The Nation receives multiple honours at newspaper awards gala

The Nation took home a total of 10 awards – plus an honourable mention – at the Quebec Community Newspaper Association’s awards gala in Sainte-Adele June 2.

The awards haul included three first-place finishes, three runners-up and four third-place prizes.

Among the winners was rookie photographer Trish Chiasson, who took home top honours in the feature photo category for a shot of a powwow dancer from her very first assignment for the Nation. According to category judge Eric Smith, Chiasson’s winning photo had great impact.

“Live performances can be difficult to photograph for multiple reasons, such as lighting changes, movement and point of access,” Smith wrote. “To get a successful image that can be incorporated into the design this nicely… very well done!”

It’s not only on the editorial side that the Nation gained notice. Marketing Director Melissa Juliette topped the Best Advertising Creation (Large Format) category with a full-page ad she designed for a Christmas special.

Finally, Nation writer and editor Lyle Stewart won the Best Education Story category for “Suspended Sentence,” an article about how the Cree Justice Department is partnering with the YMCAs of Quebec to create an alternative suspension activity for students expelled from school. Category judge Tim Shoults commented that the story was “beautifully presented and a clear initiative in presenting a compelling subject.”

Of note is that the Nation finished one-two in this category, as Nation production coordinator Joshua Grant took home second-place honours with a story about how the group Youth Fusion is helping Cree youth attain academic success. The Nation also won second place in the Best Special Section category for Joshua Grant’s summer guide to traditional celebrations, “Travel the Powwow Trail.” Another second-place finish was in the Best Editorial (Local Affairs) category, for Lyle Stewart’s piece, “The great forest giveaway.”

The Nation’s third-place winners included:

• Will Nicholls in the Best Business Column or Feature category
• Sonny Orr for Best Column Writing
• Jesse Staniforth for Best Investigative Reporting
• Lyle Stewart for Best Feature Story

And finally, worthy of mention is that the honourable Will Nicholls received an Honourable Mention in the Best Editorial category.