Jaela Bernstien
Journalist Portfolio
Hello!
I'm a bilingual (English/Français) journalist and visual storyteller based in Montreal, Quebec.
I am a multimedia journalist, meaning that I am a Jack (or Jill) of all trades — I research, write and produce stories for print/digital, radio and TV/video. I also sometimes shoot and edit my own content.
I usually cover topics that focus on human rights, climate change and conservation. I love to tell the types of stories that make you feel. I've filed for CBC's The National, World Report, CBC.ca, The Sunday Edition, The Doc Project, Maclean's and The Globe and Mail.
Recent Work
A selection of my latest stories
Innovative atlas puts Indigenous knowledge on the map — literally — to help tackle climate crisis
Mar 15, 2022
Hetxw'ms Gyetxw spent his childhood on Gitxsan territory in the Northwest Interior of British Columbia, and he's seen the dramatic ways climate change has altered the land where he grew up. He's used his first-hand experience to bridge the gap between Indigenous knowledge and Western science, and to help create a new interactive tool aimed at understanding and addressing climate change in Canada
Humans are the main source of COVID-19. What happens now that we've spread it to animals?
Feb 10, 2022
If there's one thing social media loves, it's a Disney-like moment with a wild animal. But those seemingly innocent interactions between humans and wildlife could be costly during a pandemic.
CBC NEWS: Quebec entrepreneur, 93, donates cherished island after protecting it from city sprawl
Dec 14, 2021
For most of his adult life, Thor Vikström has watched the seasons change and the birds come and go from the small Quebec island he's owned that sits opposite his riverside home in Laval, Que.
At 93, he says he's at peace knowing the land — nestled between Montreal and Laval — will remain protected long after he's gone now that he's donated it.
CBC NEWS: Climate change means Arctic may no longer be a safe haven for nesting birds
Oct 29, 2021
Wildlife research scientist Paul Smith is a lot like the birds he studies: every spring, when the ice recedes, he migrates north to the Arctic. But while he's been able to adapt to the changing climate, the nesting birds have not been so lucky in the face of new threats.
CBC NEWS: How space exploration is advancing remote medicine
Nov 24, 2021
As billionaires race to the stars, many have been quick to throw shade on the rich for spending money on joyrides to space instead of solving problems on Earth. But a Canadian astronaut is reminding people that space exploration has the power to contribute to life-changing advances on our planet.
CBC NEWS: Many Canadians angry after election produces a $610M bill and not much change
Sep 21, 2021
The day after an expensive, mid-pandemic election, Justin Trudeau's win has been somewhat overshadowed by angry complaints from many Canadians who say there was no point in spending millions of taxpayer dollars to elect another Liberal minority government that looks an awful lot like the last one.
CBC NEWS: Hazara expats from Afghanistan grapple with their own trauma while helping others escape
Aug 22, 2021
Halima Bahman may be sitting in the safety of her home in the suburbs north of Toronto, but her mind is thousands of kilometres away in Afghanistan, where the Taliban's renewed grip on power makes her fear the worst for family and friends.
CBC NEWS: Outspoken health experts say racist social media attacks have taken a toll
Jul 16, 2021
Plenty of Canadians have experienced firsthand how quickly disagreements over public health measures during the pandemic can turn ugly. But a daily flood of hateful attacks received by outspoken medical professionals — especially those who are people of colour — frequently cross the line from outrage to outright personal attacks, racism and even threats of violence.
MACLEAN'S: When it's time to give back
June 22, 2021
After surviving European incursions, colonialism and a 500-km journey from its home, a 171-year-old beaded hood must wait a bit longer before it can go back to Eeyou Istchee, James Bay Cree territory in northern Quebec ...
CBC NEWS: Canada's building codes don't focus on tornadoes — even though we see 2nd most in the world
Jul 22, 2021
The country, on average, records more tornadoes annually than any other in the world, except for the U.S., at about 60 per year — though meteorologists estimate there are more that go undetected. Yet the National Building Code of Canada puts little emphasis on requirements to protect against uplift — the types of winds created by tornadoes.
CBC NEWS: How Canadians are making sure no one is left behind in the vaccine rollout
Jul 09, 2021
Despite Canada's success in getting vaccines into arms so far, there is mounting pressure to reach those left behind — the people who, either due to lack of access or lack of trust, have not yet received a dose of the vaccine.
DOCUMENTARY: What it's like living in Montreal's tent city
Dec 4, 2020
The story of Michel Groulx, one of the people camping in a makeshift tent city that sprang up in Montreal
GLOBE AND MAIL: Val-d’Or’s boreal woodland caribou are on the verge of extinction, but a new report outlines how they can be saved
Nov 18, 2020
Add a published article with a short summary and a link. You can also add a picture or video for extra engagement! Be detailed and thorough to interest your readers, and include links to the original story online.
CBC NEWS: Study reveals English-speaking Black children more likely to be reported to Montreal youth protection
Sept. 10, 2020
Children in Montreal who are Black and Anglophone are overrepresented within the child protection system, according to a study recently published in the Children and Youth Services Review.
CBC NEWS: 'We should never have been put out': A caregiver mourns her patient, as Quebec does about-face on visit ban
Apr 14, 2020
When Gisele Vanloo learned Quebec had banned visitors to seniors' homes, she decided to go into work on March 16 with her bags packed, but staff turned her away.
CBC NEWS: 'I'm not a misfit anymore': How marginalized youth are finding themselves through circus
Jan 21, 2020
As hundreds of people filed into Montreal's Tohu theatre on a winter evening, young performers huddled nervously backstage, speaking in excited whispers as they waited for the opening of Cirkaskina.
Just a few weeks ago, many of the participants were living on the margins of society — some were homeless, others were living with addiction and mental health issues. But through circus, they've found hope.
CBC NEWS: How do you self-isolate when you don't have a home? Montreal shelters plead for help
Mar 18, 2020
While many Montrealers wait out the coronavirus pandemic at home, telecommuting and practising social distancing, staff at homeless shelters go into work every day to care for some of the city's most vulnerable people.