OTTAWA, May 4, 2013 / CNW / A fulsome investigation into a former Halifax mayor’s role as executor of a family friend’s estate has taken the Canadian Association of Journalists’ top prize for investigative journalism in 2012.

Tim Bousquet, of The Coast in Halifax, N.S., was the recipient of the 2012 Don McGillivray Award, which recognizes the best of the recipients in the investigative categories that are part of the CAJ Awards program. Bousquet accepted the award via Skype from his home, speaking to the audience at the CAJ’s annual conference banquet and awards gala. The gala was held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa on the second day of #CAJ2013.

Bousquet had earlier been honoured as the recipient of the community newspaper category, recognizing investigative work done by journalists in newspapers with an average circulation under 25,000 or that are published fewer than five days a week. His entry focused on former mayor Peter Kelly’s questionable management of a family friend’s estate after her death.

Also announced Saturday were the recipients in 14 other investigative and general excellence categories. Please find these listed below. The CAJ congratulates all recipients and finalists for their amazing work published and broadcast across all media in the 2012 calendar year.

The recipients in the OPEN NEWSPAPER / WIRE SERVICE category are:

Stephen Maher, Glen McGregor

Dirty election tricks revealed

Postmedia News

The recipient in the COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER category is:

Tim Bousquet

A trust betrayed

The Coast – Halifax, NS

The recipient in the MAGAZINE category is:

Alison Motluk

Is egg donation dangerous?

Maisonneuve Magazine

The recipients in the OPEN TELEVISION (UNDER FIVE MINUTES RUNTIME) category are:

Robert Fife, Philip Ling

XL Foods investigation

CTV News

The recipients in the OPEN TELEVISION (OVER FIVE MINUTES RUNTIME) category are:

Gil Shochat, Alex Shprintsen, Joseph Loeiro

Fatal Deception

CBC News – Investigative Unit

The recipient in the REGIONAL TELEVISION category is:

Melissa Brousseau

Breaking the mold

CBC North – Maamuitaau

The recipient in the OPEN RADIO NEWS OR CURRENT AFFAIRS category is:

Alison Motluk

Wanted: Egg donor in good health

CBC Radio – The Sunday Edition

The recipient in the CAJ / MARKETWIRED DATA JOURNALISM AWARD is:

Steve Buist

Condition critical

Hamilton Spectator

The recipient in the PHOTOJOURNALISM category is:

Darryl Dyck

Portfolio

Freelance / The Canadian Press

The recipient in the SCOOP category is:

Jim Bronskill

Canada’s torture memos

The Canadian Press

The recipient in the DAILY EXCELLENCE category is:

Kim Bolan

Brazen killing may be gang retaliation / Sandip Duhre was shot to death

Vancouver Sun

The recipient in the PRINT FEATURE category is:

Jon Wells

He sang with all his heart

Hamilton Spectator

The recipients in the JHR / CAJ AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING are:

Nahlah Ayed, Diane Grant

Seeking safety

CBC News – The National

The recipients in the CWA CANADA / CAJ AWARD FOR LABOUR REPORTING are:

Greig de Peuter, Nicole Cohen, Enda Brophy

Interns, unite! (you have nothing to lose – literally)

Briarpatch

The recipient in the CAJ / CNW GROUP STUDENT AWARD OF EXCELLENCE is:

Marc Ellison

The Girls of War

Toronto Star / Carleton University

Consistent with information in the entry package instructions, judges had the discretion to name between one and five finalists in each award category. There were a total 177 entries for the 2012 awards program. Look for information about the 2013 program before the end of this calendar year.