Meeting Minutes - Jun. 12, 2006

Minutes of the monthly meeting held at Queen's Park on June 12, 2006 Present: Thomas Saras Sremal Abeyawardene Clyde McNeil Maryam Aghvami Bikram Lamba Dr. Hassan Zerehi Iraj Emad Amir Mahim Alamair Hussai Ahmed Shah Hotaki Massood Mashari Neel Nanda Yilmaz Hasan Emmanuel Ayiku William Boateng Yadu Janus Ranikivi Cindy Gu Irene Keroglidis Elvira Samoylenko Dumitru Popescu K. Arasaratnam N. Logenchringam John Saraidaris Mahesh Abeyerwardene Hermie Garcia Mila Garcia Luba Cherny Aris Babikian Absent: Kenrick Bobb Elizabeth Wolski Mona Feng Agenda: 1. Opening Remarks by the Chair 2. Report of the President/ Business Discussion 3. Appointment of Vacant positions and various organizing committees 4. End of meeting Opening Remarks by the Chair: The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting Minutes of the previous meeting: Dr Lamba moved a motion to approve the minutes of the monthly meeting held on May 08, 2006. Hassan Zarehi seconded it. The motion was carried. Report of the President/ Business Discussions. -Thomas Saras met the Prime Minister in Ottawa and discussed with him the needs of the organization and the ethnic media at large. -Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised the President of NEPMCC to review the whole process of distributing government advertising. -NEPMCC will hold a roundtable conference with the Prime Minister in the fall of 2006 (End of September or early October). -NEPMCC will sponsor a Citizenship ceremony on August 24 (date decided by vote), at the CNE around 11 a.m. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, a, Federal Judge, Two RCMP officers along with other prominent dignitaries and politicians will be  present in this ceremony. -In this ceremony more than 60 new Canadians will take the oath of allegiance in order to accept the Canadian Citizenship. -NEPMCC will host a wine a cheese reception for the new Canadians after the ceremony. -NEPMCC will celebrate the annual ethnic media week for two days at the CNE. -The office of the President  will distribute entry passes of the CNE to only those members who would be attending the annual event and the citizenship ceremony. -University of Peace is a venture of the United Nations in Canada created to stimulate a debate and dialogue between academicians, politicians and practitioners and to deepen understanding of peace building and development. NEPMCC is invited to participate in the venture along with academicians and the Government of Canada. -The President read out a draft curriculum of the University of Peace. -L.T Governor of Ontario will recognize distinguished individuals at the annual award giving ceremony of the NEPMCC on September 15, 2006. -The nominations for award recipients will close on June 23, 2006. No nominations would be accepted after this date. -The annual ethnic press dinner will take place in January 2007 (decided by vote). -L.T. Governor would be presented with artifacts from (the Iranian and Afghan Publications, and also the Canadian African community express an interest),  at the award giving ceremony -Alamgir Hussain invited the members of the NEPMCC for the annual "Shomoy Mela" in celebration of Canada Day on July 1, 2006 Appointment of Vacant positions and formation of various committees. -Masood Manzoorzadeh of Shravand was appointed as the Senior Vice-President (Policy). Thomas Saras moved a motion proposing his name and Dr. Lamba seconded it. The motion was carried -Dr. Lamba was unanimously appointed as the acting Ombudsman of the NEPMCC. -Alamgir Hussain, publishing editor of the Weekly Shomoy was appointed as the Controller of NEPMCC. Thomas Saras moved a motion proposing his name and Dr. Lamba seconded it. The motion was carried. Committee for the Citizenship ceremony: This committee constitutes of the following members AhmedShah Hotaki John Saras Hasan Yilmaz   Committee for annual award giving ceremony (under the stewardship of Dr.Lamba) This committee constitutes of the following members: Maryam Aghvami Irene Keroglidis Neel Nanda   Committee for the Roundtable Conference with the Prime Minister This committee constitutes of the following members Aris Babikian Masood Manzoorzadeh Dt. Lamba Maryam Aghvami   Committee for the annual dinner to be held on January, 2007 This committee constitutes of the following members: Alamgir Hussain Danielle Zhu Amir Mahim End of Meeting: Irene Kereglodis moved a motion to adjourn the meeting and Maryam Aghvami seconded it. It was carried by all. The Chair adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m. The next meeting would take place on July 10, 2006 at Queen’s Park.