Minutes of the Monthly Meeting held on September 13, 2010 at Queen’s Park, Toronto ON.

Present:

Thomas S. Saras

William Doyle-Marshal

Asha Rajak

Muse Kulow

Neel Nanda

Mohammad Bagher Samimi

Ned Blair

Dumitru Popescu

Irene Keroglidis

Ahmed Shah Hotaki

Marcelle Gideon

Saad Alsafar

Sdv Janus Raudkivi

Sevag Haroutnian

Paffi D. Boghossian

Parry Long

Kemy Chen

Vira Dimitrove

Jim Zhong

Dr. Mohammad Tajdoalati

Sutan Alonan

Jose Donan

Hassan Zerehi

Bahram Bahrami

Aaron Berhane

Muhammad Bukhari

Lankathas Pathmanathan

Hai Tien Lin

AZM Sajedur

Teshome Woldeamanuel

Pakistan Abroad (Riaz)

Farda  Hussein

Moorthy Sellathyurai

Muraleetharan Kanthaswamy

John Saraidaris

Dilipkuma Jeya

N. Logendralingam (Logan)

Srimal Abeyewrdene

Jonathan Annobil

Emmanuel Ayiku

Hermie Garcia

Mila Garcia

Paulraj (Kathir Oli Media)

Agenda

1.      Welcome Remarks by the chair.

2.      Minutes of the previous meeting.

3.      Presentation by Councilor Joe Pantalone a Mayoral Candidate

4.      Presidents Report

5.      New Business

6.      Adjournment

Welcome Remarks by the Chair:

Thomas Saras chaired the meeting and declared the meeting open.

Irene Kerogolidis moved a motion to approve the agenda with the exemption of item “3” of the agenda as Toronto Mayoral candidate Joe Pantalone was unable to make it to the meeting.  Muse Kulow seconded the motion.  The motion was carried.

Minutes of the previous meeting:

Mohammed Tajdolati moved a motion to approve the minutes of the previous monthly meeting held on August, 2010 Irene Keroglidis seconded it.  The motion was carried.

President’s Report/Discussions:

·         President Thomas Saras sent a letter to Heritage Canada seeking some clarification under Publication Assistance Program.  Thomas Saras met with officials of Heritage Canada in Ottawa. Next year the program application will be on the website.  Effective immediately there is a program on September 2010 –Canada Business Innovation Fund for print periodicals. Members interested to know more about the program were asked to refer to the website of the Heritage Ministry or contact the office of the President to seek clarification or more information.

·         Thomas Saras mentioned of the invitation send to Toronto’s ethnic media to attend a briefing and information session by City Hall on September 20.

·         The annual Ethnic Press Festival sponsored by NEPMCC at the CNE  was an unbelievable success. NEPMCC had sponsored two shows at CNE this year celebrating the annual “Ethnic Press Festival”.  The shows took place at the International Building “Hall B” of the Direct Energy Centre on September, 5 at 1:30pm and 6:30 pm respectively. The President thanked all the members and performers who contributed towards the success of the event.

·         NEPMCC met with officials of Revenue Ministry Ontario as well Revenue Canada on August 18 at 2:00 pm to seek clarification regarding HST for ethnic media. The meeting was successful. There was conference call from Revenue Canada from Revenue ministry in Ottawa. NEPMCC managed to have the exemption authorized on HST. The office of the President would communicate to the members on list of eligible items on exemption from the HST once it receives a signed authorization and directives from the ministry of Revenue of Ontario and Revenue Canada.

·          The word on the street festival is taking place on September 26, 2010. Members were asked to get no less than 25 copies of their publication which would be displayed at the booth. Ahmed Shah Hotaki is in charge of the event and members were urged to coordinate between the office of the President and Ahmed Shah Hotaki for participating at the Word on the Street Festival.

·         T he members of the awards committee had recommended the names of Hassan Zerehi of Shahrvand and Thomas Saras of Patrides for this year’s award ceremony. However the committee was asked by the concerned Hassan Zerehi and president Saras to withdraw the names, as Hassan Zerehi is a member of the Awards committee and Thomas Saras is the President of the organization.

Thomas Saras read out the final list of award recipients for 2010 awards ceremony. The names were as follows:

A W A R D S   2010

                                    Special Presentations

Category: “Distinguished Services”

1. - Hon. Dimitris Azemopoulos, Consul General of Greece to Toronto, “Humanities / Community Service”

2. - Mr. Dimitris Soudas, Director Communications Prime Minister’s Office, “Media / Social Justice / Equality”

              3. - Mr. Tony Ruprecht, Ontario MPP, and Publisher: “Toronto’s Many Faces”, “Humanities / Community Service / Diversity”

4- Dr. Reza Moridi, Ontario MPP,  MPP, Leg. Assembly of Ontario, “Humanities / Human Rights / Sciences”

Category: “Individuals”

1. - Dr. Nisar Ahmad Samad, “Humanities / Letters”

2. - Mr. Sardar Shanawazi, “Community / Culture”

3. - Mrs. Nirothini Pararajasingam,  “Humanities / Culture / Arts”

4. - Mr. Behnam  Jahanbeiglou, “Arts / Culture”

5. - Mr.  Dimitris Ilias, “Culture / Living Arts”

 6. - Mrs. Maria Diamantis, “Performing Arts / Humanities”

7. - Asha Rajak, V-P / Executive Secretary NEPMCC, Excellence in “Media / Humanities / Social Justice”

Category: “Newspapers”

“Aaj Kal”, Mr. Ronny Ahmed Chowdhury, Editor-In-Chief, “Excellence in Visual Presentation”

“Ads Guide / Fortune Smart”, Mr. Perry Long, Editor-In-Chief, “Excellence in Editorial Content and Visual Presentation”

“Afghan Post”, Mr. Ahmad Shah Hotaki, Editor-In-Chief, “Excellence in Journalism and Visual Presentation”

“Akhbarere Pakistan”, Mr. Badar Munir Chaudhary, Editor-In-Chief, “Excellence in Editorial Content and Free Expression”

“Brazil News”, Mrs. Tania Nuttall, Editor-In-Chief, “Best Concept and Visual Presentation”

“Bulgarian Flame”, Ms. Viara (Vera) Dimitrova, Editor-In-Chief, “Excellence in Editorial Content and Visual Presentation”

“Diario El Popular”, Mr. Eduardo Uruena, Publisher and CEO, “Human Rights, Free Expression, Social Justice”

“India Journal”, Mr. Harjinder Singh Publisher, “Editorial Concept and Visual Presentation”

“Nigerian Canadian News”, Mr. Gertie Ngozi Ugoh, Publisher, “Best Concept and Visual Presentation”

“Observatorul”, Mr. Dumitru Popescu, Publisher/ Editor, “Culture, Justice and Visual Presentation

“Toronto Hye”Mrs. Karin Saghdejian, Editor-In-Chief, “Best Editorial Concept and Free Expression”

“Shahrvand”, Mrs. Nashrim Almasi, Publisher, “Human Rights and Visual Presentation”

“Uthayan”, Mr. Logan Longendralingam, Editor-In-Chief, “Best Concept and Visual Presentation”

Category: Magazines

“Assaha” Magazine, Mr. Saad Alsafar, Publisher /Editor, “Best Editorial Content and Visual Presentation”

“HK Healthy Knowledge”, Magazine, Ms. Liz E. Philbert, Publisher / Editor, “Best Concept and Visual Presentation”

“Immigrant Post” Magazine, Musecabdulle Kulow Publisher / Editor, “Best In Editorial Concept and Visual Presentation”

Category: Radio and Television:

“Desi Television”, Dr. Khan Koda, Producer / Director, “Culture / Media / Arts”

“Planet Africa Television”, Moses Mawadri, Founder and Chairman, “Equality and Social Justice”

“Macedonian Edition”, TV Program, Pobeda Piskaceva, Producer / Director / Host, “Culture / Media / Arts”

Category Journalists:

Mr. Mahesh Abeywardene, Photo Journalist, “Editor-of Tomorrow”

Dr. Feiyue Wang Chair, “Manitoba Chinese Tribute”, “Innovation and Best Visual Presentation”

Category: Journalists with Special Needs

Mr. Adu Janus Raudkivi, Life Time Achievement, “Media / Communications / Equality”

 Motion: Ned Blair moved the motion to approve the names read by the President seconded by Bahram Bahrami. The motion was carried.

·         Award winners were asked to submit the names and addresses of all guests attending the ceremony to the office of the President.

·         Dress code for awards ceremony is business/formal and will be strictly enforced.

·         NEPMCC would allocate $250 for musical performances during the awards ceremony. Members unanimously accepted the amount for musicians.  The event would be video recorded by a professional videographer. NEPMCC would allocate $300 for the video recording

·         The president suggested that in the upcoming Annual Get Together Event, (December 17, 2010), the organization will honour a number of the honourees.

·         Motion: There was a vote to increase the ticket price of the annual dinner to be held in December. There was a suggestion to increase the price to $25 or to $30. Majority of the members voted to increase the price of the annual dinner ticket to $30 per person. Irene Keroglidis moved a motion to this effect and Mohammad Tajdolati seconded it. The motion was carried and the price of the annual dinner ticket was fixed at $30 per person.

·         Thomas Saras thanked members who donated towards the flood victims in Pakistan.

·          Srimal  Abeyewardene, ask that the administration to announce the appointment of Dr. Tajdolati as the new ombudsman of the Council, replacing Dr. Bikram Lamba who resigned earlier in the summer. He suggested that all member publications make a reference to Dr. Tajdolati as the official Arbitrator of the Ethnic Press. Answering questions about the appointment the president explain that the organization choose Dr. Tajdolati as the top arbitrator because of his studies and social status, and explained that “religion has nothing to do in this organization”. “In this boardroom there are only Journalists, servants of the communities they have common concerns and are working towards a better society. There is no place is this room for religious philosophies. Our philosophy is the Common Future and advancement of the Human Race, all of us are equal in this room and in this society. Merit and ability is the only point that makes the difference among us. And let me tell you Education makes the real difference”, concluded the President.

.                               New Members: The council welcomed the following member

                              Charles – Tamil Mirror monthly newspaper

 Adjournment: Srimal Abeyawardene moved a motion to adjourn the meeting, Irene Keroglidisseconded it. The motion was carried. The chair adjourned the meeting at 10:30 pm. The next meeting would take place on Monday October 18, 2010, due to the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Holiday second weekend.

The minutes prepared by Neel Nanda, Secretary General of the NEPMCC.