Jan's assessment
The night was a smashing success. We filled the auditorium, despite the frigid night. I'd say it was 90 per cent full - is that about 250 people?
Our four panelists were articulate, engaging and frank. They had the audience, including many J students, on the edge of their seats the whole night. Desbarats ran the panel smoothly, keeping everyone on time, asking good questions. He also injected a dose of everyday reality with his candor; he once disclosed a source's identity in a courtroom after the plaintiff threatened to sue him.
Andrew was impassioned and moving. He talked about how he explained to his young children why he wasn't going to listen to the police: "Pinky swear," he said, holding up his little finger.
Juliet, constrained by her lawyers, still managed to rivet everyone. The police had even noted the time she peeked through her blinds to see them swarming her driveway. She also offered practical advice on what to do. (Make sure anything seized is sealed in evidence bags so they can't paw through it without a judge's order. And keep your editors and lawyers cell phones and home phones in your wallet or on your fridge.)
Ken was self-deprecating and funny. He noted the s--- hit the fan in his case 9 and a half years after he wrote the story. He got sustained applause after he talked about sticking to your promises, even when threatened with jail.
Stevie was eloquent and clear and unequivocal about not talking to cops. She illustrated with her own example of how the cops bully reporters and use them. She explained the obscure, but vitally important Supreme Court's Stinchcombe's decision.
We started at 7:35 and finished on the dot of 9:30 thanks to Dunphy, who drew it all to a satisfying close by talking about his own close encounter with the cops a few days earlier. And Dunphy noted that the four journalists' stories had one thing in common: all of them had been about government power and abuse.
Many in the audience stayed around for another half hour to talk to the panelists and to one another.
At the beginning, Dunphy announced we had spent about $500 and had no sponsor. I passed the hat (hats, with help from journalism student Elysse Zarek). We raised $486.11 plus $2 US. We broke even, with $20 gas/parking to Ken, $20 for Stevie's parking ticket, $60 for photocopying for programs done by Dunphy, $160 to reimburse Kimberley for Andrew's Via Rail ticket and $200 to reimburse Kimberley for the 5 gift mugs for the panel.
The pre-panel dinner - salads catered by Pan Bagna and soda water/baguettes bought from Dominion by Alysse totaled about $170 and somehow we managed to feed lots of people. Ryerson kicked in $120 and the CJFE paid $50.
Our four panelists were articulate, engaging and frank. They had the audience, including many J students, on the edge of their seats the whole night. Desbarats ran the panel smoothly, keeping everyone on time, asking good questions. He also injected a dose of everyday reality with his candor; he once disclosed a source's identity in a courtroom after the plaintiff threatened to sue him.
Andrew was impassioned and moving. He talked about how he explained to his young children why he wasn't going to listen to the police: "Pinky swear," he said, holding up his little finger.
Juliet, constrained by her lawyers, still managed to rivet everyone. The police had even noted the time she peeked through her blinds to see them swarming her driveway. She also offered practical advice on what to do. (Make sure anything seized is sealed in evidence bags so they can't paw through it without a judge's order. And keep your editors and lawyers cell phones and home phones in your wallet or on your fridge.)
Ken was self-deprecating and funny. He noted the s--- hit the fan in his case 9 and a half years after he wrote the story. He got sustained applause after he talked about sticking to your promises, even when threatened with jail.
Stevie was eloquent and clear and unequivocal about not talking to cops. She illustrated with her own example of how the cops bully reporters and use them. She explained the obscure, but vitally important Supreme Court's Stinchcombe's decision.
We started at 7:35 and finished on the dot of 9:30 thanks to Dunphy, who drew it all to a satisfying close by talking about his own close encounter with the cops a few days earlier. And Dunphy noted that the four journalists' stories had one thing in common: all of them had been about government power and abuse.
Many in the audience stayed around for another half hour to talk to the panelists and to one another.
At the beginning, Dunphy announced we had spent about $500 and had no sponsor. I passed the hat (hats, with help from journalism student Elysse Zarek). We raised $486.11 plus $2 US. We broke even, with $20 gas/parking to Ken, $20 for Stevie's parking ticket, $60 for photocopying for programs done by Dunphy, $160 to reimburse Kimberley for Andrew's Via Rail ticket and $200 to reimburse Kimberley for the 5 gift mugs for the panel.
The pre-panel dinner - salads catered by Pan Bagna and soda water/baguettes bought from Dominion by Alysse totaled about $170 and somehow we managed to feed lots of people. Ryerson kicked in $120 and the CJFE paid $50.
posted by Bill Dunphy at 2:04 PM
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