June 2026 Newsletter

Hi Subscriber First Name,

Summer is finally here. I hope you are looking forward to a nice break, wherever that may be (for me it’s a staycation, exploring some of Ontario’s best spots).

As a new organization, The Globe and Mail Foundation has accomplished some exciting “firsts”. We kicked off our programming last fall, by responding to an acute need within reporting communities in Ukraine: the gap in safety and critical first aid training with an emphasis on drone safety. Our training, conducted by local experts from 2402 Foundation, was the first of its kind in the region to address this evolving technological threat to journalists and their freedom to report.

We are pleased to say that we have been able to extend this work through June, thanks to ongoing philanthropic support. This month alone, we have provided over 50 reporters so far with drone safety trainings including a refresher, psychological first aid support, and OSINT (open-source intelligence) workshops, helping them build skills and resilience to operate under the most challenging conditions. Since December 2025, the Foundation has helped more than 100 journalists on the front lines deal with threats effectively, build psychological resistance, and continue to report safely.

This past May, we brought over 85 members of Canada’s photography community to our first photojournalism summit, following an open call for applications from across Canada. It was an incredible event, packed with educational content, and energized by a diverse range of storytelling and career experiences from across the land. In our commitment to nurturing photojournalism talent, we extended our training and mentorship program from six months to one year by popular demand. And, earlier this month, we launched a 12-week course for early-career photojournalists located in BC.

We look forward to a busy fall ahead, with some exciting events in the mix. More on that in our next newsletter. And, with growth in mind, The Globe and Mail Foundation is hiring a Senior Coordinator, Program and Operations. More below, and please share with your networks.

Read on, and always feel free to connect with me at laura@globeandmailfoundation.com.

Happy summer ahead,

Laura Lavie
Executive Director
The Globe and Mail Foundation

Globe Photojournalism Summit 
May 1 to 3, 2026

An action-packed, energizing weekend was had in Toronto with over 85 documentary photographers, photo editors, and industry leaders who came together for the Foundation’s first photojournalism summit. Fifty of the photographers had applied through an open call for applications to attend and receive a travel bursary. The program ran from Friday to Sunday and featured expert panels on AI, trauma and psychological wellbeing, career pathways, and documenting your community; portfolio reviews with top national editors from CP, Reuters, Toronto Star, The Globe; skills-based workshops, and fun socials. Read more in our media release and our summit schedule. 

A huge thanks to our sponsors, including City of Toronto, Collective Arts, The Sheelagh, Frank & Helen Creaghan Fund, the Temerty Foundation, and the Stawnichy Family. Without their support, this year’s summit would not have been possible.

Launch of BC-based Training and Mentorship Course 

June 2026

The Foundation is committed to nurturing visual storytelling talent across the country. In May, we launched a call for applications to join a 12-week program for early-career photojournalists, with an emphasis on those from Indigenous and rural communities in BC. The course includes a modest stipend, and dedicated mentorship for Indigenous participants. A warm welcome to the nine photographers who have joined us! Their proposed work ranges from documenting food cultivation, single motherhood, those living with addiction and mental health challenges, wildfire impacts, women’s sports, and more. 

Course Participant Lands First Assignment 

June 5, 2026

It’s a great day when someone wakes up to see their work on the front page of a national newspaper! Mackenzie Pardy, a participant in our inaugural photojournalism training and mentorship program, landed her first major assignment with The Globe and Mail earlier this month (appearing on the front page no less). With one of the goals of the program being to help develop participants’ careers, this was a real milestone in Mackenzie’s journey. 

Bob Fife’s Retirement: A Gift to the Foundation

Robert Fife is best known for his consequential political reporting and investigations that have held power to account. His work has resulted in the uncovering of major stories such as the SNC Lavalin affair, allegations of foreign interference in Canadian elections, the 2012 Senate expense scandal, and many more. He spent nearly five decades on Parliament Hill, and, this past May, retired as the Globe and Mail’s Ottawa Bureau Chief. 

Marking his retirement and with the future of the craft in mind, Mr. Fife asked readers and fellow journalists to consider a donation to The Globe and Mail Foundation. A huge thanks to all those who stepped up to support our work to protect and promote excellence in journalism.

News from The Sector 

The Globe and Mail Foundation is hiring a Senior Coordinator, Program and Operations. This is an opportunity to help build a new enterprise dedicated to protecting and promoting excellence in journalism, with built-in title and pay increases. See our careers page, and please share with your networks.

Important conversations are in the works around the Reuters Institute’s latest Digital News Report. Top global takeaways: trust in news is on the decline, while platform-based information is the new go-to for all ages. New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger gave an impassioned speech about AI and the future of the public square at the 2026 World News Media Congress in Marseilles. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, the annual findings of the Press Freedom Index showed that press freedom is at an all-time low globally.  

The work of organizations dedicated to protecting press freedom and media literacy matters now more than ever. We can’t do it without the support of partners and friends who share the same conviction.

Help us continue this work

If you like what we are doing, please make a donation to help further our mission to protect and promote excellence in journalism. The future of trusted reporting is critical to a thriving democracy, and both are increasingly at risk. With your support, we can go one step further to help change course.

Thank you. Until next time.