2021 BNC Awards_Best Editorial under 10k

The LJI reporter will be based out of the offices of the Battlefords News-Optimist. The reporter will cover provincial court cases in Saskatoon and Prince Albert regularly and systematically. The reporter will do a regular court docket for the communities of La Loche, La Ronge, Tisdale, Melfort, Hudson Bay, Estevan, Humboldt, Kamsack, Kipling, Preeceville, Unity/Wilkie, Weyburn, and Yorkton. S/he would also be in a position to embark on an in-depth editorial series about First Nations issues in the justice system as it pertains to residents of these communities. The News-Optimist website would be configured to have special sections for each of the communities in the reporter’s coverage area for readers to easily find stories about their home town.

The LJI reporter will cover the urban Indigenous community in the City of Toronto and cover issues of concern to urban Indigenous peoples. Issues will include housing and homelessness, education, the criminal justice system, the environment, education, employment, systemic inequities and anti-racism initiatives.

The LJI reporter will be assigned to the rising criminal activity in Peel region. Some issues that will be investigated include police accountability, the court systems, and social justice. The reporter will also investigate overcrowding of jails, quality of forensics work and youth incarceration.

The LJI reporter will be assigned to the affordable housing situation in the Greater Toronto Area and in the city of Toronto. The reporter will attend public meetings related to this issue and conduct original analysis and in-depth investigations on public housing providers and their practice and examine how this issue impacts marginalized communities (indigenous peoples, people of colour, LGBTQ2S, newcomers, people with disabilities etc.). The reporter will also look at the general social and economic impact of the housing situation on the city and region as a whole.

« The LJI reporter will be assigned to the underserved communities of Morrin, Carbon, Rowley, Rumsey, Hussar, Standard, Rosebud, Delia, Craigmyle, Big Valley, Rockyford, Starland County, Kneehill County, and Wheatland County. Civic institutions they would be covering could include:
– Provincial and Queens Bench Court
– Drumheller Town Council
– Civic Councils in: Delia, Morrin, Hussar, Carbon, Standard, Big Valley, Munson and Rockyford
– County Councils: Starland County, Wheatland County, Kneehill County
– School Boards including Golden Hills, Prairieland, Christ the Redeemer and other regional governance boards (i.e. Solid Waste)
The reporter will consistently attend municipal council meetings and school board meetings. The reporter will also explore how these bodies interact with provincial and federal decisions. We will brand the content within our publication and online with place lines or special headers distinguishing regional news or school news. Our coverage of schools will go beyond simply meeting coverage but flesh out important stories that affect their community.
On the civic side, our coverage will also go further than simple meeting coverage, it will also encompass coverage of projects within the community, issues in front of the council, and how council’s decisions affects residents. »

« The ECA Review will position the new full-time journalist in Hanna in their proposed Business Hub. The addition of a full-time LJI reporter with a journalism degree would augment and further expand the number of communities and civic meetings the ECA Review could cover. The publisher, office manager, reporter and new hire will work as a team to add new communities and realign current assignments to minimize travel times for full-time journalists and freelance reporters. Objectives:
1) Expand coverage of civic meetings in eight towns and villages and two school boards;
2) Establish physical presence in Hanna, similar to our satellite office in Stettler;
3) Provide more breaking news stories and features throughout the region;
4) Connect with more community leaders and residents. »

« The LJI reporter will cover La Ronge and the communities and industries surrounding it, including First Nations communities. Ideally the reporter will be from a First Nations community in the area and have a working knowledge of the major Cree dialect. We will create a special section on the National Observer website for this coverage, and frame it with an explanation that this is a special project funded by LJI. This section will have its own URL NationalObserver.com/LaRonge and it will have localized branding and feel to it. »