The Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Media Award honours journalists or media outlets that have made outstanding contributions to the coverage of mental health issues. One of the recipients this year is a well-known columnist with the Toronto Star, Canada’s most-circulated daily.
Carol Goar has been a member of the paper’s editorial board since 1997 and was editor of the editorial pages from 1998 to 2002. Since then she has written a column focusing on politics and social policy. She’s also won two National Newspaper Awards at the Star.
Ms. Goar has frequently written about issues that impact those living with mental health conditions. Among her work over the past year, Ms. Goar has enlightened Star readers by providing thoughtful pieces about the new Canada-wide standard for mentally healthy workplaces; calling for greater initiatives to help those living with mental health conditions overcome challenges they face in the justice system; and, describing that a bright future is indeed a reality for many young people who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Her reporting is fair, honest and balanced and the dialogue Ms. Goar generates with her writing contributes to our mission to make mental health possible for all.
Ms. Goar delivered a heartfelt thank you to all CMHA staff and volunteers when she received her award recently at CMHA Ontario’s provincial meetings in Toronto.
A ceremony to honour a local, community-level winner of the CMHA Media Award will occur later this summer and will appear a future issue of Mental Health Notes.