Canadian Ethnic Media Association

Once again, CEMA will make awards to journalists for their work in the following juried categories: print, radio, television and internet.

The awards will be presented at a gala event on Friday, June 26, and entries arenow being accepted. Deadline for receipt by CEMA is April 30. Entries will then be judged by qualified persons who are not CEMA members.

Please study the attached rules and regulations carefully, and if interested complete the application form and mail by surface post three copies of each entry to Doreen Vanini.

The contest is open to all journalists who have not already won two or more CEMA awards. CLICK HERE to download the Rules and regulations and the entry form.

The following letter from CEMA director Arnim Joop puublisher/editor of The Albertan and Mill Woods Mosaic was published in the Edmonton Journal, March 10.

Re: ” ‘God choose me to kill him’; Edmonton immigrant sent to mental hospital heard voices telling him to decapitate passenger,” The Journal, March 6.

It is good that the Edmonton Journal has told the story of Vince Li, the man who killed Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus last year. But why was it necessary to describe Li as an “Edmonton immigrant?” As an immigrant, I am offended by this.

The horrible killing committed by Li has nothing to do with him being an immigrant. Canada is a country of many immigrants, and most of them are not mentally ill.

You wouldn’t identify CBC anchor Peter Mansbridge, who was born in England, or Governor General Michaelle Jean, who was born in Haiti, as immigrants, because it’s not relevant.

Li has been found mentally ill and therefore not criminally responsible for the killing, but there is no evidence that the number of people suffering from mental illness is higher among immigrants than among Canadians.

The article says Li’s “new life in Canada was typical of the kind of experience many immigrants faced — overeducated and underemployed.” What is “overeducated?” And not all immigrants who are underemployed become mentally ill.

Arnim Joop, publisher, Mill Woods Mosaic, Edmonton
Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

CEMA’s March 5th Speaker Series meeting featuring Forte Gerardo heard the story of the harmonious growth of relationships between Canadians and newcomers from the Philippines who are now Canadas fourth largest immigrant group.

Gerardo, a member of the advisory board of The International Import & Export Institute is the author of a recently published book titled in Tagalog Ka-intindi han which translates into English as Mutual Understanding.  The text of the book is, however  in English.

Gerardo , a UNESCO scholarship recipient,  is backed  by a full generation of international trade experience. Hes been Philippine  trade representative in Denmark, Sweden and Norway and was the first trade commissioner and manager of Philippine House in Toronto. He heads an Aurora-based guidance counsel service to doing business with Asian countries.

Using a number of compelling historical facts on how, since the 1950s,  sound relationships  have  developed between Canadians and both transplanted Filipinos and those who reside in that island nation, Gerardo believed that these defined a role model for relationships between diverse communities.

He said the mainstays of this relationship have been a mutual understanding of each others core values and economic s success.  For instance, in 1996 there were 157,872 working Canadians of Filipino origin and ten years later, 300,000 of the estimated 400,000 now residing in Canada. In 1970, imports to Canada from the Philippines amounted to $4 million but in 1996  with a population growing from 30,000 to 400,000 these imports amounted to $990 million. A corresponding  rise in Canadian exports to the Philippines to nearly $590 million has also resulted.

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Please Note: Our next Speaker Series meeting will be held Thursday, April 2nd. Speaker: to be announced.

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Recognizing CEMA’s 30th anniversary, the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) gave a reception February 26th for the association’s members. The reception was arranged by Kiumars Rezvanifar, director of both CEMA and OMDC and proved an evening of great conviviality

OMDC’s mandate is to build Ontario’s cultural industries’ capacity and competitiveness. Through tax credits, programs and services for the film and television, book and magazine publishing, music and interactive digital media industries, OMDC maximizes opportunities for growth and innovation in Ontario and abroad.

Ontario’s cultural industries contribute over $6.7 billion annually to the economy and generate more than 36,000 highly skilled jobs.

Culture Minister the  Honourable Aileen Carroll Minister presents CEMA chair, Madeline Ziniak with Premier Mc Guinty’s message of congratulations. (From left) Madeline Ziniak, Ben Viccari, Minister Carroll, Kiu Rezvanifar and Karen Thorne-Stone. Photographer: Roy Virtue

In attendance were Ontario Minister of Culture and Responsibility for Seniors Aileen Carroll, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Michael Chan, OMDC CEO Karen Thorne-Stone and President Kevin Shea, CEMA Chair Madeline Ziniak and a large number of CEMA directors and members.

Minister Carroll presented Madeline with a message of congratulations from Ontario Premier Dalton Mc Guinty which read:

“On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I am delighted to extend warm greetings to everyone celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA).

“Canada boasts a wealth of languages and cultures. Fortunately, our country also boasts a strong and vibrant ethnic media dedicated to capturing and presenting the viewpoints, values and experiences of our diverse population.

“I offer my hearty congratulations to the talented professionals of CEMA on marking three decades of providing outstanding print and electronic journalism to the communities you serve — and to our nation as a whole. My colleagues and I, indeed all Ontarians, applaud the fine work you do in helping to ensure everyone in our province and our country is given a voice.
Please accept my sincere best wishes for a memorable celebration — and much ongoing success.”

A few more of the guests who enjoyed the hospitality. Photographer: Roy Virtue

So you think there’s not enough diversity in our leadership in  a country that is arguably the most diverse in the world?

Then come to our next SPEAKER SERIES on April 2 and learn from Ratna what’s being done in a vital project which far from being a vehicle for clichés aims for change within three years! It’s known as DiverseCity. You can click on the name to learn more.

Ratna is president of theThe Greater Toronto Leadership project,  jointly run by Maytree, a private foundation, and the Toronto City Summit Alliance.  Over three years, the project aims to transform the leadership landscape by enabling a new group of diverse leaders to emerge.

Research indicates that while the Greater Toronto Area is the most diverse region in Canada its leadership is not reflective of this reality.  The project is working actively to address this through  distinct initiatives that will strengthen our institutions, expand our networks and advance our knowledge on the role of diversity in leadership.

April 2, 2009; 6:45 pm,
Majestic Board Room, OMNI-TV
545 Lakeshore Boulevard W. (Corner Bathurst St and Lakeshore)
Free Parking at OMNI lot just east of OMNI Building on Lakeshore Blvd.