Indigenous matters at #CAJ16

OTTAWA, April 29, 2016 /CNW/ - It's a subject matter that has been often neglected in our past but whose importance will only increase – the quality, depth and quantity of reporting on Canada's indigenous communities.

These are questions the Canadian Association of Journalists has not shied away from at its annual conferences. Over the years, we've often had panels and sessions on reporting from and on indigenous communities. #CAJ16, scheduled from May 27-28 at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel, continues this tradition.

APTN's Jorge Barrera and Melissa Ridgen will lead a session on May 28 on following the money in Indian country. Drawing from their own experiences, they will present case studies that take you step by step through watchdogging financial matters in First Nations communities.

The organizing committee is also in the final stages of confirming a must-see plenary on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women whose details will soon be announced. With a national inquiry on the horizon, any journalist who could reasonably expect to be involved with reporting on MMIW will find this plenary invaluable.

"Canadian journalists can only benefit from gaining a better footing when it comes to reporting on indigenous communities," CAJ president Nick Taylor-Vaisey said. "#CAJ16 continues our practice of offering conference delegates the opportunity to learn from those journalists who are leading the way."

Registration is currently open for this two-day conference, with fees starting at $249 plus HST for CAJ members for the full weekend, including a ticket to the conference banquet and gala. Rates for unemployed journalists and CAJ student members start at $75. Discounts are available for CAJ Award finalists as well those registering in a group. These early bird rates will rise three weeks from today, on May 20.

For those intending to stay at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel, our conference room rates starting at $110 plus taxes and fees for a single room may still be available on request. Other preferential rates may also still be available.

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing over 600 members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide public-interest advocacy and high-quality professional development for its members.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists

Nick Taylor-Vaisey, CAJ president, 647-968-2393, [email protected]; Hugo Rodrigues, #CAJ16 conference chair, [email protected]; Dale Bass, CAJ events committee chair, [email protected]; Registration questions can be sent to: [email protected], www.caj.ca/caj16 | www.facebook.com/CdnAssocJournalists | www.twitter.com/CAJ