APTN journalists walked away with two awards from the annual Canadian Association of Journalists conference held in Edmonton Saturday.
Dennis Ward and Murray Oliver of APTN National News, and Melissa Ridgen of APTN Investigates were award recipients from the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ).
The award acknowledges outstanding investigative journalism in Canada, published or broadcast in 2015.
These are the two winning stories:
Category: Journalists for Human Rights / CAJ Award for Human Rights Reporting
Dennis Ward and Murray Oliver, APTN National News and APTN Investigates
A Soldier Scorned
The story of Esther Wolki, an Inuit woman who left her tiny NWT community on the shores of the Arctic Ocean and joined the Canadian Army. Wolki wanted to see the world and to serve her country. But over the next ten years, she endured an unceasing barrage of sexist and racist taunts, even during a combat deployment to Afghanistan. And yet she perservered, until a horrific incident perpetrated by her fellow soldiers nearly ended her life.
Category: CWA Canada / CAJ Award for Labour Reporting
Melissa Ridgen, APTN Investigates
Hurting for Work
In this story, Melissa Ridgen exposed the dangerous working conditions faced by the temporary Aboriginal labourers who load trash bins by hand into waste collection trucks. Her story brought both sympathy and outrage for the authorities that would place innocent men at such risk. It finally provoked an investigation that will examine if laws are being broken.
Three other members of the APTN National News team who were also recognized with award nominations:
Category: Open Broadcast Feature
Kathleen Martens, APTN Investigates
For the Love of Matty
This is the story of a man named Matty, a status Indian living with serious disabilities. After many years spent in care, suddenly Matty is “aged out” of the foster care system. Will he be forced to leave the only family he’s ever known?
Daily Excellence
Jorge Barrera and Damian Joseph, APTN National News
Lac La Ronge Fires
Members of APTN’s news team travelled behind the barricades to report on the historic forest fires that ravaged parts of northern Saskatchewan last summer. They met the workers who faced serious personal risks in fighting for their communities, the leaders trying desperately to coordinate a response, and the evacuees from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band reserve who feared they might soon lose everything.
