Letters to the Editor

Thursday 26 April 2012

NB Press Gallery Dinner last evening at St. Thomas University




FREDERICTON - The third annual provincial press gallery dinner was held at the STU conference centre last evening in Fredericton. Politicians of all stripes mixed with journalists and noted personalities from around the province to raise money for the Dalton Camp Endowment in Journalism at the university. 

Hosted by STU President Dawn Russell, special guests included Premier David Alward, Leader of the Opposition Victor Boudreau and Leader of the NDP Party Dominic Cardy. The event featured the presentation of the annual Eldred Savoie Award for Excellence and Dedication in New Brunswick Journalism, given to veteran journalist Chris Morris (photo below) by New Brunswick Legislative Press Gallery Vice-President, Andy Campbell.



Known as a break in hostilities between pols and reporters, the press gallery dinner was full of light-hearted, self-deprecating humour in the speeches by Alward, Boudreau and Cardy, with each taking a poke at each other. Master of Ceremonies, Marshall Button (photo below), kept the crowd of almost 250 entertained with banter that sometimes veered into the witty observations of his Acadian alter ego, Lucien. 



The evening wrapped up with the granting of the Stuie Awards. Otherwise known as gag prizes in the form of an Oscar-like statuette, they were given out to those in the crowd known for their clever Tweeting, including CTV reporter Nick Moore, former Liberal MLA Mike Murphy and the Premier's deputy minister Darrell Fowlie. 

Below are photos of some the attendees and video highlights from the evening: 


left to right, Opposition leader Victor Boudreau, Premier Alward, STU President Dawn Russell, journalism excellence award winner Chris Morris, and NB NDP leader, Dominic Cardy


 Former NDP MLA Elizabeth Weir


Premier Alward makes a deal with NB NDP leader Dominic Cardy


 
STU President Dawn Russell


Environment Minister Bruce Fitch


Official Opposition press secretary Hillary Casey and the Telegraph Journal's Adam Huras


 Minister of Public Safety, Robert Trevors


MC Marshall Button dons his alter ego, Lucien, and talks about his reaction to Alward's election to Premier in 2010


 
 NB Legislative Press Gallery Vice-President and CTV journalist Andy Campbell, left, and KHJ's Kelly McGee, right. 


 Former Liberal MLA and party leader hopeful, Mike Murphy, left, and Liberal oppostion critic for finance and public safety, Donald Arsenault, right


 Conservative MLA Jack Carr, left, and NB NDP's Jesse Travis, right


 Premier Alward and NB NDP leader, Dominic Cardy


  Telegraph Journal columnist Kurt Peacock, left, and Government Services Minister, Craig Leonard


Journalist and STU professor, Michael Camp
 

 Liberal Opposition Leader Victor Boudreau laments the glory days of the Liberal Party in New Brunswick


 CBC reporter Susan King, right, congratulates Chris Morris on her award


Veteran journalist, Globe and Mail columnist, and Telegraph Journal editor-at-large, Neil Reynolds 
 

 The Daily Gleaner's rookie journalist extraordinaire, Tara Chislett


 
 Health Minister Madeline Dube


Journalist, writer and STU professor, Philip Lee
 

 The NDP's Dominic Cardy talks taxes and Trotsky in his jibes to the Liberals
(apologies on picture quality, battery low)


 Liberal Opposition Leader, Victor Boudreau


Journalist, documentarian and STU professor, Mark Tunney, left, and Telegraph Journal reporter and editor, John Chilibeck, right


 Telegraph Journal reporter Shawn Berry, left, with colleague Kurt Peacock, right


 Conservative MLA Fredericton - Silverwood, Brian Macdonald


CTV reporter Nick Moore
 

 The Aquinian's Justin Marshall, left, and Fredericton City Councillor, Mike O'Brien, right


 KHJ's Randy McKeen


 STU Dean of Students, Larry Batt

CBC Radio Canada's Michel Corriveau


   
 Conservative MLA Fredericton - Fort Nashwaak, Pam Lynch


The sound guy...cause he's cute