His Honour The Honourable David Charles Onley`s remarks at the NEPMCC Annual AWARDS 2010 Ceremony

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Queen's Park.

At a time when mainstream publishers and editors are locked in a battle for survival against web-based social media, the ethnic media in Canada continues to thrive.

As they have since the 19th century, the ethnic communities who make up Canada's vibrant cultural mosaic still look to media in their mother tongues for information about events in their communities and news from their countries of origin.

And, for those who are new to Canada, in many cases struggling to understand the people and customs of their new home, the ethnic media can be a lifeline.

By building bridges between communities, conveying information that is not generally available in mainstream media, they help new immigrants to adapt and thrive in our society.

The existence of a strong and diverse ethnic media in Canada serves a dual purpose. It acts as a conduit for information to flow into and between ethnic communities.

More importantly, perhaps, it can also give voice to those communities, ensuring that the views and concerns of Canada's ethnic minorities are heard.

I look forward this evening to honouring several members of our national ethnic media for your outstanding contributions to your communities, to journalism and to the arts.

As The Queen's representative in Ontario, I commend the National Ethnic Press and Media Council for your leadership in promoting the importance of the ethnic media in our society. And I congratulate this evening's award winners for achieving the recognition of your peers in the media.

Thank you.