Press Freedom Award

past winners

At the World Press Freedom Day luncheon in Ottawa, an annual event since 1998, awards are presented to Canadian media workers who have made significant contributions to the cause. The winner, picked by a prestigious jury of current and former journalists, receives a $2,000 prize.

Nominations are now open for the 2022 Press Freedom and Spencer Moore awards.

More details can be found here and the nomination form can be found here.

The deadline to apply is March 15.

2021
Co-winners:
Nathan VanderKlippe, The Globe and Mail;
Sarah Cox, The Narwhal
Certificates of Merit:
Kevin Donovan, The Toronto Star
Meghan Potkins & Madeline Smith, The Calgary Herald

2020
Kenneth Jackson of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)
Hon. Mention: Michael de Adder, cartoonist, N.B. and N.S. and Joan Baxter, journalist and author, N.S.
2019
Michael Robinson of The Telegraph Journal in Saint John, N.B.
Hon. Mention: Marie-Maude Denis, of Radio-Canada’s Enquete

2018
Justin Brake, The Independent of Newfoundland and Labrador
Hon. Mention: Mike de Souza of The National Observer
Hon. Mention: Charles Rusnell, Jennie Russell and Gary Cunliffe of CBC Edmonton

2017
Patrick Lagacé, La Presse
Paul Dornstauder and Geoff Leo, CBC Saskatchewan
Hon. Mention: Paula Simons, Edmonton Journal

2016
Ben Makuch, VICE News
Hon. Mention: Josée Dupuis, Emmanuel Marchand, Radio-Canada
Hon. Mention: Linda Gyulai, Montreal Gazette

2015
Mohamed Fahmy, Al Jazeera English

2014
Katherine Gannon, Associated Press

2013
Stephen Maher and Glen McGregor, Postmedia

2012
Canadian Science Writers’ Association

2011
Citizen Lab, Toronto

2010
Michelle Lang, Calgary Herald (posthumously)

2009
Daniel Leblanc, Globe and Mail

2008
Gilles Toupin and Joël-Denis Bellavance, La Presse

2007
Tarek Fatah (author and columnist)

2006
Dr. John Hoey and Anne Marie Todkill, Canadian Medical Association Journal

2005
Juliet O’Neill, Ottawa Citizen

2004
Andrew McIntosh, National Post

2003
International Freedom of Information Exchange (IFEX)

2002
Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star

2001
Corinna Shuller, National Post

2000
Robert Tripp, Kingston Whig-Standard

1999
Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun

Spencer Moore Award

past winners

The Spencer Moore Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in honour of the late Spencer Moore, founding member of the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom, who helped build the Committee and launch the annual luncheon. It is awarded to a Canadian to honour their work in pursuit of press freedom and freedom of information.

2021
Kim Bolan, The Vancouver Sun
2020
David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen
2019
Ken Rubin, Freelance researcher
2018
Charles Morrow, The Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom (Posthumously)
2017
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

2016
Suzanne Legault, Information Commissioner of Canada

2015
Bob Carty, CBC (Posthumously)

2014
Arnold Amber, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression