Canadian Ethnic Media Association

…Some are considered guilty (potential refugees) unless they prove themselves innocent

BY SURESH JAURA

CEMA MEMBER

The Canadian passport looks the same for all — until you open it. Once you do you will find two kinds of pictures; those of Canadian citizens that the Canadian government trusts, and those of Canadian citizens that the government does not.

The difference is easy to spot, because it is shamefully crude. It’s a difference in pigmentation. Given the rhetoric, you’d have thought that only the most outward manifestation of a variety and of a multiculturalism not to mention equality that Canadian leaders go on telling us that we celebrate. But the rhetoric begins increasingly to sound phoney; not just because there is a difference between policy and practice, but because the policy is itself discriminatory.

Ask a white Canadian who migrated from a non-Asiatic country the last time her or his relatives were denied a visit visa for a family celebration. Not one will have a story to tell. Ask an Indian or other non-white Canadians, and everyone does. (more…)

“What’s in a Name?” —-A whole lot, Brenda Nadjiwan tells CEMA members.

Speaking to members on November 1, Brenda Nadjiwan of the Department Indian and Northern Affairs (Ontario Region), discussed the semantic traps we can fall into when writing about Canada’s first peoples. When should one use “Indian”, “Native” or “Aboriginal?”

Brenda, a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Band, is co-ordinator of the region’s Aboriginal Workers Participation Initiative and has played a founding part in liaison with the broadcast industry in the Strategic Alliance of Broadcasters for Aboriginal Reflection (SABAR), which she chairs. (more…)

MULTICULTURALISM AND THE ETHINIC DIALOG TO HELP LAUNCH

A press release from Variety Crossing

Toronto, November 24, 2007 Dae-Tong Huh, President of the Korean-Canadian Literary Forum-21, is proud to announce the launch of the 9th Edition of Variety Crossing, a multicultural collection of original poetry, essays and invited writings.

“Variety Crossing presents twenty four artists from different backgrounds, brought together to share the common dream of a truly multicultural community through literature and poetry,” says Mr. Huh, editor, translator and publisher of the anthology.

“The book includes work not only by such well known Canadian writers as George Elliott Clarke, Priscila Uppal, Flavia Cosma, George Fethering, Sonnet L Abbe, Bianca Lakoseliac, and Ben Viccari, but also by renowned international poets Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Hyo-Chee Moon, Suji Kwock Kim, and Kyung Whan Yoo. Having artists from a number of nationalities helps us bridge all cultural boundaries…a true Variety, a true Crossing of cultures.”

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CEMA held yet another successful season’s dinner at which Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty (see picture on right below) stressed the importance of the organization’s role in bringing together the most important ethnic media in the country under one umbrella.

What he left untouched though was picked up by Michael Prue, the NDP Member of the Provincial Parliament from the Beaches (see picture at left below), who slammed the unfair taxation imposed by Ontario that is hurting the ethnic print media. He promised his party’s support to have this removed and in fact a day later made good on his promise by raising this in the provincial legislature. For details on the unfair taxation CLICK HERE and read about how law firm Fasken Martineau is helping ethnic media form a coalition to fight and remove this taxation that is party based on whether a publication stapled or bound! Go figure!

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Unlikely Utopia: The Surprising Triumph of Canadian Pluralism, by Michael Adams; Publication date: November 17, 2007; Viking Canada, Hardcover, $34.00. NOTE CEMA MEMBERS: For more information, or to interview Michael Adams, please contact: Melissa Robson, (416) 928-2405 E-mail: melissa.robson@ca.penguingroup.com

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE PUBLISHERS:

As the Bouchard-Taylor commission tours Quebec and debate over “reasonable accommodation” continues to grow, bestselling author Michael Adams argues in his new book Unlikely Utopia: The Surprising Triumph of Canadian Pluralism that Multicultural Canada is in fact proving to be the “experiment” that worked.

Featuring data from the first-ever poll of Muslim Canadians and a comprehensive evaluation of the ethnic strife currently playing out in Quebec, Unlikely Utopia provides timely analysis of migration and pluralism in Canada that challenges the rampant depictions of intolerance currently dominating the media. (more…)

Presss Release from Sheridan College:

Ajournalism program at the Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning will host an information session for prospective students next month.

Oakham House at Ryerson University in Toronto will host the gathering on November 13 so that those interested can learn about the one-year graduate certificate program Canadian Journalism for Internationally Trained Writers. Faculty and staff will be on hand to make brief presentations and answer questions. (more…)

CEMA has just learned of the passing of long-time member, Hammad Baig. He was only57. In response to a message of sympathy from CEMA sent by President Ben Viccari, Mrs Rosey Baig writes:

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness and kind words. Unfortunately,I am unable to continue with the publication of “Today’s World” as I am now left with the full responsibility of running the family business.” (more…)