Inside The Narwhal

The Narwhal snags 3 National Newspaper Awards nominations

The National Newspaper Awards celebrate some of the best journalism in Canada. This year, our work is in the running in three categories

By Karan Saxena

March 18, 2024 2 min. read

This article is more than 6 months old

Pardon the extra chipper Narwhal staff this week — our not-so-little little publication has been nominated for three National Newspaper Awards this year!

What’s more? They all showcase the potential of teamwork in the media landscape — all three nominations recognize partnerships with other media outlets and freelance journalists.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our collaborations with many other talented journalists, alongside many more impressive nominations from other media outlets,” managing editor Mike De Souza said. “None of it would be possible without the generous support of over 6,000 Narwhal members who make this journalism possible — and help us tell some of the most important stories of our time.”

The long feature on the rematriation of a stolen totem pole to the Nisg̱a’a Nation, reported by northwest B.C. reporter Matt Simmons, IndigiNews editor Cara McKenna and photojournalist Marty Clemens was recognized in the arts and entertainment category. Matt’s reflection piece on learning from reporting mistakes — especially when it comes to decolonizing journalism — was part of our nominated entry. Their work was nominated alongside reporting from The Globe and Mail and the Hamilton Spectator’s Jon Wells.

Photo of the pole — Photos: Marty Clemens / The Narwhal

A youth from Wilps Ni'isjoohl lays cedar boughs beside a Nisga'a pole that was rematriated nearly a century after it was stolen — Photos: Marty Clemens / The Narwhal

Three pieces were included for The Narwhal’s nomination in the presentation/design category: 2023 photojournalism fellow Katherine Cheng’s photo essay on life along Ontario’s proposed Highway 413, freelance photojournalist Amber Bracken and Prairies reporter Drew Anderson’s dizzying bird’s-eye view of Alberta’s oilsands and what Ontario reporter Emma McIntosh had dreamed up to be a complete telling of the Greenbelt saga, brought to life with the help of freelance illustrator Jarett Sitter and Shawn Parkinson, The Narwhal’s art director.

A farm near the proposed route of Highway 413 in Ontario, reflected in the side mirror of a car. — Photo: Katherine Cheng / The Narwhal

An aerial view of enormous trucks casting long shadows in the oilsands — Photo: Katherine Cheng / The Narwhal

That piece was also nominated as part of a submission from The Narwhal and the Toronto Star, with our combined efforts reporting on the Greenbelt earning a nomination in the sustained news category. Some stellar Toronto Star journalists who worked with Emma to uncover the Greenbelt scandal include Brendan Kennedy, Noor Javed, Sheila Wang and Charlie Pinkerton.

Illustration of details related, or not, to the Ontario government's announcement that it would cut into the protected Greenbelt. — Illustrations: Jarett Sitter / The Narwhal

A comic book-style illustration of Steve Clark and Ryan Amato in an office, with a speech bubble over Amato's head reading "Leave it with me." — Illustrations: Jarett Sitter / The Narwhal

The Narwhal will be competing with finalists from the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail in the presentation/design category. In the sustained news coverage category, the other finalists were from the Vancouver Sun/The Province and The Globe and Mail.

A huge shoutout to photojournalist Jesse Winter, whose harrowing images from the frontlines of Canada’s most devastating wildfires, published by The Globe and Mail (and The Narwhal!), were finalists in both news photo and photo story categories.

Winners will be announced at a National Newspaper Awards gala in Toronto on April 26.

Another year of keeping a close watch

Here at The Narwhal, we don’t use profit, awards or pageviews to measure success. The thing that matters most is real-world impact — evidence that our reporting influenced citizens to hold power to account and pushed policymakers to do better.

And in 2024, our stories were raised in parliaments across the country and cited by citizens in their petitions and letters to politicians.

In Alberta, our reporting revealed Premier Danielle Smith made false statements about the controversial renewables pause. In Manitoba, we proved that officials failed to formally inspect a leaky pipeline for years. And our investigations on a leaked recording of TC Energy executives were called “the most important Canadian political story of the year.”

We’d like to thank you for paying attention. And if you’re able to donate anything at all to help us keep doing this work in 2025 — which will bring a whole lot we can’t predict — thank you so very much.

Will you help us hold the powerful accountable in the year to come by giving what you can today?

Yes, I’ll support independent journalism

Another year of keeping a close watch

I’ll support independent journalism

Published By

Karan Saxena

Karan Saxena is an immigrant settler living on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ territories. Karan is The Narwhal’s audi...

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