Ottawa Citizen journalist Natasha Baldin has been honoured by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), winning the association’s award for best news story to appear in a daily newspaper in Ontario in 2025.
Baldin’s story , which was published in the Citizen on Dec. 9, described the plight of Sa’id Altawalbeh, a 47-year-old Jordanian nurse who five years ago moved to Ottawa with the hope of making a better life for him, his wife and their three children.
Baldin’s story found Altawalbeh surrounded by red tape and a slow and unresponsive bureaucracy and at his wit’s end as his family’s hope for permanent residency in Canada dimmed.
With Canada facing a national nursing shortage, his predicament was all the more poignant because, if forced to leave Canada when his work permit expired on Dec. 20, his wife, who like Altawalbeh was a nurse at CHEO , and their eldest daughter, who worked in the health-care system in cardiovascular technology, would also have had to leave.
“I saw the frustration and a little bit of hopelessness from him and his family as they did everything they could to keep their life in Canada and everything they had worked so hard to build in Ottawa,” Baldin recalls. “It touched me right away, and I knew it was a really important story to tell.”
Following the publication of Baldin’s story, Altawalbeh’s work permit was extended, allowing him to stay in Canada and to continue nursing while seeking permanent residency.
“We’ll never know for sure,” Baldin says, “but even if I played a really small part in helping Sa’id and his family, it was pretty cool to be part of it.
“It was so important to get their story out there and bring some attention to what they were going through.”
Nicole Feriancek, editor-in-chief of the Citizen, said this story showed the power of local journalism.
“I’m incredibly happy to see Natasha’s excellent reporting recognized. I am proud of the reporters at the Citizen who work hard to tell stories that matter. Seeing our work make an impact is the ultimate reward.”
Baldin is one of seven journalists who were honoured by the RNAO this year.
“This year’s winners exemplify the very best in reporting on topics that matter deeply to the public and the nursing profession,” RNAO President Sue LeBeau said in a statement. “Their work sheds light on critical issues such as a nurse’s fight to obtain permanent residency in Canada, health-system challenges including heavy workloads and staff burnout, and the need for better supports for the autism community. We are proud to honour their contributions.”
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