2013.03.21 | CWA Canada Local 30213 | Canadian Media Guild

 

CP reporter wins $25,000 Travers fellowship

Mike Blanchfield has won a $25,000 fellowship that will allow him to investigate the human costs of the use of cluster bombs in war zones around the world.

CWA Canada Director Martin O'Hanlon hailed the selection of the union member for the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship, which was established in honour of the highly respected journalist who died in 2011 at age 62.

"As Mike's former supervising editor at The Canadian Press (CP) in Ottawa, I know his dedication as a journalist and his solid, steadfast commitment to the foreign affairs beat," O'Hanlon said.

"I have absolutely no dout that he will deliver a comprehensive, well-written, multimedia series on cluster bombs that will engage, enlighten — and horrify — Canadians. I also believe it could very well change federal government policy on the issue."

Terry Pedwell, president of the Canadian Media Guild at CP, also had high praise for Blanchfield.

"This is a well-deserved honour for Mike. He is a top-notch journalist, dedicated to enlightening the Canadian public about issues that they should be concerned about. The stories he will reveal through this award will, no doubt, be inspiring to other journalists who seek to make changes in this world of ours."

Carleton University established the fellowship to "celebrate Travers' passion for smart reporting and excellent writing at home and abroad." He had served at one time as a foreign correspondent with Southam News and editor-in-chief of The Ottawa Citizen, where Blanchfield began his career in journalism.

Blanchfield told CP he was "deeply honoured" to win the Travers fellowship, "but this is bittersweet too because our craft has been diminished by Jim's loss. I will do everything I can to ensure that the work I do in the coming months is worthy of the high standard he set for us all."

Blanchfield, who covers international affairs for CP out of Ottawa, will travel to Cambodia, Laos, Geneva and Washington to conduct research for his fellowship project. Over his career of more than 25 years, he has covered conflicts in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and done on-the-ground reporting from East Africa, Southeast Asia and the United States.