Registration now open for #CAJ16 conference headlined by Shadi Rahimi

OTTAWA, March 21, 2016 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Journalists is pleased to announce registration for its 2016 conference is now open. The CAJ is also announcing its first keynote: Shadi Rahimi, a leading voice for digital journalism at Al Jazeera's AJ+.

The two-day conference is scheduled to run from Friday, May 27 to Saturday, May 28, at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel in Edmonton, Alta. Full-conference and single-day registration is available, with pricing for CAJ members, affiliate members, non-members and students. The hotel will also offer a conference rate, starting at $110 a night plus taxes and fees.

"We're looking forward to returning to Edmonton, where we'll offer a top-notch professional development and networking opportunity for working journalists at reasonable rates," CAJ president Nick Taylor-Vaisey said.

Rates for the conference start at $249 plus HST for CAJ members for the full weekend, including a ticket to the awards gala. Student member rates start at $75, with single-day registration starting at $105. These rates will increase on May 20. All details, including a link to our online registration site, is posted on the #CAJ16 page at caj.ca.

The CAJ has reinstated a conference rate for those journalists who are unemployed, in recognition of the ongoing difficulties facing our industry. Those rates are the same as those for CAJ student members, starting at $75. We hope those able to get to Edmonton are able to take advantage of this discounted rate to attend #CAJ16, pick up new skills and network with colleagues from across Canada.

We're also thrilled to announce one of our keynotes. Rahimi and her team have pushed out journalism across their digital platforms from many of the world's recent hotspots, including Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Ferguson, the European refugee crisis, and unrest in the West Bank. Rahimi will also lead a workshop session on mobile video.

The #CAJ16 conference committee has pulled together an impressive lineup of panels, workshops, plenaries and speakers. The list of those who confirmed their participation in the conference includes the Globe and Mail's Kathy Tomlinson and Andre Picard; Canada Research Chair in digital life, media and culture Isabel Pederson; Edmonton Journal city columnist Paula Simons; CBC ombuds Esther Enkin; Twitter Canada's Steve Ladurantaye; La Presse's Yann Pineau; the Toronto Star's Jane Davenport; and many more to be announced.

We'll release more details on the conference lineup in the coming weeks.

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing over 600 members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide public-interest advocacy and high-quality professional development for its members. 

Registration questions can be sent to: [e-mail]

www.caj.ca/caj16 | www.facebook.com/CdnAssocJournalists | www.twitter.com/CAJ

SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists

For further information: Nick Taylor-Vaisey, CAJ president, 647-968-2393, [e-mail] ; Hugo Rodrigues, #CAJ16 conference chair, [e-mail]; Dale Bass, CAJ events committee chair, [e-mail]