Grantee Wins Award for Report on Canadian Firm’s Involvement in Oil Fields in Guyana

Grantee Chris Arsenault’s Pulitzer Center-supported article “Crude Bargain,” for CBC News in Canada, has won an award from RTDNA Canada, the Association of Electronic Journalists.

The report was part of a larger project Arsenault worked on titled Inside Guyana’s Struggle to Avoid the Resource Curse.

According to its website, the RTDNA is a “progressive” organization supporting members of the Canadian media industry. The group also works closely with the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. The RTDNA media awards are given out annually, recognizing “the best in audio, video, and digital journalism,” according to the RTDNA website.

Arsenault received a “Feature News” award for his reporting on a Canadian firm’s involvement in oil drilling in Guyana. Arsenault’s investigation into this financial deal looks closely at the challenge Guyana faces with the recent discovery of a new oil field.

Through conversations with environmentalists, politicians, and oil executives, who are navigating what could become a “resource curse,” Arsenault’s reporting explores the impact of the discovery. "Resource curse" refers to a phenomenon where a country underperforms economically despite having valuable natural resources that other countries depend on.

See the other award winners here. Plus, learn more about RTDNA’s work in Canada and the news industry by clicking here.