NATIONAL ETHNIC PRESS AND MEDIA COUNCIL OF CANADA

       Conseil National de la presse et medias ethniques du Canada.

  Canada’s Other Voices   

Office of the President

December 11, 2005

                                 A Letter from the President

 Dear Friends and Colleagues, Brothers and Sisters in the Ethnic Media,

As the year draws to its end, I feel the need to communicate with you in my drive to keep you informed with the affairs of our organization and the future of the industry.

 December the 9^th, 2005, we organized our annual “Get Together”, an event that succeeded far beyond our expectation. The Hall was full to its capacity and unfortunately and regrettably many late comers run out of space and food.

  We want to express our congratulations to the entire organization and especially to all the members of the organizing committee for a job very “well done”. Our special appreciation goes to our colleague Danielle Zhu for her dedication and help she rendered to the very end of the event. Thanks Danielle, you were wonderful.

 Our appreciation and thanks goes to the Hon. Joseph Volpe, Minister of Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration, who represented the Federal Government and the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Paul Martin.

 Mr. Khalil Ramal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Culture of Ontario, represented the Government of Ontario. Many thanks to Mr. and Mss Ramal, for traveling all the way from London Ontario to be with us. We appreciate it. 

My thanks also to the leader of the PC Party of Ontario and leader of Her Majesty’s loyal Opposition at Queen’s Park, Mr. John Tory, for his kind attendance and the  presentation of the plaque to our president.

 Thanks also to Mr. Howard Hampton, the leader of the NDP of Ontario for his participation in the event. This year we had the opportunity to Honour also Mr. Howard Hampton, by naming him as an Honourary member of our Board, “for his struggles for the introduction of social policies beneficial mostly to new comers and new immigrants. We are proud and thankful Mr. Hampton accepted this responsibility.

At this point I want to remind you that His Honour the L. Governor of Ontario, is our Honourary Chair. The Hon. Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, is also our Honourary Chair of the organization. A number of members of the Federal and Provincial government are also listed as Honourary members of the Board of Directors of your organization. 

Our appreciation and warmest thanks also go to the Hon. Jim Karygiannis, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Canada, who is an Honourary member of the Board of Directors of our Organization; to the Consul General of Greece, the Hon. Eftymios Efthymiadis, for his assistance and presence;  to Dr. And Ms Joseph Kourian, President of the Alpha Laboratories; to Ms. Sharifa Khan, President of Balmoral Marketing, to Tim Horton’s Donuts, Mr. Andrew Kim, the Webnews Printing, Atlas investments and Mr. And Mss Seretis, for their financial assistance to our organization. Thanks to their good will and generosity our event was a smashing success.

 Finally, special thanks go to all the members of our organization who deserve congratulations for this great success with their participation. 

By embracing our organization, you have made it a strong voice of the industry and able representative to promote your interests to government and society at large.

Already you have established the first “Advisory committee” to the Advertising Agency of the Government of Canada, from representative members from NEPMCC, we are working towards a similar project with the provinces. Your membership and interest is appreciated by all of us, please continue your efforts.

 We need your help in order to succeed in establishing a strongly independent industry with dignity and the respect of the political establishment of this great Country of ours, while enjoying the recognition of our communities as an equal partner in our broader Canadian Society. 

There is no need to remind you of the long way we made together towards this goal, but again the recent treatment from some political strategists of the governing party, however, make it clear that we do have to continue our struggles for the establishment of a just, equal, and free society.

 You know that we are the only truly “free and independent” press providing voice to the new social force in this Country, due to concentration under the same ownership of many of the “mainstream” media.

 As we are about to welcome the New Year, 2006, I want to ask you for your support, your continued membership to this organization, your presence and your help. This is the only way we will succeed in having the public and the governments recognize the significance of your hard and unpaid efforts to serve the Canadian Multicultural social fabric of our society. 

On behalf of my colleagues in the Board of Directors of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, and our brothers and sisters, from the members of my family and myself, best wishes of the Season to all of you and the members of your family; have a Happy, Peaceful, Productive and Successful New Year, with health and integrity.

 With my respect and admiration and many thanks for your trust,

Thomas S. Saras

President NEPMCC.

Cc: All members of the Ethnic Press

       Government of Canada

       Government of Ontario

       Government of Manitoba

       Government of Alberta

       Government of British Columbia

       Government of Saskatchewan

       Gouvernemant du Quebec