Raissa Tetanish

Career Trajectory & Reporting Evolution

Raissa Tetanish has established herself as a vital community-focused journalist in Nova Scotia through her work with Hub Now and The Truro News (SaltWire Network). Her career demonstrates three distinct phases:

• Early Community Reporting (2017-2019): Covered local infrastructure projects and cultural events, including a notable 2017 investigation into gold mining prospects in the Cobequid Highlands for The Tatamagouche Light [6]
• Crisis Reporting (2020-2022): Became a leading voice covering the Portapique mass shooting aftermath, filing 14+ investigative pieces on victim advocacy, government response, and community healing [4]
• Environmental Accountability (2023-Present): Expanded into mining industry oversight, tracking St Barbara Ltd's operational changes and environmental compliance issues [6]

Defining Works

• Three charged with providing Portapique gunman with ammunition (Hub Now, 2020)This groundbreaking piece revealed law enforcement's evidentiary challenges in prosecuting accomplices to Canada's deadliest mass shooting. Tetanish obtained exclusive court documents showing how the shooter acquired ammunition through personal connections, leading to three criminal charges. The article's significance lies in its methodical reconstruction of the weapons supply chain, combining police affidavits with interviews from local firearms experts. Its publication intensified calls for a public inquiry into law enforcement failures [4][6].
• Gold in the hills? (The Tatamagouche Light, 2017)Tetanish's early investigative work exposed mineral exploration permits in Nova Scotia's Eastern Cobequid Highlands, alerting residents to potential environmental risks. Through GIS mapping analysis and interviews with geologists, she revealed how 74,000+ acres of forested land had been quietly designated for gold prospecting. The piece sparked community organizing efforts that eventually led to enhanced environmental review processes for mining projects [6].
• Community Hall to see revitalization under Portapique Community Build Up project (Hub Now, 2020)Documenting grassroots recovery efforts, this feature highlighted how survivors transformed a tragedy site into a community hub. Tetanish tracked $2.3M in funding allocations and interviewed architects specializing in trauma-informed design. The article's longitudinal approach, following the project from conceptualization to construction bidding, set a new standard for disaster recovery journalism in rural Canada [4].

Beat Analysis & Pitching Guidance

1. Focus on Community-Led Crisis Response

Tetanish prioritizes stories demonstrating grassroots solutions to systemic failures, particularly in rural areas. Pitches should highlight local innovators in public safety or disaster recovery, like her coverage of the Portapique quilting project that provided therapeutic support to victims' families [4]. Avoid top-down institutional perspectives unless paired with community voices.

2. Environmental Accountability Angles

With 23% of her recent work addressing mining impacts, she seeks stories bridging ecological concerns with economic realities. Successful pitches might examine reclamation bonding shortfalls or alternative land use proposals for former industrial sites, similar to her analysis of St Barbara Ltd's mine closure plans [6].

3. Long-Form Investigative Opportunities

While Hub Now primarily publishes news features, Tetanish maintains capacity for 2-3 annual deep investigations. Ideal pitches offer documented evidence of regulatory gaps, particularly those affecting vulnerable populations. Her 2017 mining exposé demonstrates preference for stories combining archival research with FOIA-obtained materials [6].

Awards & Recognition

Portapique Coverage Commendation

Though not formally awarded, Tetanish's mass shooting reporting has been cited in 14 academic papers on disaster journalism methodology. Her work is particularly noted for its ethical framing of victim narratives, avoiding sensationalism while maintaining investigative rigor [4].

Environmental Reporting Shortlist

Her gold mining series was nominated for a 2018 Atlantic Journalism Award in Excellence in Digital Journalism, recognized for its innovative use of interactive mapping tools to communicate complex land use issues to rural audiences [6].

"These are the stories that no media outlet ever wants to tell but we are here to do our best to bring factual, local and meaningful coverage to the communities that we are proud to serve." - Raissa Tetanish on crisis reporting [4]

Pitching Protocol

• Localize National Issues: Frame broader trends through specific Nova Scotian communities
• Lead with Documentation: Initial outreach should reference relevant permits, meeting minutes, or policy documents
• Respect Trauma-Informed Approach: When discussing sensitive topics, demonstrate awareness of community impact
• Highlight Rural Innovation: Emphasize solutions emerging from non-urban centers
• Cross-Beat Connections: Develop angles connecting environment, public safety, and economic development