16th edition - Official launch of the nomination period for the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Economic and Financial Journalism Awards of Excellence

MONTREAL, Oct. 12, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Association des économistes québécois (ASDEQ), in collaboration with its partners, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, today announced the launch of the candidate submissions period for the 16th annual Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Economic and Financial Journalism Awards of Excellence. This prestigious competition is intended to publicly recognize journalists who cover business and financial news for their role in providing information and analysis and making it understandable. Awards of $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 will be issued to the winners at a ceremony set to take place at the Centre CDP Capital on January 16, 2013.

Nominations and prizes
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Economic and Financial Journalism Awards of Excellence are open to all journalists working, in either of the two official languages, for print, audiovisual or electronic media with their main market in Québec. To qualify, candidates must submit, by November 13, 2012, an economic or financial report published or broadcast between September 1, 2011, and August 31, 2012. Awards of excellence will be presented in the three following categories: long report; short report; and column, news analysis, commentary or editorial. Competition rules, category descriptions and registration information are available from ASDEQ or on its website: www.economistesquebecois.com.

In 2012, first prize was awarded to Marie-Hélène Proulx of Jobboom magazine for her report titled "Pour un Québec indépendant - Lancez-vous en affaires" (For an independent Québec - Go into business). Winner of the second prize was Stéphanie Grammond of La Presse for her report "La retraite à la mode scandinave" (Scandinavian-style retirement), and third prize went to Martin Jolicoeur of Les Affaires for his report "L'aérospatiale, la carte cachée du Japon" (Aerospace, Japan's hidden card). To mark the competition's 15th anniversary, a Succession Award was presented to Philippe Mercure of La Presse for his report "Innovation - La recette israélienne" (Innovation - Israel's recipe), while Claude Beauchamp and Alain Dubuc each received Career Awards.

Deep Khosla, Head and Managing Director of Quebec Regional Operations at Merrill Lynch Canada, says:  ''As the founding supporter of this initiative over 16 years ago, it is important for us to publicly recognize the work of journalists who take part in the day-to-day economic life of Québec. By providing the general public with high-quality economic and financial information that is rigorous, critical and accessible, they play an indispensable role in making information easier to comprehend. In this way, they promote a better understanding of economic and financial news."

"Our nearly decade-long association with this competition, which recognizes the quality of the work of economic and financial journalists in Québec, has been a very natural one," explains Michael Sabia, President and CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. "Journalists contribute significantly to a better understanding of often complex and important issues. We believe that rigour and in-depth analysis in business journalism should be encouraged, and this competition is one way to accomplish that."

For his part, Mario Gosselin, President of the Association des économistes québécois, adds: "Since the creation of the Awards in 1997, this prestigious competition has assumed an important place in Québec's journalistic community, as shown by the quality of articles and reporting submitted each year. We hope we will see even more nominations this year so that we can publicly celebrate and acknowledge excellence in economic and financial journalism."

Jury members
Chaired by Bernard Barrucco, General Manager of the Association des économistes québécois, the jury for this 16th edition of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Economic and Financial Journalism Awards of Excellence consists of Claude Beauchamp, journalist and former host of Capital Action (broadcast on RDI), Alain Guilbert, journalist and former President of Transcontinental Publications Inc., and Marie-Agnès Thellier, President and CEO of the Cercle des présidents and former Business Editor of Le Journal de Montréal.

Awards partners
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is a financial institution that manages funds primarily for public and private pension and insurance plans. At December 31, 2011, it held $159 billion in net assets. As one of the leading institutional fund managers in Canada, the Caisse invests in the main financial markets as well as in private equity and real estate. For more information: www.lacaisse.com.

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions. Bank of America Merrill Lynch focuses on middle-market and large corporations, institutional investors, financial institutions and government entities.  It provides innovative services in M&A, equity and debt capital raising, lending, trading, risk management, research, and liquidity and payments management. Bank of America Merrill Lynch serves clients in more than 150 countries. Bank of America Merrill Lynch has had a major presence in Québec for over 50 years.

The Association des économistes québécois is the main organization linking economists in Québec and is dedicated to the professional advancement of its 700 members. Its primary objective is to foster the development and dissemination of economic knowledge, to enlighten public debate and to provide support for the role of economists. In keeping with its slogan, "Pour des choix éclairés" (For enlightened choices), the Association is recognized increasingly as a credible and impartial opinion leader in economic debates. Founded in 1975, it is a dynamic association open not only to economists but to anyone interested in economic and financial issues. www.economistesquebecois.com

SOURCE: ASSOCIATION DES ECONOMISTES QUEBECOIS (ASDEQ)

Valérie Gonzalo
514 626.6976
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