ANNUAL
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE MEMBERS AND
ELECTIONS FOR THE RENEUAL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
Minutes of the Monthly Meeting held on
March 9, 2008 at Queen's Park, Committee Room N#2, main Legislative
building, Toronto.
Present:
Thomas S. Saras
Dr.Bikram Lamba
Dr. Khan Khoda
William Doyle-Marshall
Sandro Miranda
Suleyman Guven
Dumitru Popescu
Bahram Bahrami
Hassan Zerehi
Asha Rajak
Tanas Jovanovski
Srimal Abeyewardene
Michael Shiravand
Irene Keroglides
Dr. Raafat Gindi
Raina Sen
Mohammad Reza Tabrizi
Luba Cherny
Ned Blair
Ahmed S. Hotaki
Nassim Daneshvar
Jolanta
Cabaj
Naganue
Longan
Zbigniew Koprowshi
Gerald Paul
Neel Nanda
Susana Donan
Eddie Donan
Kevin Wang
Danielle
Zhu
Aris
Babikian
Hai Tien
Lin
Kathy L. Lin
Mila Artoga Garcia
Hermie Garcia
Mohamed Tajdolati
Niaz Salimi
Bahram Bahrami
Ranjit Wics
Moorthy Sellathurai
Peremanath Arhsarthnam
Sukamar Balasubramaniam
John
Saraidaris
Sunu Rao
Halimi
Mohammad Amin
Taha
Hassaniani
Fred Powrtaher
Emmanuel Ayiku
Jemal Seyyed
Fereydoon Rahmani
Zanes Abudullah
Aaron Behrame
Teshome Woldeamanuel
Amir Mahim
C. Senti
Muluken Muchie
Emmanuel Ayiku
David Ferdinands
Sabnam Janani
Maryam Aghvami
Tanas Jovanovski
K. David Lim
Kevin Wang
John
Saraidaris
Halimi
Mohammad Amin
Hossein
Pourhaider
Trifon Haitas
Luba Cherny
Danielle Zhu
Dumitru Popescu
Massod Mashedi
Participants by Proxi:
Hon. Basilio Giordano
Helen Wang
Thanh Quy Nguyen
Rino
Vultaggio
Dimitre
Angelatos
Kathy Angelatos
Regrets:
Clyde McNeil (Out
of the Country)
Agenda
1.
Welcome Remarks by the chair.
2.
Minutes of the previous meeting.
3.
Elections 2009.
4.
New Business (Motions)
5.
Adjournment
Welcome Remarks by the Chair:
The chair of the meeting, Dr. Lamba welcomed
everybody to the meeting and declared the meeting open.
Ned Blair moved a motion to approve the agenda of the
meeting. Srimal Abeyawardene seconded the motion, which was carried by
all.
Minutes of the previous meeting:
Hassan Zerehi moved a motion to approve the minutes
of the previous monthly meeting held on February, 2009. Srimal
Abeyawardene seconded it. The motion was carried.
Matters Arising out of the Minutes
There were no issues that were discussed from the
previous minutes.
President's Report:
·
Acting President Thomas Saras recognized the achievements of this
organization.
·
The President's office is awaiting the outcome of application for
funding for the second phase of the project aiding the professional
development of the members of NEPMCC. If the funding is approved members
of NEPMCC will be eligible to participate in a 3 day convention combined
with professional training which could take place either on the last
weekend of July or the first weekend of August at a major educational
institution in Toronto. Members of the Canadian Heritage will be asked to
participate and give details of the new programs and rules about the
Magazine Funds to our members.
·
The Prime Minister of Canada probably will be the main speaker at
the graduation gala, the last day of the event. We cannot send an
invitation until we know for sure the day and place the event takes place.
·
The President will make an announcement as soon as he hears from
the ministry of Canadian Heritage.
·
All ethnic newspapers under the new policy would be eligible for
funding under the Canadian Magazine's Fund, thanks to tireless efforts of
the dedicated members of NEPMCC, and the understanding and help we
received from Mr. Scott Shortliffe and the department.
·
Recommendations made by NEPMCC to Heritage Canada were seriously
considered.
·
Members of NEPMCC will be
eligible to apply for funding under
the Canadian Magazine's Fund exactly for the same amounts with the rest of
the Canadian mainstream magazines.
·
Approximately $175 million CAD is allocated for the media, by the
ministry of Heritage Canada.
·
The president expressed his gratitude and thanks to the R. Hon.
Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada and the H. Moore, Minister of
Heritage Canada, for their understanding and their inclusive policies
toward the ethnic Press and Media.
·
Acting President Thomas Saras read out a correspondence between him
and Premier Dalton McGuinty.
·
Letters were sent to Provincial Government and the PMO stressing
the continuance of Government support and advertising campaign to ethnic
media under these challenging economic conditions.
·
NEPMCC has paid the fees for participation on this year's
"Word on the Street Festival.
·
Acting President Thomas Saras received a letter from Canadian
Forces for a media briefing. The media briefing would take place at 4900
Yonge Street.
·
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff might attend the next monthly
meeting.
·
Due to upcoming Christian Eastern on the 12 of April and the long
weekend, the April monthly meeting has been moved to Monday April 20th, as
Queen's Park will be closed to public on Monday April the 13th.
·
The venue of the next monthly meeting might shift to City Hall
after confirmation with the Liberal Leader.
·
Members elected today to their offices should be committed for the
cause of the organization.
·
Acting President Thomas Saras expressed his condolences for the
demise of NEPMCC member and Chief Editor of the Tamil Publication Thamilar
Senthamarai, Kanaka Arasaratnam to his eldest son. Many other members
expressed their condolences on the demise of Kanaka Arasaratnam.
·
Srimal Abeyewardene recalled his experiences with the departed soul
and expressed his heartfelt condolence.
·
Moorthy Sellathurai recalled his experiences with the departed
soul, Kanaka Arasaratnam and read out a note expressing the condolences
for the departed soul.
·
The hard work and selfless dedication by the President has taken
this organization to new heights. The entire membership present applauded
the President for his untiring efforts.
Constitution:
·
The Chair of the meeting Dr Lamba initiated a discussion on the
Constitution.
Hermie Garcia asked to incorporate the phrase,
"the Organization is dedicated to struggle for the respect of Freedom
of the Press and Freedom of Expression all over the international
community and assist and help journalists in despair", to the
constitution.
The motion was accepted by all present.
·
Constitution was circulated to the members. Members of NEPMCC had
sufficient time to review the amendments made to the constitution.
·
Hassan Zerehi moved a motion to accept the constitution as is with the Hermie Garcias' motion, seconded by Dr. Taljaotti
·
As no one had any other discussion, the Chair put the motion to
vote. All present voted for the acceptance of the new constitution. No
member up stained or voted against.
Elections 2009:
The names of the proposed Board of Directors were
read out by the acting Chair Dr. Bikram Lamba.
They were as follows:
Ex Officio members of the Board:
Dr. Bikram Lamba, PhD (Humanities and
Communications).
Ombudsman: for conflict resolutions and the
professional integrity and ethics.
Chair: Awards Committee and Chief Electoral Officer.
(Hindi Press)
Clyde McNeil: Moderator of the meetings of the board.
(CHIN Radio) Trinidad
THE EXECUTIVE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD:
Name
Title
Medium
Language
Thomas S. Saras:
President and CEO. Editor-In-Chief "Patrides Review"
Greek.
Telephones: 416- 921 8926 / 416- 996 4229
Fax: 416- 921 0723 saras@nepmcc.ca
Senior Vice Presidents:
Hassan Zerehi
Senior VP Policy
Editor-In-Chief "Shahrvand"
Persian.
Kathy Li
Senior VP Professional Develop.
Publisher: "CCTimes"
Chinese.
Dr. Mohammad Tajdolati, PhD "Humanities and
Languages"
Vice President:
Senior Advisor to President
"Iran Radio"
Iranian.
Neel Nanda:
"Masters in Business Communications".
Secretary General
Hindi.
Recording
Secretary
Srimal Abeyerwardene:
Treasurer. Editor "Sri Lankan Reporter"
Singhalese.
Tanas
Jovanovski: VP
Controller. Publisher "Macedonija"
FYRo Macedonia.
VICE PRESIDENTS:
Irene Keroglidis:
VP Public Relations (Awards Committee) M Magazine Greek.
Longan N. Longendralingam: VP Finance
Publisher "Uthayan" Tamil.
Tel: 416-752 1524, Cell: 416- 732 1608, Fax: 416- 752
6703 uthayannews@yahoo.com
Luba Cherny:
VP Cultural Affairs. Publisher
"Courier"
Russian.
Mila A. Garcia:
VP Humanitarian and Immigration Affairs
Philippine.
Susana Donan:
VP Latino-American
Affairs, Editor: "El Centro Americano" Latino.
Raina Sen:
VP Social Affairs. Membership Committee
South Asian.
Hermie Garcia:
VP "Human Rights and Free Speech" "Ph.
Reporter"
Philippine.
Aaron Berhane: VP
"Journalists in Exile" Editor-In-Chief "Mefith"
Eritrean.
Dr. Raafat Gindi, MD
VP "Health and Education"
"Al Ahram Elgdeed"
Arabic.
Tel: 416- 654 6779
email: 8164gindi@rogers.com
Ahmed Shah Hotaki: VP Coord. Special Events),
Publisher "Afghan Post". Afghani.
William Doyle-Marshal: VP "Journalists in
Despair" CHRY
Radio
Caribbean.
Dumitru Popescu:
VP "Print, Membership" Chair. "Observatoroul"
Romanian.
Asha Rajak:
VP "Radio, Membership" Chair "Namaste Radio"
Nepalese.
Dr. Khan Khoda: VP "Television, Membership.)
Chair. "Deshi Television"
Bengali.
Jolanta Cabaj:
VP Federal Relations:
Chair.
Polish.
Teshome Woldeamnuel: VP Business Promotion
Coordinator "TZTA" Ethiopian.
Suleyman Guven:
VP Middle East
Affairs. "Yeni Hayati
"
Turkish/Kurdish.
Emmanuel Ayiku
VP African Affairs, Chair. Publ. "Ghanaian News"
Ghanaian.
Ned Blair:
VP "Community Outreach"
"Photo-Reporter"
Caribbean.
John S. Saraidaris
VP Web Master and Public image
"Patrides on Line" Greek.
Sharifa Khan. President Balmoral marketing Official
Marketer of NEPMCC Chinese
AGENTS GENERAL:
Aris Babikian: Ottawa
"Armenian Horizons Ontario and Quebec"
Armenian.
Hon.
Basilio Giordano: Quebec.
"Publisher Il Cittadino Canadese"
Italian.
Helen Wang:
Manitoba. "Editor-In-Ch. Man. Chinese Tribune"
Chinese.
Thanh Quy Nguyen:
Alberta. "Publisher:
Vietnam Time Magazine"
Vietnamese.
Rino Vultaggio
BC
"Publisher Il Marco Polo"
Italian.
According to Article# 3 of the constitution:
"The authority and powers of the Agent General
are equal to those of the Senior Vice presidents. Each Agent General
represents the Council in his Province and is responsible to organize the
members of the local ethnic Press and Media in his jurisdiction.
The Chairman of the elections committee and Acting
Chair of the General Assembly
distributed the names of the candidates to the members and asked if any
other member wants his name to be added to the list. Being non new member
candidate for the board, Dr. lamba , asked the members to either vote in
acceptance of the candidates or reject
any member they feel was not qualify.
Hassan Zerehi moved a motion to approve the above
mentioned names as the new board of directors and officers of NEPMCC for a
period of two years. Dr. Taljolati seconded it. The motion was carried.
All members present voted for the acceptance of the
candidates .
The
new board of Directors of the NEPMCC will hold their respective offices
for the period of the next two years: March 9th, 2009 to March 12th, 2011.
Dr. Lamba congratulated the new Board Members and
warned them to be professionals and abide by the rules of the council.
New Business:
·
Mila Garcia of the Philippines Reporter invited members of NEPMCC
in celebrating 20 years of the newspaper.
·
President Thomas Saras welcomed new members to the council. They
were:
Parry Long- Publisher, Ads Guide
Kathy L.L Lin - Publisher, Chinese Canadian Times
Jolanta Cabaj - Editor -in-Chief & Publisher,
Nowy Kurier
Dr. Fereydoon Rahmani - Chairman, The Greater Toronto
Kurdish House
Dr. Khan Manzoor -E- Khoda- CEO & President,
Deshi TV
Sandro Miranda - Pan TV
Susana H. Donan - Editor, Centroamericano.
The chair of the meeting Dr. Lamba hoped that the new
members would be active participants and contribute heavily for the cause
of the organization.
Adjournment: Ned Blair moved a motion to adjourn the
meeting Srimal Abeyawardene seconded it. The motion was carried. The chair
adjourned the meeting at 9:30 pm. The next meeting would take place on
April 20, 2009. The chief speaker would be Michael Ignatieff
