Yellowknife (Apr 17/06) - A story about Kitikmeot residents who arrived in Iqaluit for dental work, only to find the real pain was no one to meet them at the airport, was judged Best News Story at the Ontario Community Newspaper Association annual convention.

"Reporter Kent Driscoll took what could easily have been cast aside as a complaint story and turned it into an inside look at a crisis in the backlog of Nunavut residents requiring dental surgery," wrote judge Joanne Burghardt, editor-in-chief of Metroland's Durham Region Media Group.

"An excellent job highlighting the issue is personalized with interviews with the people affected."

The provincial newspaper association met in Toronto April 1, to honour the best work of more than 270 members with the Better Newspaper Competition awards.

Nunavut News/North's sister newspaper - NWT News/North - won seven editorial and advertising awards, including first place for General Excellence.

Published by Northern News Services, the website where Nunavut News/North is to be found each week won third place for Best Online Edition.

Opportunities North 2005, a special Northern industry report distributed in Nunavut News/North each year won second place for Best Special Section.

"Kent Driscoll always goes to the most important source in each story he does," said Nunavut News/North Managing Editor Bruce Valpy. "He always goes to the people affected, whether it's a government service or, more importantly, something interesting has happened in their lives."