OTTAWA, March 14, 2003 - Nominations are being sought for the fourth annual Justicia Awards for Excellence in Journalism, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Bar Association in Montreal on August 16.

The Justicia Awards recognize outstanding broadcast and print stories that foster public awareness and understanding of any aspect of the Canadian justice system and the roles played by institutions and participants in the legal system. They are sponsored by the Canadian Bar Association, the Law Commission of Canada and the Department of Justice Canada.

Two prize winners, one in each category, are selected by an independent panel of judges.

The deadline for entries is June 16, 2003 for entries covering stories that were published or broadcast between May 16, 2002 and May 15th 2003. Entry forms may be obtained online at http://www.cba.org/cba/awards/justicia/ or by contacting Isabelle Brazeau, Canadian Bar Association, at
1-800-267-8860 ext. 154 (ibrazeau@cba.org).

Last year's winners were the Globe and Mail and and Radio-Canada's Zone Libre. A special certificate of merit was also awarded to the Edmonton Journal.

The winner in the print category was Kirk Makin of the Globe and Mail for his January 5, 2002 article No Life Like It, which went behind the scenes of a school for new judges put on by the National Judicial Institute. It was the first time a journalist has attended the intensive program.

The winner in the broadcast category was Radio-Canada's public affairs show Zone Libre for its November 9, 2001 show Le projet innocence - La prison à vie pour une erreur judiciaire. It told the story of Roméo Phillion, a Franco-Ontarian who was imprisoned for 30 years for a murder he claims he didn't commit. Anne Panasuk was the journalist and Kristina von Hlatky the producer.

The judges also awarded a certificate of merit to Edmonton Journal senior writer Ed Struzik for his May 12, 2002 story on Indian residential schools Native children entered new world in church schools.

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Ref.:

Stephen Hanson
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Bar Association
(613) 237-2925 or
1-800-267-8860 ext. 147

Stephen Bindman
Special Advisor
Department of Justice Canada
(613) 957-4930