TORONTO—The Walrus is proud to announce that Corey Mintz has been awarded the $10,000 Allan Slaight Prize for Journalism for his April 2019 story “Land of Plenty.” The article is an exploration of Canada’s centuries-long history of destroying Indigenous food systems and what it would take to restore them.
The Allan Slaight Prize for Journalism celebrates journalistic achievements by contributors to The Walrus. Launched in 2017 by the Slaight Family Foundation, the $10,000 prize is awarded to an independent journalist for their work researching, analyzing, and writing about some of the most important topics of our time. A jury of industry specialists reviews more than fifty long-form articles published by The Walrus each year and selects a longlist of ten stories, a shortlist of three finalists, and the recipient of the prize.
Stephen Kimber, professor at the University of King’s College School of Journalism in Halifax, NS, and member of the Allan Slaight Prize for Journalism jury, notes:
“Corey Mintz’s ‘Land of Plenty is not only an important and powerful piece of journalism but also a compelling and provocative narrative. The story combines immersive in-the-field reporting with broad historical research to demonstrate that ‘Indigenous food sovereignty was decimated by design. It was not a side effect of colonialism but a function of it.’ Mintz’s expertise as a food writer coupled with his understanding of the importance of Indigenous food cultures and the need to restore them offer The Walrus readers a window into an important aspect of Canadian history we know too little about.”
Corey Mintz is a food writer whose work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the New York Times, Eater, and on TVO. In response to be awarded the 2019 Allan Slaight Prize for Journalism, Mintz writes:
“This story was born out of a lively conversation with an editor, Hamutal Dotan. And almost ended with the question, but what publication will pay for this kind of reporting? The answer was The Walrus. I’m so grateful for this experience, for getting to spend time in parts of Canada I had never seen, with people who trusted me with their sensitive stories. It was, above all, an education.”
About The Walrus
The Walrus is a registered charitable non-profit foundation with an educational mandate to create forums for conversations on matters vital to Canadians. The Walrus is dedicated to supporting writers, artists, ideas, and thought-provoking conversations. We achieve these goals by publishing The Walrus magazine, which focuses on Canada and its place in the world, ten times a year;
About The Slaight Family Foundation
Established in 2008, the Slaight Family Foundation is committed to making a difference. The foundation supports projects at local and international levels related to health care, social services, arts and culture, and at-risk children and youth. The Slaight Family Foundation undertakes bold new approaches to philanthropy to increase impact and improve the lives of those in need at home and abroad.
For more information, please contact Hilary Johnston at hilary@thewalrus.ca or (416) 971-5004, ext. 258.
