TORONTO, April 9, 2020 /CNW/ – Kim Bolan, the investigative reporter who covers gangs and organized crime for the Vancouver Sun, is the recipient of The Canadian Journalism Foundation’s (CJF) Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of her fearless commitment to truth in the face of threats and intimidation.
“Her career reads like a fast-paced crime novel, filled with murders, massive drug busts, international terrorists, and death threats to a dogged, unstoppable heroine,” says Lou Clancy, visiting scholar of journalism outreach at University of Toronto’s Massey College, principal of LJM Strategies and a member of the jury that selected Bolan.
Bolan has covered a range of stories in her 36 years with the Sun but is best known for her courageous reporting on some of biggest criminal cases in Canadian history, including the 1985 Air India bombing. She was placed under police protection while investigating the bombing and another time for threats received from criminal biker gangs. In addition to reporting, she blogs about her life covering crime on The Real Scoop.
Her work has taken her to wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central America and to northern India to expose the roots of the extremism that led to the Air India bombing. She is the author of the award-winning book Loss of Faith: How the Air India Bombers Got Away with Murder. She is also a journalism Instructor at Vancouver’s Langara College where she teaches media and the law, and investigative reporting.
Bolan has won or been shortlisted for more than 35 provincial, national and international journalism honours. Her many awards include the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Award and the inaugural Press Freedom Award.
“In Kim Bolan’s journalism career, she made us very aware that the West was part of Canada,” says The Right Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, a jury member. “With her integrity and investigative skills, she always enlightened and informed us. Kim Bolan has literally risked her life in the crime and investigative stories she has specialized in throughout her career. Surviving threats and menaces of physical harm, she boldly tackled the Air India crash story, persevering to help report over a long period until some truth emerged.”
Bolan joins a distinguished group of CJF Lifetime Achievement Award winners including: John Honderich, Peter Mansbridge, Jean Pelletier, Lloyd Robertson, Michel Auger, Peter Bregg, Jack Sigvaldason, Lise Bissonnette, Joe Schlesinger, Sally Armstrong, Knowlton Nash, June Callwood and Trina McQueen, among others.
Bolan will be honoured at the annual CJF Awards on October 30 in Toronto at The Ritz-Carlton. For tickets, tables or sponsorship opportunities, visit the CJF Awards page.
The Lifetime Achievement Award jury members are:
Chair – Michel Cormier, former executive director, news and current affairs, Radio-Canada
The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, co-chair of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Governor General of Canada (1999-2005)
Esther Enkin, former CBC ombudsman, CBC News
Chantal Hébert, political columnist, Toronto Star, le Devoir, l’Actualité, CBC, Radio-Canada
Lou Clancy, visiting scholar journalism outreach, Massey College, University of Toronto, and principal, LJM Strategies
