The next generation of journalists is doing well in Quebec. The prices of the To have to of the student press awarded this year to journalists from the Montreal Campus and of Freelance.
In its university component, the prize for the best student journalists in Quebec was awarded to Fannie Arcand, from Montreal Campusfor his text A denounced student ends up isolated. This story sheds light on the shadows one drags when one has been accused of harassment, as well as the nuances of social exclusion. The jury highlighted the “sensitive and new treatment of the already well-documented phenomenon of sexual misconduct” by Ms. Arcand.
At the college level, it was Justin Escalier who was noticed for his articles Wine has the wind in its sails and New shelter for homeless women. His look at the northern wine industry, as well as his research on the precariousness experienced by the marginal sections of society, captured the interest of the jury. The student impressed with “his great versatility and his exceptional sense of journalistic storytelling”, according to the eminences of journalism Marie-Andrée Chouinard, editor-in-chief of the To have toJessica Nadeau, reporter for To have to and Éric Vallières, member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of To have to.
The dossier presented by Mr. Escalier thus stood out for “the variety of subjects covered, the diversity of its sources of information and the very skilful combination of interviews with experts, testimonies and facts”.
These awards take on a unique aspect this year, underlined the editor-in-chief of the To have to. Not only have these honors been bestowed on journalists rather than media, but the work of those has taken place in a pandemic, sometimes even under curfew. “You are so passionate that you have projects outside of your studies and we highlight that today,” she said during the ceremony.
In addition to earning a $2,500 or $1,500 scholarship, the winners get the chance to immerse themselves in the world of professional journalism in the newsroom of the To have to.
René-Lévesque Prize
The duty and the René-Lévesque Foundation in the same spirit awarded the René-Lévesque prizes for the student press.
Rose Côté, editor-in-chief of the newspaper hatched from Cégep de Sainte-Foy was crowned in the collegiate category. The jury wished to congratulate the “confidence and eloquence” she demonstrated in bringing her community together around her project. His collegiate newspaper still has 50 years of age. “The spirit of collaboration and leadership was expressed through a genuine concern for the well-being of his colleagues and a touching recognition of their contribution,” noted the juries.
As for the university component, it is Philippe Bédard Gagnon, editor-in-chief of the newspaper The offense of McGill, who gets the congratulations. The jury applauded his investment in the development of “an inclusive, professional-level student journalistic practice”, as well as his commitment “to the cause of the right to expression in French in a predominantly English-speaking environment”. The winner is especially praised for his editorial Law 96 is discriminatory, but it doesn’t have to be which “addresses with courage and nuance the question of the protection of French and the Aboriginal linguistic situation by relying on a rigorously documented argumentative framework”.
Such a price exceeds the only winner, commented Philippe Bédard Gagnon at the time of the award ceremony. “Institutional memory is complex for student media. It’s hard to grow when you start fresh a lot of the time. […] This kind of initiative brings together student newspapers. »