National Observer nominated in two categories for Digital Publishing Awards

National Observer garnered two nominations in this year's Digital Publishing Awards, one for "general excellence" and one for "best news coverage"– both in "small publication" categories. The Digital Publishing Awards recognize excellence in the content and creation of Canadian digital publications.

National Observer Editor-in-Chief Linda Solomon Wood and Managing Editor Mike De Souza were recognized as nominees in the "general excellence." Other nominees in the category include Fjord Review and The Deep.

In the "best news coverage" category, DPA recognized National Observer's reporting on the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion in Canada. Mike De Souza, National Observer's managing editor since January 2016, has broken in-depth investigative news on the Texas energy giant's controversial pipeline project over the past year. His most recent reports have been discussed in parliamentary debates, and led to national discussions around whether the Canada's federal government's review of the project had been 'rigged' in advance. Other nominees in this category include Racism and Reconciliation in Ontario's Northwest by TVO.org and The Sprawl: 2017 Election Edition by Calgary's The Sprawl.

NDP MP Guy Caron asks Prime Minister Trudeau about the alleged fast tracking of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion on April 24, 2018. House of Commons video

In March and April, National Observer also received three nominations from a national journalism award, with reporters Carl Meyer and Emilee Gilpin, as well as managing editor Mike De Souza, named finalists by the CAJ last week.​ CAJ named De Souza as a finalist in the Online Media category for his investigative work on the National Energy Board, while Meyer was recognized in the Daily Excellence category for reporting on the appointment of a new national chief science advisor. Gilpin was nominated in the Emerging Indigenous Journalist award category for her multimedia stories in the First Nations Forward series that challenge the traditional narrative of Indigenous people in Canada by highlighting their leadership on issues like climate solutions and cultural preservation.

Winners will be announced at the The Digital Publishing Awards Soirée, will be hosted by Adrian Lee in Toronto on May 29. Lee is the opinions editor for Maclean's, a Polaris Prize jury member, and Digital Publishing Award winner. For more details, see the Digital Publishing Award website.