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.

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.

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.

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.

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