World Press Freedom Day

Defenders of Press Freedom Nominated

Awards to be presented at the World Press Freedom Luncheon, May 5, 2009

The Award will be presented at a luncheon at the National Arts Centre hosted by the CBC's Don Newman on Tuesday, May 5, marking World Press Freedom Day (May 3). Award-winning Globe and Mail Afghanistan correspondent Graeme Smith, also a nominee for this year’s Press Freedom award, will speak on “The dangerous and confusing search for truth in Afghanistan”.

The Committee will also award three prizes in the 9th International Editorial Cartoon Competition.

The Press Freedom Award nominees are:

* Reporter Daniel Leblanc, nominated by the Globe and Mail for his willingness to risk judicial censure for protecting a confidential source in the sponsorship scandal;

* Reporter William Marsden, nominated by The Gazette for his reporting of a land deal involving the husband of Parti Québecois leader Pauline Marois. A resulting lawsuit against the newspaper threatens to stifle legitimate investigation into an issue of public interest;

* Brian Macleod Rogers and Paul Schabas, lawyers nominated by the Canadian Newspaper Association for their outstanding work, often without monetary reward, fighting for important principles that help keep the press free and our democratic system healthy;

* Graeme Smith of The Globe and Mail, nominated by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) for his reporting on Afghanistan. Smith is credited with sparking an important debate inside Canada about the moral and legal parameters of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.

The Press Freedom Award includes a cash prize of $2,000 and a certificate of honour from the CCWPF and the Canadian Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The International Editorial Cartoon Competition attracted more than 500 entries from scores of countries for prizes of $1,500, $750 and $500 on this year's theme of "Protecting Privacy" - a concept often employed by governments and law enforcement bodies as a justification for denying the release of information to the public.

Sponsors of the luncheon and awards include the Brewers' Association of Canada, TELUS, Canadian Newspaper Association, CIDA, the Ottawa Citizen, the University of Ottawa, Rights and Democracy, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Air Canada, Delta Media, Le Droit, Hill Times/Embassy, Canada News Wire, Thornley Fallis Communications, the National Press Club Foundation and the National Arts Centre.

For Luncheon Reservations, please call: 613 237-3575.

Note to Editors: The name of the winner of the Press Freedom Award will be announced in a release Monday May 4, embargoed for 12 Noon. Download the three winning editorial cartoons here or at the CCWPF site, www.ccwpf-cclpm.ca. CNA-member newspapers should have received an e-mail with the advance link for uploading the embargoed cartoons. Contact cdorn@cna-acj.ca for the advance link.

Media Contacts:
Bob Carty (613) 730-1007 rcarty@sympatico.ca, 

See also: http://www.ccwpf-cclpm.ca which has links to many press freedom sites.