PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS: GALA DINNER OF THE ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR OF THE NATIONAL ETHNIC PRESS AND MEDIA COUNCIL OF CANADA

(APPLAUSE)
RT. HON. STEPHEN HARPER (Prime Minister of Canada): Well, thank you very much, Tom, for your generous introduction and for permission to speak.  (LAUGHTER) I want to first of all welcome all of you.  Greetings in particular to my colleagues.  I want to say hello to Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney, Minister of State for the Americas, Peter Kent, and Members of Parliament Lois Brown, Paul Calandra, Peter Braid and Royal Galipeau.  Greetings as well to representatives…go ahead, give them a hand.  (APPLAUSE) Greetings as well to representatives, to all the representatives of other governments, including Minister Philips, Opposition Leader Hudak, and of course, Consul General of Greece, Mr. Assemopopulos.  Thanks as well to all distinguished guests for being here, including our host, David Agnew, president of Seneca College. 
C'est merveilleux d'être ici avec vous tous ce soir pour cette série d'événements et de séminaires de formations parrainée par le Conseil national de la presse et des médias ethniques du Canada.

It's wonderful to be here with all of you this evening as part of the series of events and training seminars sponsored by the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada.  Now, this actually, Tom, leads in well from what you just asked of me.  You're probably all familiar with the various stories and anecdotes about the world of journalism, but let me just repeat one.  It's the story of the old newspaperman who finally gave up his career and was asked if his retirement would be well financed.  "I think so," he would tell people.  "I have a million and one dollars."  "Impressive," they would say, "but if you have a million dollars, why do you even bother to mention the one dollar?"  "That is because," he said, "the million is what I inherited from my great-aunt.  The dollar is what I made in my lifetime working for newspapers."  (LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE) Now…so we will take your suggestion under advisement, Tom.  My point is the same point that Tom made: when you're a member of the press or electronic media, it is not as much a job as a calling, a labour of love, if you will.  And I'm sure this is especially true for those of you who are gathered here who serve specialized audiences, in some cases large audiences, that are widely dispersed across our vast territory.  It would be hard to exaggerate the importance of the work you do. 

D'abord, vous informez plus de 3 millions de lecteurs, de téléspectateurs et d'auditeurs canadiens dont la langue maternelle n'est ni le français, ni l'anglais.  Vous êtes leur source d'information fiable sur leur pays, le Canada. 

First, you inform more than 3 million Canadian readers, viewers and listeners whose first language is neither English nor French.  You are their trusted source of information about their home, Canada.  You focus on domestic issues that matter to all Canadians while also providing a specialized emphasis on the foreign issues and local cultural events that matter to your audiences.  The need for this emphasis comes from the deep cultural roots of family and affection that many Canadians have to their, their parents' or their grandparents' old country.  You are also uniquely able to help them adapt to life here, to encourage their participation in the democratic process, and to open their access to vital public services such as healthcare and education.  You explain their rights, and just as importantly, their responsibilities as citizens of our country.  Members of this council have a superb record of encouraging participation in the democratic process by urging their readers to vote and to seek elected office.  Our party caucus today is thus honoured to reflect Canada's growing diversity through the public service of men and women such as MPs Deepak Obrhai, Nina Grewal and cabinet ministers Bev Oda and Lynne Yelich, to name just a few.  In fact, Canada's Conservative Parties have always sought to open doors for Canadians representing our country's cultural communities.  The first Chinese-Canadian elected to Parliament was the late Douglas Yeung.  The first Czech-Canadian cabinet minister was the Honourable Otto Jelnik, and the first black cabinet minister was of course the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, all Conservatives, ladies and gentlemen.  That's why our…I had to mention that.  (LAUGHTER) That's why our government has been pleased to fund and support your events here.  There is a second aspect of your work, however, that is ultimately of even greater significance.

En tant que journalistes, vous êtes la preuve que le Canada respecte ses valeurs de liberté, la démocratie, les droits de la personne et la primauté du droit ne sont pas de mots simples pour Canada. 

As journalists, you serve as evidence that Canada lives its values.  Liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law are not mere words in Canada.  In actions like freedom of the press, these words have meaning, and as editors and publishers of media with roots the world over, many of you and your readers understand only too well what life is like when there is no freedom, where there is no accountability, and when truth is only what the state says it is.  In such places, newspaper and media are manipulated or co-opted as government mouthpieces.  Journalists work under duress, sometimes even under threat to life and limb.  One organization that monitors press freedom, Reporters Without Borders, states that in 2009, 177 journalists were imprisoned around the world, some for many years, and 35 were killed.  Here in our Canada, things could not be more different.  Our government does not tell journalists what to say or attempt to intimidate those with whom it disagrees.  Instead, we believe strongly that Canadians' freedom is enhanced when journalists are free to pursue the truth, to shine light into dark corners, and to insist the process of holding governments accountable or another journalistic truism would have it, to confront the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  That's why the rights of journalists have been upheld by Canadian courts of law since 1835 when Nova Scotia publisher Joseph Howe first secured press freedom in our country.  It is why freedom or expression was written into Canada's first bill of rights by Conservative Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, and again affirmed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  More importantly, these rights in Canada are seldom even challenged.  That's because Canadians cherish freedom, they value their democracy, and they flourish under the rule of law.  And Canadians know that without a free press and electronic media, these liberties could not last for very long. 

So ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, the graduates of your training program.  You work for much more than wages.  I wish you all every success, and congratulations to you, President Saras, for everything your organization  does to foster journalistic excellence. (APPLAUSE) By the way, I should mention, I understand that Vice President Asha Rajak, and your colleague Sharifa Khan did much of the hard work in putting on this gala dinner.  It is a superb event, so I congratulate both of them as well. (APPLAUSE)

Notre gouvernement va continuer à collaborer avec les communautés culturelles et leurs médias dans la quête d'une vision commune d'un sens de la citoyenneté plus intense et plus riche pour tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes.  C'est donc avec une profonde appréciation que j'accepte le poste du président (inaudible) de cette organisation respectée, le Conseil national de la presse et des médias ethniques du Canada.

Our government will continue to collaborate with cultural communities and their media in pursuit of a common vision of a stronger, richer sense of citizenship for all Canadians.  It's therefore with a keen sense of appreciation that I accept the position of honorary life chair of this fine organization, the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada. You could not have more greatly honoured me.  Merci beaucoup, thank you, and have a wonderful evening.   (APPLAUDISSEMENTS)