It’s about trust. Our relationship with our readers is built on transparency, honesty and integrity. As such, we have launched a trust initiative to tell you who we are and how and why we do what we do. This article is part of that project.

World News Day is upon us once more. While you think that it should be a day off for journalists around the globe (although coincidentally, I will be on vacation on Sept. 28) we choose to celebrate by looking back at some of the important stories we’ve written over the last year that have really resonated with readers.

It’s a great feeling to know that people are reading and talking about your stories, whether it’s in the coffee shop or social media. I still remember the first time I was at a public meeting and had something I’d written quoted by a resident in her address to council. (She disagreed with me, but it was still quite a heartening journalistic moment.)

It’s difficult to pick just a few stories to highlight as I could fill months worth of columns just giving you the headlines of our most impactful stories, but while all our journalists deserve to be recognized for their ability to advance the debate in our communities, there are two series that I’ll spotlight in this column.

First is the Sachem’s coverage of human trafficking by both Tamara Botting and Tara Lindemann. Botting first told the story of a raid on a Caledonia house that led to the rescue of two victims and charges against five individuals. Lindemann picked up the story as part of a companywide series on the topic and reminded residents that human trafficking isn’t just a big city crime and that it can happen here too.

Second, Dundas Star News reporter Craig Campbell dove headfirst into the thorny discussion of whether or not the community should be renamed based on Henry Dundas’s connection to a compromise bill to gradually abolish the slave trade. While it might have been tempting to dash off a hot take and move on, Campbell did his research, talked to residents and produced a series that educated readers about all sides of the issue.

At our best, our stories add not only to the discussion of important local issues, but to the understanding of the world around us.

And to my mind, that’s something worth celebrating.

— Gordon Cameron is the group managing editor for Hamilton Community News. gocameron@hamiltonnews.com. We welcome your questions and value your comments. Email our trust committee at trust@metroland.com.