Meeting Minutes - Mar. 13, 2006

NATIONAL ETHNIC PRESS AND MEDIA COUNCIL OF CANADA  Conseil national de la presse et medias ethniques du Canada                                                                          Canada's Other Voices   Present: Thomas Saras Srmial Abeyawardene Maxwell Wynter Clyde McNeil Hassan Zerehi Anne Dawson Dr. Ubale Dr. Lamba Iraj Emad Chris Ng Taha Hassaniani Jai Oja Maharaj William Doyle-Mashal Hasan Yilmaz Tanas Jovanovski Neel Nanda Tryfon Haitas Massood Mashadi Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Shah Hotaki Anne Dawson Max Wynter Rahim Moton Emmanuel Ayiku John Saraidaris Roland Isoj Mila Garcia Hermie Garcia N. Longendinlegeu Teshome Wordeamanuel   Visiting (no membership status) Masood Khan Absent: Kenrick Bobb Elizabeth Wolski Special Guests: Joe Volpe -Member of Parliament (Former Federal Immigration Minister) Jim Karigyannis – Member of Parliament Howard Hampton – Leader of NDP, Queen's Park Peter Tabuns – NDP candidate Province of Ontario   Agenda:  1. Opening Remarks by the Chair  2. Minutes of the previous meeting  3. President's Report/Discussions  4. Presentations by Joe Volpe (M.P.) and Jim Karigannis (M.P.), followed by roundtable discussions.  5. Presentations by NDP Leader Howard Hampton and NDP candidate (Toronto-Danforth) Peter Tabuns, followed by roundtable discussions  6. End of meeting   Opening Remarks by the Chair: The Chair, Clyde McNeil welcomed the members to the monthly meeting. Minutes of the Previous Meeting: Dr. Lamba moved a motion seconded by William Doyle Marshall to approve the minutes of the monthly meeting held on February 13, 2006. It was carried.   New Members: The chair welcomed the following new members to the council Taha Hassaniani –Director & Producer, Taha Press: Chris Ng- Co-Founder & Director, Buddhist Education Foundation for Canada Bijan –Freelance Reporter   Presentation by Joe Volpe  & Jim Karigannis (Members of Parliament, Liberal Party of Canada) Jim Karigannis and Joe Volpe made brief presentations to the NEPMCC, followed by roundtable discussions. Dr. Ubale, Max Wynter, Anne Dawson, Dr. Ubale, William –Doyle Marshall, Dr. Lamba, Srimal Abeyewardene and other members participated in the discussion. The following is the summary of the presentations and discussions -Liberal Party of Canada is in the process of rejuvenating itself and electing a new leader. -Jim Karigannis has launched the “draft Joe Volpe Movement” projecting him as the new leader of the Liberal Party. -Significant demographic changes in Toronto and Canada on the whole, demands new ideas and fresh perspective to meet the emerging challenges of the population. -Equal socio- economic opportunities have to be created for people from all backgrounds; resulting in lasting integration of society. -The leadership of Joe Volpe is symbolic as the voice of ethnic Canada being represented in the highest form of the Government. -Liberal Party has to re-emerge as the real people’s party working for all sections of the Canadian society. -Joe Volpe as minister of Immigration had always given equal platform to the ethnic and the mainstream media. -Immigration has driven the wealth of Toronto and Canada and it is utmost important to invest in people to maintain a vibrant economy. -Leadership debate in the Liberal Party will present the different views on the governance of the country. -Joe Volpe is better equipped to make decisions on national governance that echoes the true reflection of Canada. -Joe Volpe believes inputs from the NEPMCC and other community organizations are vital in reshaping the policy of the Liberal Party. -Developed countries should transfer technology for processing clean drinking water to underdeveloped countries. -True multiculturalism is the definition of real and just human values. Joe Volpe and Jim Karigannis thanked Thomas Saras and the NEPMCC for inviting them to the meeting and initiating a dialogue on nation building and on other important domestic and international issues. Thomas Saras and the Chair of the meeting Clyde McNeil thanked the guests for their time and welcomed them for a future dialogue with the council.   Presentations by NDP Leader Howard Hampton and NDP candidate (Toronto-Danforth) Peter Tabuns, followed by roundtable discussions: The Chair welcomed Provincial NDP leader Howard Hampton and his colleague to the meeting. There were discussions on a wide range of topics. Many members participated in the discussion. The summary of the presentation and roundtable discussions is as follows: -Howard Hampton touched on four basic issues that are facing the province. The were: 1. The continuing downloading of the provincial government to the municipalities and the difficulties that are being faced by the municipalities. Municipality and property taxes should not be used to cover health care. 2. Energy policy seems to be lacking in strategy for efficiency and conversation. 3. Many people are not getting access to English as a second language in education. 4. Greater Privatization of the health care system is taking place, where the McGuinty government is endorsing the private funding of hospitals and other health care facilities. -Howard Hampton introduced Peter Tabuns to address the issues facing his constituents and the province. -People with low or fixed income are being hit hard by the property taxes. Some action needs to be taken to address this problem. -The issue of recognition and accreditation of international credentials is a major issue in the province and the country. -Many young people are getting injured or dying in the streets of Toronto because there are no concrete after school programs that will keep the youth occupied. -There is an acute shortage of nurses; physicians and a private health care system will benefit mostly the richer constituents. Thomas Saras and the chair thanked the leaders for their time and welcomed them for future dialogue with the council.   President's Report: The summary of the President's Report is as follows: -The council should start its preparation for the annual event and the "word on the street festival". -The President will receive notification from the PMO by April 15 for a possible date when a delegation of NEPMCC members would meet the Prime Minister to discuss crucial issues facing the ethnic media industry. During this meeting with the Prime Minister, members were urged not to bring about any private agenda, but the issues that are facing the entire sector. -In order to get massive discounts on comprehensive group insurance; more members are required to sign in with the insurance company. -The President is expecting to hear from the mayor's office regarding the allotment of an office to NEPMCC in the city hall. -Mayor David Miller will be present in the next monthly meeting on April 10, 2006. -The President read out an email sent to him by one of the members, which was signed and circulated by Masood Khan (Subject: Thomas Saras takes advantage of his position). Mr. Saras characterized the said email as a personal attack and a slander against his personal integrity as a leader and member of the industry by someone who is not even a member in good standing with the corporation. The fact that this unacceptable letter has reached members of the organization and the sender avoided to notify by including in his list of recipients the person (president) he was attaching, is shown the character of the writer and his intentions to harm the organization, an act that clearly contravenes the provisions and articles of the constitution. The President explained that the writer was not even a member the day he circulated his letter as he refused to pay his annual membership fees and therefore according to provisions of the article of the constitution of the organization he deprived himself from the membership. (Article 4.F. If a member fails to pay his/her annual membership fee after the expiry of twelve (12) months (or the changing of the calendar year) he/she automatically forfeit membership). Referring to the said letter Mr. Saras, made it clear that his publication for the first time in 37 years of circulation has not received any Fed. Government Ad, since the elections of the new Government and that Mr. Masood Khan’s statements were false and baseless. He asked the writer of the letter to show where he found the three Fed. Government Ads in his publication and also the one from the Ontario Lottery Corporation he was referring in his letter.   The president also made a statement that he personally retains every lawful right against the perpetrator.  Many members participated in a discussion on this issue. Motion: Max Wynter moved a motion to refer the matter (arising out of the email sent by Masood Khan with accusations against Thomas Saras), to the Ombudsman of the council Dr. Ubale. This motion was seconded by Srimal Abeyawardene and was carried. The Ombudsman would now settle the matter. The concerned parties would now have to address their concerns to the Ombudsman for a resolution of the issue. The chair of the awards committee, Dr. Ubale presented its report to the council. Dr. Ubale thanked Dr. Lamba, Anne Dawson and Max Wynter for their inputs and efforts towards the preparation of this special report. Members were asked for input prior to the preparation of this report. Since there was no major contribution from the remaining members, it was assumed that they forfeited their rights to add anything to this report. A motion was moved in this regard. Motion: Thomas Saras moved a motion and Dr. Lamba seconded it to approve the report of the awards committee. All carried it.   End of Meeting: Alamgir Hussain moved a motion to adjourn the meeting and Masood Manzoorzadeh seconded it. All carried it. The Chair adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m. The next meeting would take place on April 10, 2006 at Queen's Park.