Call for Justicia award nominations

Nominations are being sought for the annual Justicia Awards for Excellence in Journalism. The awards honour web, print and broadcast journalists that foster public awareness and understanding of the Canadian justice system.

Nominations close on June 11 for stories published between May 16, 2009 and May 15, 2010. For a nomination form and more information, visit the Canadian Bar Association’s website.

A press release on the Department of Justice Canada’s website reports:

“The criteria for judging entries are accuracy, originality, effectiveness in explaining issues to the public, informational value and insight. The Awards are sponsored by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and the Department of Justice Canada.

“Two prize winners, one for excellence in broadcast and one for print or on-line publication, will be chosen by an independent judging panel selected by the CBA and the Department of Justice. The Awards will be presented at the CBA’s Canadian Legal Conference in Niagara, Ontario in August.

“Last year, journalist Peter McKnight of the Vancouver Sun was the winner in the print category for three columns on crime and punishment published in February and March 2009. A team from Global News Calgary, including reporter Mia Sosiak, photographers George Glen and Bruce Aalhus, and editor Joe McDaid, was the winner in the broadcast category for a November 2008 series “Court of Hope” on Calgary’s Drug Treatment Court.”