Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom awards 2020 Press Freedom Award to Kenneth Jackson of APTN

OTTAWA, April 30, 2020 /CNW/ - The winner of the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom (CCWPF) 2020 Press Freedom Award is Kenneth Jackson, reporter/producer with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).

The annual award recognizes outstanding achievements by Canadian media workers who produce public-interest journalism, while overcoming secrecy, intimidation or other efforts to thwart their work.

Backed by his APTN managers, Jackson relentlessly pursued critical information on the fate of Indigenous children who died after being placed in care in Ontario. His reporting included tracking down relatives on the streets of Thunder Bay, filing access to information requests, and going to court to get access to files in civil lawsuits.

The CCWPF gives honourable mentions to Michael de Adder, long-time editorial cartoonist with the Irving-owned Brunswick News Inc, and to Joan Baxter, a Nova Scotia journalist and author.

The Committee also awards its Spencer Moore Award for Lifetime Achievement to David Pugliese who covers the military beat for The Ottawa Citizen.

Pugliese has been a fearless chronicler of the Canadian military for many years, often by challenging the Department of National Defence's poor record on Access to Information. He spent time covering Canadian troops in Afghanistan and has broken important stories on questionable practices in defence procurement. The award is named in honour of the late Spencer Moore, a founding director of CCWPF.

More information about the winners can be found on our website: https://worldpressfreedomcanada.ca/awards/

The CCWPF works with the patronage of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, and the sustaining sponsorship of the Canadian Bankers' Association. Each year, the committee marks UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day on May 3.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier of Ontario Doug Ford appear in press freedom video
To mark World Press Freedom Day, the CCWPF is also releasing a video in which leaders from governments, business, the environmental community, the arts and Indigenous organizations attest to the importance of press freedom during this time of public health and economic crises. The video can be found on our website: https://worldpressfreedomcanada.ca/

"It is important that we mark World Press Freedom Day," committee president Shawn McCarthy said. "The public health and economic crises resulting from the coronavirus outbreak has clearly demonstrated the vital importance of a free and vigorous media in communicating accurate information and posing relevant questions to those in authority."

McCarthy said that even though Canadian journalists work in a country of relative freedom, we still have to be vigilant because there are glaring examples where freedom is frustrated or threatened.

20^th International Editorial Cartoon Competition Winners
Arash Ekramifar of Iran is the grand prize winner in the 20^th International Editorial Cartoon Competition, with the theme: Pulling the plug on social media. Second prize goes to Kianoush Ramezani of Finland, and third prize to Bruce MacKinnon of Canada.

"We received more 300 cartoons from 31 countries," said Guy Badeaux, coordinator of the contest.

Ekramifar has collaborated with various Iranian publications for 14 years and is now continuing his studies in journalism and arts.

The winning cartoons are available on our website: : https://worldpressfreedomcanada.ca/cartoons/

About the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom
The Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom is an Ottawa-based volunteer group whose mission is to raise public awareness for the right to free expression; identify violations and defend freedom of the press.

The advocacy committee is supported by sponsors including the patronage of Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the platinum sponsorship of Canadian Bankers' Association. To learn more about the committee, visit: https://worldpressfreedomcanada.ca/

SOURCE Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom

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