateful to the collective of people who kindly waded through the manuscript at various stages. Their sage advice and editing helped to shape my ideas into this book: developmental editor Karen Dewart McEwan, Elizabeth Hanton, Henry Roper, Sally Reardon, Margo Goodhand, James Baxter, Chris Waddell, Pierre-Paul Noreau, George Cooper, Alexander Sallas, and Jamie Deacon.
I also want to thank the many people not mentioned in these acknowledgements who contributed to this book over the years. All omissions and errors are mine alone.
To the wonderful team at the University of Calgary Press, director Brian Scrivener, editorial coordinator Helen Hajnoczky, designer Melina Cusano, and marketing specialist Alison Cobra. You got me to home base.
A special thank you goes to my partner, Ian Porter, who believed in what I was doing even when I had my doubts. Thank you for your ears and eyes and encouragement, and for keeping the home fire burning while I’ve been away researching, writing and editing.
The Michener Award.
The front page of the Scotian Journalist, a co-winner of the 1972 Michener Award, August 3, 1972. Nova Scotia Archives, microfilm 8178.
Toronto Star’s ongoing coverage into Rob Ford, mayor of the largest city in Canada, November 8, 2013.>
Accessed from newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/950983900/
Race and Crime. A Toronto Star investigation into Race and Crime led by investigative reporter Jim Rankin won the 2002 Michener Award. The ongoing series revealed the Toronto police department treated blacks differently than whites in the world's most ethnically diverse city. The ongoing reporting has led to the end of carding and other discriminatory practices.
Image courtsey of Jim Rankin, Toronto Star.
Front page of the Whig-Standard, June 12, 1979, winner of the 1971 Michener Award for its in-depth reporting about fluoride poisoning on Cornwall Island, an Indigenous community. Accessed from newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/730543211/?terms=
Daily News (Halifax) wins the 1997 Michener Award for its series covering the mistreatment of children at Nova Scotia reform schools over several decades. Accessed from Halifax Regional Library, Central Library microfilm.
His Excellency Roland Michener giving the first Michener Award to Clive Baxter of The Financial Post and Alan Elrich of CBC-TV for the 1970 series “The Charter Revolution.”
The Scotian Journalist. Vol.2 No.37. August 3, 1972. “Straight from Dickens: Fiasco exposed: Shocking Extremes – Abuse, Health Hazards.” Coverdale Unmasked: ‘Staff ill-qualified’. Staffer: ‘Dogs get better treatment’…More than ninety changes recommended…In isolation: ‘Denied food, water, sanitary napkins’… ‘Talking taboo’… Previous reports were Ignored…Chamber pots in bedrooms…Informers richly rewarded…Judges taken to task in report. ‘As God is my judge, I’m not guilty of these things’: Moneda Lord in personal interview with The Scotian Journalist.
Toronto Star.
Friday, November 8, 2013. “Ford Video Scandal. Eight nights: A timeline of Ford’s week of scandal.”
For more than a week, Torontonians have been transfixed by a series of bombshell revelations relating to Mayor Rob Ford, his drug and alcohol use, and potential ties to illegal activity. Here’s a look at the past eight days of the Ford saga.
Thursday Oct. 31.
10am.
The release of a 465-page document relating to a search warrant on the mayor’s professed friend, Alexander (Sandro) Lisi, reveals a six-month police investigation into Ford’s behaviour. The document describes secret meetings between Lisi and Ford. It also includes photos of Lisi placing an envelope in the mayor’s Escalade, and of Ford urinating on a tree.
11.30am. Toronto police Chief Bill Blair confirms the existence of the “crack” video, first reported by the Star and Gawker.com in May. “As a citizen of the city, I’m disappointed,” Blair says. He also announces that Lisi had been arrested and charged with extortion.
2.30pm. In a brief statement, Ford tells media outside his city hall office: “I have no reason to resign.” He refuses to speak to the contents of police documents, the video or Lisi’s extortion charge.
“I wish I could come out and defend myself. Unfortunately I can’t, because it’s before the courts,” he says.
Friday Nov. 1.
10am-11am.
Lisi appears in court, facing an extortion charge for trying to retrieve the video from two alleged gang members through “threats or violence or menaces.”
At the same time Councillor Doug Ford calls into AM640 to defend his brother, the mayor, and calls on the police to release the video.
11.30am-4.30pm.
The Ford brothers hold a meeting at their mother’s Etobicoke home, along with staffers from the mayor’s office. They leave without speaking to media.
9.50pm.
The Star published a story detailing how a “very intoxicated” Mayor Ford turned up at city hall on St. Patrick’s Day 2012, struggling to walk, swearing and carrying a half-empty bottle of brandy.
Saturday Nov. 2.
12pm-1.15pm.
Ford appears at city hall and brushes by media without answering questions.
5pm-7pm. Ford meets with Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly at the Scarborough Civic Centre. Kelly delivers a message from the mayor’s executive committee on how Ford should deal with the current scandals.
Sunday Nov.3.
1pm-3pm.
The Ford brothers hold their weekly radio show as scheduled. The mayor offers an apology for unspecified “mistakes” and vows to stay on as the city’s chief magistrate. Ford later dodges a question about his drug use, and promises to cut back on his drinking. “I’m the first one to admit I’m not perfect. I have made mistakes,” Ford says. “I sincerely apologize to my family, to the city, the taxpayers of this great city and to my colleagues on Toronto city council.”
“Curb the drinking, not out in public, you can stay in your basement, have a few pops. That’s it,” says Councillor Ford. Both Doug and Rob Ford call on the police chief to release the video.
Monday Nov. 4.
10am.
In an interview with AM640 radio host John Oakley, the mayor repeats his apology for past mistakes. Asked directly if he’s ever smoked crack cocaine, Ford says, “I’m not a drug addict…I’m not an alcoholic.”
Tuesday Nov. 5.
10am.
Councillor Doug calls on police Chief Bill Blair to resign, alleging the city’s top cop is biased against the mayor. “(Blair) believes he’s the judge, the jury and the executioner. He wanted to go out and put a political bullet right between the mayor’s eyes,” Ford says on AM640.
He later accuses police board member Andrew Pringle of going on an inappropriate fishing trip with Blair, and says Pringle should step down.
11.15am.
In a spontaneous scrum with reports, Mayor Ford tells the city, “Yes I have smoked crack cocaine. But no, do I, am I an addict? No.”
4.30pm. They mayor holds a press conference at his office, where he apologizes for his “mistakes” and reiterates his commitment to stay and run in the next election.
Wednesday Nov. 6.
11am.
Policy adviser Brooks Barnett quits his job in the mayor’s office.
12pm.
Demonstrators convene at Nathan Phillips Square, waving placards and calling on Mayor Ford to resign.
Thursday Nov. 7
12.30pm.
The Star posts a new 77-second video on its website. It shows the mayor gesticulating manically while saying he is going to kill someone.
12.40pm
Mayor Ford emerges from his office to comment on the video. “All I can say is, again, I’ve made mistakes. All I can do is reassure the people that…I don’t know what to say,” he says. The mayor walks away without explaining the context of his apparent rage in the video.
The Whig-Standard. City Final. Home Edition. Kingston. Tuesday, June 12, 1979. “Fluoride pollution killing Cornwall cattle: Human health in danger, pathologist says.
The Sunday Star. October 20, 2002. “Police target black drivers” Star analysis of traffic data suggests racial profiling.
“Daily News wins national award: Abuse series takes Michener Award for ‘public service in journalism.’”
The Daily News has won the 1997 Michener Award for its System of Abuse series covering the mistreatment of children at Nova Scotia reform schools over several decades. The award – given for “meritorious public service in journalism” – was announced yesterday at a ceremony in Ottawa by Chief justice Antonio Lamer, acting on behalf of Gov. Gen. Romeo LeBlanc. “Grim details of beatings, molestations and rapes emerged as The Daily News detached David Rodenhiser, one of its nine reporters for a three-month study,” said a statement from the Michener Foundation. Freelance columnist Parker Barss Donham was also cited for a substantial contribution to the project. “This is very gratifying,” said Daily News editor-in-chief Doug MacKay. “Rodenhiser and Donham were steady and tenacious in bringing this material to light. The several editors and reports who helped along the way, especially managing editor Bill Turpin, also share in the credit. Rodenhiser, Donham and Turpin were in Ottawa last night to accept the award. Rodenhiser said he is extremely honored to win the award on behalf of the victims of abuse.
‘A great day’
“I think this honour is a testament to the victims of abuse who had the courage to come forward and tell their stories and hold the government accountable for what it failed to do,” said Rodenhiser. “This honour should really go to them.” Publisher Mark Richardson said the award is a great honour for the newspaper. “It’s a great day – especially for David and Parker, who have contributed a lot to The Daily News over the years. They deserve it.” Le Droit, the Ottawa French-language daily, won an honourable mention for its “energetic reaction to the decision by Premier Mike Harris’s hospital restructuring process to close Montfort, Ontario’s only wholly francophone institution.”
‘Massive sealed archive’
Citations of merit were awarded to the Calgary Herald, The London Free Press, The Toronto Star, and the CBC television program Market Place. Collectively called System of Abuse, the Daily News series drew the public’s attention to the plight of abuse survivors of the province’s reform schools and helped prompt the largest investigation in RCMP history. The RCMP’s Operation Hope task force has received allegations involving 1,500 alleged victims and 400 alleged abusers. A key discovery in the paper’s investigation was a “massive sealed archive” of government correspondence, known as RG-72. The archive had been off-limits even to the RCMP. RG-72’s existence was brought to the paper’s attention by abuse victim and amateur archivist Paul Dauphinee, who had happened upon a restricted file at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia in Halifax. A search by the Justice Department’s Internal Investigation Unit turned up a report filed in 1966 by Sydney probation officer Edward Roy Gannon. Gannon had discovered that several of the boys in his charge had been raped at the Shelburne School for boys. After abuse survivors, represented by lawyer William Leahey, won disclosure of parts of RG-72, more evidence of abuse in the province’s reform schools began to emerge, including letters to and from government officials about staff practices and abusive treatment of children. Rodenhiser and Donham also uncovered evidence politicians stepped in during the 1960s and ‘70s to protect the jobs of people at provincial youth centres. Earlier this year, Leahey won an court order requiring the government to dig deeper into RG-72 for evidence. The newspaper series began as a three-month-long project in April 1997, and scores of follow-up stories have appeared since then. The series was also an Atlantic Journalism Award nominee at an awards ceremony earlier this month. The Michener Award was founded in 1970 under the auspices of then governor general Roland Michener.