Luisa D'Amato accepts the 1987 Citation of Merit from Her Excellency Jeanne Sauvé, Governor General of Canada on behalf of the Kitchener-Waterloo Record.
The newspaper was recognized for publishing a telling two-part series on racism in Waterloo Region schools titled 'Bigotry in Our Schools and 'The Search for Harmony'. The stories described racial slurs and taunts, sometimes in the hallways, and sometimes in class where teachers either didn't hear or paid no heed. The series offered the county board of education constructive solutions for a policy aimed at ending discriminatory treatment of racial minorities. Leaders of minority groups said the stories encouraged them to speak out at public meetings and advocate changes in school board practices.
The award was presented during a ceremony held at Rideau Hall on December 8th, 1988.
Launched in 1970 under the auspices of Canada’s third Canadian governor general, the late Roland Michener, the award focuses on the degree of public benefit generated by media projects, both large and small, in print and broadcast. The annual award is open to daily and weekly newspapers, news agencies, radio and television stations and networks, as well as periodicals. The winners are chosen on the basis of hard-hitting impact, journalistic professionalism, and the resources available for the project.