The Narwhal’s TC Energy investigation makes the Jackman Award shortlist

We’re excited to share that an investigation by The Narwhal is a finalist for the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s Jackman Award for excellence in journalism. 

The nominated series revealed the inner workings of fossil fuel company TC Energy and was written by northwest B.C. reporter Matt Simmons, former director of investigations and enterprise Mike De Souza and Ontario reporter Fatima Syed. Over a five-part series and months of following up, the team revealed the tactics the company purportedly uses to influence public opinion, media coverage and government decisions. 

The reporting was based on slow, steady on-the-ground work, time spent cultivating relationships with sources and whistleblowers in the oil and gas industry and the local communities in which the industry operates. 

It’s a terrific example of the kind of reporting the Jackman Award recognizes — exemplary journalism that has a profound positive impact on the communities most affected.  

Matt’s reputation as a fair, trustworthy journalist is why The Narwhal was able to review leaked recordings involving lobbyists and a number of TC Energy executives. During those calls, company executives and lobbyists discussed their success influencing Canadian politicians, saying they had been able to get their messages on government letterhead in briefing notes for ministers and to persuade politicians to back away from climate action. The executives also discussed the campaigns they had run to build public support for major projects in local communities.

“We often talk about backroom deals and decision-making, but this story actually revealed corporate influence can happen beside the strawberries in a Costco cooler,” executive director and editor-in-chief Carol Linnitt said. “This investigation brought the way power is brokered to life in such a personal way. It’s a reminder why journalists can’t grow complacent, even as the influence of industry seems more unwieldy than ever.”

“This nomination is an incredible honour and I hope the thousands of individuals who give to The Narwhal each month to make this kind of reporting possible feel a surge of pride alongside our team,” Linnitt added.

It’s a rare peek behind the curtain of one of the biggest fossil fuel companies in the country — one that Matt’s stories have shown has executive ties to the Donald Trump administration in the U.S. 

“So many decisions that affect the lives of everyday people are made behind closed doors,” Matt said. “I think this is especially true with fossil fuel companies and their attempts to influence government decisions, which ultimately impact every single one of us on this planet. This series gave readers some insight into how one powerful corporation appears to approach its dealings with bureaucrats and politicians, and what that means for communities.” 

And the stories have had real impact. At least one company executive resigned and government officials say they immediately began an internal investigation to examine the allegations brought to light by The Narwhal. The company also issued a public apology to government officials and local communities — communities in both B.C. and Ontario whose points of view our reporters were careful to include, to show the real-world effects of big resource projects. 

“While it’s hard to know the full extent of how this series had an impact, it definitely shook some people in positions of power,” Matt says. “It’s a huge honour to receive this nomination and I’m so grateful I get to work on these kinds of stories, shedding light on the inner workings of the systems that affect us all.”

Also nominated in the small media category are investigations by CBC Manitoba, the Investigative Journalism Bureau, the Investigative Journalism Foundation and The Local. 

The Jackman Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Toronto on June 12.