MEDIA ADVISORY "Inquiry Into Sponsorship Program Should Not Hurt Communities" says head of Canadian Ethnocultural Council Ottawa. March 4, 2004 Mr. Art Hagopian President of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council stated that the findings contained in the report of the Auditor General of Canada on the Public Works and Government Services' Sponsorship Program are of concern to many groups across the country. "Canadians need to know what happened to the funds in the sponsorship program" He indicated that many organizations use festivals as a means of bringing their communities together and to celebrate participation in Canadian society while remembering their cultural roots. "The scandal should not jeopardize support to volunteers,
the charitable and non-profit sectors that over the past decade
have borne the brunt of cuts in government funding in the name of
fiscal restraint, especially organizations working in the multicultural
sector. Without support for these organizations the quality of citizenship
of which we are so proud as a country can wither and weaken us all
in an increasingly multicultural society. All those working to better
the lives of everyday Canadians should not be the victims nor should
those individuals who come forward to provide information or evidence
be penalized" said Mr. Hagopian. For more information contact tel. (613) 230 - 3867, fax (613) 230-8051. cec@web.ca - 30 - The Canadian Ethnocultural Council is a coalition of over 30
national ethnocultural organizations, which in turn represent over
2,000 local chapters across Canada. Its mandate is to work towards
the elimination of racism and to promote the understanding of the
multicultural reality of Canada as defined in The Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms and The Canadian Multiculturalism Act. Sources |