Canadian Ethnic Media Association

Based partly on a press release from the Ontario Attorney General’s office

TORONTO The South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) will be receiving stable funding through Legal Aid Ontario, part of $51 million in new government funding, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced on July 19, 2007.SALCO’s share will total more than $1.5 million over three years.

He said that a third of South Asians in Ontario fall below the poverty line of Statistics Canada and he wanted to make sure these people get the legal help they need when they need it. He outlined other instances, such as when a South Asian husband makes enough money and can afford a lawyer but his wife cannot and the two are embroiled in a marital and custody dispute. “She should have access to legal services,” Mr. Bryant said. (more…)

Renowned journalist, political analyst and editor in chief of Tamils Information Canada, Thiru S. Thiruchelvam is the firstSri Lankan to be honoured with Ontario’s newly established Newcome ChampionAward at a special ceremony held at the Royal Ontario Museum on July 9. He was among the first 14 outstanding persons to be chosen by a high ranking selection panel as the first time recipients of this award.

The other award winnes are: Delfino Callengari of Guelph, Susan Coffee of Toronto, Bob Dufton of London, Ehsan Ghrear of Kitchener, Anita Hobbs of Sarnia, Paul Hogedoorn of London, Olfat Ibrahim of Toronto, Morteza Jafarpour of Hamilton, Gus Kotsiomitis of London, Vivian S. Rambihar of Toronto, Phyllis Retty of London, Chirag Shah of London and Shalija Verma of Ottawa.

The award honours outstanding persons in Ontario for their contributions toward integrating newcomers and celebrating cultural diversity.

(more…)

A press release from the Association of ElectronicJournalists

RTNDA Canada The Association ofElectronic Journalists, is pleased to announce that Renato Zane is the recipient of the 2007 RTNDA Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Zane is Vice-President, News at OMNI Television in Toronto and has served in various positions on the RTNDA Board of Directors since 1992, including, Treasurer, Vice-President Television, Finance Committee Chair andDiversity Chair. (more…)

By Tony Hine

CEMA Member & Coin Expert

Experienced birdwatchers are quite familiar with erratic birds well outside their usual habitat or migration route. Coin-collectors also see non-native currency far from home.

Just as thrifty Canadian tourists may try to tip an unwary third-world bellhop with

Sandy McTires Canadian Tire bills, so too some Caribbean immigrants know that some nickel coins from the West Indies, especially bearing a likeness of Queen Elizabeth, may pass as Canadian if added quickly to a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) fare box. (more…)

By Ace Alvarez

CEMA Board Member

CEMA member Philomen Wright has been appointed Justice of the Peace effective May 30, 2007. This was announced recently by Attorney General Michael Bryant. (more…)