May Virtual Event
Canada's Arctic is an important region for the country and is central to discussions of sovereignty. Yet Arctic sovereignty is far more complex than what's typically conveyed in the news cycle. How does sovereignty shape Arctic communities beyond infrastructure and business investments, and how can the media report on the climate, community and cultural impacts of these developments?
In this virtual discussion, hear from independent journalists and storytellers based in Canada’s territories who are reporting on sovereignty from the front lines to help expand our collective understanding of this political moment.
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET via Zoom
Cost: Free for SWCC Members / $30 CAD for Non-Members
Are you a non-member of SWCC registering for this event? If you decide to become a member of SWCC within 2 weeks of the event date, your membership fee (in the applicable category) will be discounted by the amount you paid for event registration. To activate your discounted membership within the 2-week period, email office@sciencewriters.ca.
Moderator: Meral Jamal
Meral Jamal is an independent journalist. Originally from the United Arab Emirates, she is based in Iqaluit and writes news and feature stories from across Canada's North.
Speaker: Pat Kane
Pat is a visual storyteller and writer based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, on the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. He takes a documentary approach to stories about life in Northern Canada, with a special focus on issues important to Indigenous people, including the relationship between land and identity.
Pat is a National Geographic Explorer, a 2020 World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass mentee, and the recipient of the 2024 Dr. Jane Goodall Vital Impacts Environmental Photography grant. His work has been exhibited in galleries and at festivals internationally, and published by National Geographic, The New York Times, World Press Photo, The Atlantic, The Globe and Mail, The Walrus and other leading publications worldwide.
Pat is of Irish-Canadian and Algonquin (Anishinaabe) ancestry, and is a member of the Timiskaming First Nation.
Speaker: Dustin Patar
Dustin Patar is a freelance visual journalist who lives and works in Iqaluit, Nunavut. His work often focuses on the Canadian Arctic, including Inuit culture, the impacts of a changing climate, daily life and sovereignty. His photography has been exhibited both in Canada and internationally, and his stories have been published by The Globe and Mail, Canadian Geographic, The Walrus, The Narwhal, and CBC, among others. When he isn’t holding a camera or in front of a computer, he can be found behind a sewing machine, fixing some sort of vehicle, or out on the land.
