Office of
the President
December 27,
2009
TO MEMBERS OF THE
ETHNIC PRESS AND MEDIA
Dear friends
and colleagues, sisters and brothers in the ethnic press and media,
The National
Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada expresses the fervent wish during
this Holiday Season all members renew their dedication to promote honor
and inspire professional excellence in the sector.
As this year
comes to its end, we reflect on the many blessings we have received from
our members and friends this year and our professional achievements with
the help of all of you and on behalf of the organization please allow me
to express heartfelt thanks. Again this year we were able to recognize
many hard working members of the sector and the community at large, and
all this thanks to your dedication and good will.
Please allow
me to remind you that during the 2009, more than 88 members of the media
have been killed and hundreds arrested or jailed all over the world.
Today, I
feel the need to pay tribute to memory of the 37 colleagues killed in
the Philippines this year, 8 in Pakistan, 7 in Mexico, 6 in Somalia, 5 in
Russia, 3 in Guatemala, 3 in Iraq, two each in Sri Lanka, Honduras,
Colombia and Salvador, Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of
Congo, and one to each India, Kenya, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria,
Palestinian Territories, Madagascar, El Salvador and Venezuela.
Let
appreciate Canada for the protection provides to all of us.
Taking this
opportunity I want to express our thanks to Hon. Dalton McGuinty, premier
of Ontario, for the wise decision of his government to exempt our sector
from PST along with the members of the mainstream media. Our appreciation
for this decision, which recognizes our members as equals to mainstream
media.
Our thanks
are going also to the R. Hon. Stephan Harper M.P, Prime Minister of Canada
for his decision to accept our motion to be a Honourary Life Chair of the
organization.
I want
to express also our thanks to Hon. James Moore, M.P., Minister of Canadian
Heritage and his department of Canada Magazine Fund, for their support to
organize the first professional development educational seminar at
the Seneca College, last November.
Our thanks
goes also to Hon. David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, His wife
and the members of His Staff, for their sponsorship and help to
organize our annual Awards Ceremony, at Queen’s Park.
Dear Sisters
and Brothers, our collective efforts for the creation of understanding and
harmony among all Canadians will contribute to a better future for Canada,
peace and understanding among all our communities.
Anticipating
the future with optimism, please accept my warmest wishes for the season,
and may the year 2010 bring health, happiness, peace and prosperity to
Canadians and all over the world. Thank you again for your support and
help.
On
behalf of the Board of Directors,
Thomas S. Saras
President
and CEO
