The Niagara Region is the recipient of an award from the Canadian Association of Journalists, but probably not one they wanted to win.
This morning, the CAJ announced the region as the 'winner' of the Code of Silence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy in the municipal government category.
The Association says the award recipient is chosen from government departments and agencies that 'put extra effort into denying public access to government information.'
Over the past year, the Region has been the subject of two Ontario Ombusman investigations: the first after a St. Catharines Standard journalist's notes were seized and he was accused of recording a closed session of council, and the second for accusations that the hiring process for the region's CAO was tainted.
The Canadian Association of Journalists, Centre for Free Expression at Ryerson University, News Media Canada, and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression voted on the 'award.'
Nominations for Code of Silence Award came in from across the country.
The coalition of press-freedom groups will announce the federal and provincial recipients of this year's Code of Silence awards in the weeks to come.
CKTB has reached out to Regional CAO Carmen D'Angelo for comment on the award.