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| Media Advisory The Canadian Ethnocultural
Council calls upon Ottawa, March 21, 2003 Today, Canada along with the international community recognizes the international day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Canadian Ethnocultural Council, a coalition of over thirty national ethnocultural groups salutes all human rights activists who toil tirelessly to eliminate the scourge of all forms of racism around the world. “On this day and thereafter, every Canadian is called upon to respect diversity and address racism in all spheres of life. This becomes particularly important as Canada's immigration continues to open its doors to people from all corners of the world. However, in these difficult times where security of country is of utmost concern, our continued commitment to respect and equality must also prevail This must not impede our commitment to the country’s intrinsic values of inclusiveness which are reflected in Canada’s Multiculturalism policy. The strength of our nation comes in giving all Canadians a strong sense of security while not marginalizing minority communities because of their ancestry, ethnicity, race or religious beliefs. We must work individually and collectively to make these basic tenants part of our everyday lives,” says Art Hagopian, President of the CEC. - 30 - For more information contact Anna Chiappa, Executive Director (613) 230-3867,
fax (613) 230-8051 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 |