MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY MEETING OF THE NEPMCC

January 14, 2008

Place:  QUEENS Park-Committee Room # 2, Toronto On.

Attending:
Thomas S. Saras
Bikram Lamba Dr. Ombudsman
Irene Keroglidis, Recording Secretary, VP
Clyde McNeil, Chairing the Meeting
Hussein Poorhaidar, Member
Bahram Bahrami,  Member
Hassan Zerehi, VP Print
Teshome Woldeamanuel, VP Civic Relations
Neel Nanda, Secretary General
Iraj Emad, VP Office of NEPMCC
Shahram Binesh,  Member
Ned Blair, Member
Niaz Salimi, Member
Ahmad Shah Hotaki, VP Special Events
Massood Mashadi, Senior VP
Srimal Abeyewardene, Treasurer
Dumitru Popescu, VP
Mohamed Tajdolati Dr., Senior Advisor to President
Ranjit Wicks,  Member
David Ferdinands, Member
Trifon Haitas,  VP  Television
Hermie Garcia, VP Human Rights and Journalists in Exile
Emmanuel Ayiku, Member
Luba Cherny, VP Responsible for the entertainment
Tanas Jovanovski, Auditor
Aaron Brehane, Member


Meeting called to order by the Chair, Mr. Clyde McNeil.
1. Welcome

(a) President Mr. Saras:

• Welcome Remarks by the President Mr. Saras to Sharifa Khan, President and CEO, Johnson Chang, Development Manager of Balmoral Marketing and Advertising;
• update on the survey sent out to members of the Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada.
• Ms. Sharifa Khan emphasizes the importance of completing the surveys.  Not everyone replied and accordingly a decision was made to give the members more time.  Survey forms were circulated to the present members; Fifteen (15) surveys were completed and collected at the meeting.

2. Meeting was called to order by the Chair Mr. Clyde McNeil.

• Welcoming remarks by the Chair for a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
• Our Organization maintains the spectrum on Nationalism.

3. Approval of Minutes

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved subject to the following amendment:  Mr. Clyde McNeil was not absent. He sent his regrets.
  Motion to approve the Minutes by: Dr. Bikram Lamba made motion to approve,
  Seconded by: Massood Mashad
  Unanimously Approved.

4. President’s Report

(a) Annual get-together on December14, 2007:

• To date received $2,780.00; Some members have not paid yet.
• All expenses were paid. Mr. Saras personally contributed to this expense t approximately $700.00 in order to cover the urgent payments.
• The President will update members at the next meeting.
• It was emphasized that when the Prime Minister sends a representative to our event from Ottawa, members of the organization should make an extra effort to be there.  It is very important to show respect.
• Thanks to Kathy Lin, Iraj Emad, Dr. Lamba, the organizing committee, Irene Keroglidis, John Saraidaris, Luba Cherny, special thanks to Mr. Ned Blair, Neil Nanda, Sharifa Khan for sponsoring the dancing groups and the entertainment groups.

(b) Meeting with Government Re: advertisement and fairness.

• Government sent an advertisement to some members.
• Out of 500 survey emails sent out: 100 were completed; 200 no response; and 200 were returned for various reasons (i.e. mistakes and 5 members passed away).
• 150 surveys or more are required at minimum to meet the standard.
• Members were urged to submit surveys by the end of February 2008.

(c) VPI Employment Strategies and working Solutions

• Interested to advertise for 4 weeks (1/4 page).
• Proposal made by Chris:  $250.00 weekly; $1000.00 for 4 weeks.  The President has the authority to negotiate $600.00 and/or $1,000.00 for the period.
  All in favour.
• Total expenses of the organization in 2007: $17,000.00

5. Training of the ethnic journalists in the Canadian reality.

(a) Complete the survey first.
(b) Surveyor & President will send a report to the government.  After that time educational institutions will be asked to send information on the cost of providing educational training.

6. Questioner of priorities/Responders. Covered on President's report.

(a) Unfinished business for 2007.

• NEPMCC History Book.  Creation of a book will cost in the range of approximately $30,000 to $60,000.00 for 1,000 copies.  Mr. Saras indicated we have the ability to raise some income from sponsors, the Government and advertisements.

7. New Business (Motions)

• Chris congratulated the President for his efforts to arrange advertisements to publishers from the Federal Government.
• Ned Blair suggested that the President should not pay his own money to cover NEPMCC expenses.\
• Dinner with the Governor General and Visit/ reception to the minister of Health promotion will be announced shortly. Members are encouraged to attend.
• Mr. Blair suggested 50-75 members on January 22, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at 777 Bay Street, Toronto.
• Thomas  Saras thanked Mr. Blair for being one of the event supporters; the invitations should have something in writing.
• Dr. Lamba made an extra effort to celebrate the 30th anniversary of NEPMCC with the completion of the History book. Gave new extension.
• NEPMCC history book will distributed in Libraries and various government agencies.
• Chris commemorates all those who have passed on.

Motion to approve by: Chris
Seconded by: Trifon
Unanimously Approved.

• President’s Invitation from the Department of National Defence. 20 members are invited. 15 will attend.
• The President will organize a social event on February 18, 2008; Wine and food will be served. The only obligation of the members will be to advertise the restaurant. Every member attending this event will also receive and a package of advertisements.

8. Place and Time of Next Meeting

Monday, February 11, 2008, 6:00 pm,  Committee Room #2 of the Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto.

9. Adjournment

Motion to approve by: Dr. Lamda
Seconded by: Neel
Unanimously Approved.

The above minutes of the January 14th, 2008 meeting were prepared by Irene Keroglidis in the absence of Sima Zerehi, our recording Secretary.