Minutes of the Monthly Meeting held on May 17, 2010 at Queen’s Park

 

Present:

Thomas S. Saras

Asha Rajak

Jonathan Annobil

Dr. Khoda Khan

Dumitru Popescu

Charlos Dovasagayan

Ned Blair

Irene keroglidis,

Trifon Haitas

Parry Long

Suleyman Guven

Mario Spataru

Iosif Spataru

Bahram Bahrami

Hassan Zerehi

Teshome Wordeamaluel

Marek  J. Goldyn

WZ Zanerouz

Muse Kulow

Alamgir Hussain

Spd Abdul Goffar

Liz Philbert  HK Magazine

Pobeda Piskaceva

Gerald Paul

Ahmed Hotaki

Viara Dimitrova

John Saraidaris

Shaukat  Malik

Jose Donnan

Moorthy Sellathurai

Muraleethura n Kanthaswamy

Srimal Abeyewardene

Mila Astroga- Garcia

N. Logendialighgam

Hermie Garcia

Lankathaw Rathmanathan.

 

  

Agenda

1.      Welcome Remarks by the chair.

2.      Minutes of the previous meeting.

3.      Presidents Report

4.      New Business

5.      Adjournment

 

 

Welcome Remarks by the Chair:

 

M. Saras chaired the meeting and declared the meeting open.

Irene moved a motion to approve the agenda of the meeting. Dr. Khan Khoda seconded it. The motion was carried.

 

Minutes of the previous meeting:

Suleiman Guven moved a motion to approve the minutes of the previous monthly meeting held on April 12, 2010 Bahram Bahrami seconded it. The motion was carried.

    

President’s Report/Discussions:

 

·          President Thomas Saras was pleased to announce that the recently concluded annual ethnic press exhibition from Monday May 10th to Sunday May 16, 2010 organized by National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada,  in  the Rotunda of the Toronto City Hall, was a great success. This year’s theme of the week long exhibition was “WORLD’S FREEDOM OF THE PRESS”.

·         Main speaker of the opening ceremonies  was the Hon. Michael Ignatieff, M.P, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition. Mayor David Miller, Dr Erick Hoskins, M.P.P, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration of Ontario, Hon. Sophia Aggelonidis, Ontario Minister of Consumer Services, Mr. Reza Moridi MPP, Concillor Joe Mihevc, Concillor Shelley Carrol, Ms. Lydia Fitcho, Social Development and Finance, Mr. Micheal H. Williams General Manager  Economic Development and Culture, Mr. Renato Discenza, President and CEO Invest Toronto,  Ms. Sue Corke, Deputy City Manager, Hon. Madeline Blackman, Consul General of Antigua and Barbuda, Mr. Robert Luck Consul and Trade Commissioner Consul General of Austria, Hon. Lerory McClean, Consul General of Barbados, Hon. Jonathan Dart, Consul General of Britain, Consul General of Cuba, Madam Aurelie Fraval Press Office Consul General of France, Hon. Dimitris Azamopoulos, Concul General Greece, Hon. Seth George Ramoca, Consul General Jamaica, Mr. Fernando Goncalves, Consulate General Portugal, Mr. Charles Cole, Consulate General of the USA, Chris Dudsley, Dean of School of Business Seneca College,  Natalie Turvey, Executive Director The Canadian Journalism Foundation, Heather McCall, GJF Program manager, Chief David Sheen, and Deputy Fire Chief, Toronto Fire Servicew, Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall, Ontario Human Rights Commisioner, Dr. George Andrew Gekas, Professor of Business Administration  Ryerson University, Representativew from the summerhill Group, Mr. Costas Pappas from the Representing the Greek Journalists, Jack Kyriazakos, President and CEO Brazilian Canadian Co.

·         Mr. Tom Michalopoulos, President and CEO Coffee Time Group of Companies, Norman Kelly, Consillor Scarborough-Agincourt, and other dignitaries were also among the other guest speakers. Following the speeches the NEPMCC organized a grand reception for VIPS and all attendees/participants with multicultural entertainement.

·        More than 180 publications serving more than 60 linguistic communities of the Canadian cultural mosaic, participated in this year’s event.

·        Thomas Saras thanked all members who contributed towards the event. He had special word of mention for Ahmed Shah Hotaki, for his contribution in the success of the exhibition

·        Motion: Annual Exhibition  next year to be held form May 8-May15 in 2011. Irene Keroglidis moved the motion Ahmad Shah Hotaki seconded it. The motion was carried.

·        Thomas Saras informed the members 1100 publications send application to Ministry of Culture. A number of these publications were approved by the ministry as yet. Majority of members of NEPMCC have been approved under the PAP.  .

·        One of the eligibility criteria for funding is to have 80-85% Canadian content in the publications.

·        Members were urged to put stories of Canadians helping their communities to integrate to Canadian society.

·        The Canada Day celebrations to be celebrated on July 2nd and will be in honour of Premier Dalton McGuinty, for his generous exemption to the Ethnic Press from the HST. The President suggested that the Council give a special honour to the Premier during the Canada Day celebration.

·        Thomas Saras invited suggestions from members of the Council in honouring  the Premier.

·        Motion: Irene Keroglidis moved a motion to present the Premier with a portrait along with a personalized plaque. Ahmed Shah Hotaki seconded it. The motion was carried.

·        A survey on economic situation of member publications to be conducted on behalf of NEPMCC and presented to the Government. The survey will be first National Survey of its kind. The President is working to make a proposal on behalf of the Council. If the proposal comes through it will be another landmark achievement for the entire ethnic media industry.

·        Dr. Khan Khoda would donate samosas for the Canada Day celebration

·         President Thomas Saras informed the Council that payment has been made towards Word on the Street Festival.

·        NEPMCC received an invitation from UNESCO for a conference on Media Statistics held in  Montreal, President Thomas Saras represented the NEPMCC

·        CNE annual ethnic press festival would be held during the Labour Day weekend.

·        One of the ministries is considering of jointly hosting the award ceremony this year. There is a possibility of having a joint committee along with the Council.

·        Hassan Zerehi to form the awards committee in the absence of Dr Lamba

·        Thomas Saras suggested of publishing a book which would be released during the award ceremony asked members to get ads from their respective communities. This book would have a list of all the members and would be distributed to the National Library and to all Canadian Public Libraries. The book would carry the history of the organization and its members. The book would highlight all the achievements of the NEPMCC towards the ethnic media and the Canadian Society, thereby educating the Canadian readers. Hassan Zerehi put a motion to this effect. Irene Keroglidis seconded it. The motion was carried. A Publication Committee on this regard was suggested

 

The following members volunteered to be a part of the Publication committee. They were

1.      Hassan Zerehi

2.      Gerald Paul

3.      Srimal Abeyawardene

4.      Asha Rajak

5.      Shaukat Malik

6.      Bahram Bahrami

7.      Parry Long

8.      Marek J. D Goldyn

·        The President had a special word of mention for Asha Rajak for all her magnificent work she has done for the council.

New Business:

·        Perry Long commented that mainstream media does not participate in community events

·        Alamgir Hussain invited members of the Council for the Canada Day celebration at Dentonia Park on July1

·        Trifon Haitas informed the members that the DVD copied for this year’s annual ethnic press exhibition is available for a nominal fee.

 

New Members: The council welcomed the following member

                              Charles Davasagayam –  The Tamil Mirror monthly newspaper.

                               Muse Kulow and Muraleetharan Kanthaswamy

          

 

 

Adjournment: Mohammad Tajdolati moved a motion to adjourn the meeting, Dr. Khan Khoda seconded it. The motion was carried. The chair adjourned the meeting at 9 pm. The next meeting would take place on June 14, 2010.

 

 

The minutes of the May 17th Monthly meeting have been prepared by Neel Nanda, Secretary General of the Organization.