Windspeaker congratulates former staffer on human rights award

Wednesday, October 12th, 2016 11:18am
Paul Barnsley receives lifetime achievement award in Human Rights reporting ( photo: Karyn Pugliese twitter )
Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) announced Oct. 7 that Paul Barnsley, formerly of Windspeaker Newspaper, currently with Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), is the winner of the annual JHR Lifetime Achievement Human Rights Reporting Award. Barnsley has had a long career covering human rights issues in Indigenous communities, reads a press statement from the JHR. He began his career working at the Tekawennake, a weekly community newspaper in Ontario, and from 1997 to 2007 worked as senior reporter for Windspeaker.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) announced Oct. 7 that Paul Barnsley, formerly of Windspeaker, currently with Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), is the winner of the annual JHR Lifetime Achievement Human Rights Reporting Award.

Barnsley has had a long career covering human rights issues in Indigenous communities, reads a press statement from the JHR. He began his career working at the Tekawennake, a weekly community newspaper in Ontario, and from 1997 to 2007 worked as senior reporter for Windspeaker.

In 2007 he joined APTN, and leads APTN's Investigative team. APTN Investigates is the first Indigenous investigative news program in Canada, offering viewers hard-hitting investigative reports.

"Journalists for Human Rights is delighted to honour Paul Barnsley's critically important body of work with the Second Annual Lifetime Achievement Award for Human Rights Reporting. “Barnsley's work has laid the foundation for so much powerful reporting on Indigenous issues,” said Rachel Pulfer, JHR Executive Director. “He has been consistently first, and consistently the most dogged, in his coverage of this critically important aspect of life in Canada—opening up vital public conversations on everything from the Bruce Carson case to the residential school survivors' court settlement.”

Karyn Pugliese, executive director of News and Current Affairs at APTN, said "Paul's thorough, ethical and unbiased coverage has gained the trust of Indigenous people and leaders across the country. During his career he has consistently covered hundreds of human rights stories.

"He has also influenced and mentored a number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal journalists, influencing and helping to modernize the field of Aboriginal journalism, by insisting on context, detailed investigative work and balance."

Bert Crowfoot, publisher of Windspeaker and CEO of the Aboriginal Multi Media Society of Alberta, congratulates Paul Barnsley on his years of achievement and, specifically, this honor from the JHR.

“Paul’s contributions to our organization were many, as the senior reporter on the editorial team with the many stories he authored, but also as a mentor to young reporters and his support of the other editorial staff. Paul is, indeed, a worthy recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Human Rights Reporting Award.”

Barnsley received the Human Rights Reporting Award at JHRs annual Night for Rights Gala on Oct. 6.