It is with great pride that we announce that our friend Steve Bonspiel, the editor and publisher of The Eastern Door, is a nominee for the prestigious Michener Award. The award is given to a Canadian news publication whose entry is judged to have made a significant impact on public policy or on the lives of Canadians. The award ceremony will be on June 14 at Rideau Hall where Governor General David Johnston will present the Michener Award.
It was Bonspiel’s hard-hitting reporting on the decision of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake to evict non-Natives from the reserve that won him the nomination. The impact of his reporting spurred debate on community policy, which in turn led to a “change in direction” by the Mohawk Council.
As the only Aboriginal publication in the running for the award, The Eastern Door will be representing all of us at the award ceremony showcasing Native journalistic talent as well as the importance of community papers in affecting change in our lives and our government.
