April 25, 1997 CEC held productive meetings with politicians

Our Council is pleased that several members of Parliament have expressed their support for the multiculturalism policy which aims to promote sharing of our multicultural heritage and to remove barriers that prevent some Canadians from fully exercising their rights and responsibilities as citizens, says Emmanuel Dick, President of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council (CEC) ­ Canada's only coalition of national umbrella ethnocultural organizations.

On April 21, the CEC's membership met with the Hon. Hedy Fry, the Hon. Herb Gray, other Liberal Members of Parliament and Osvaldo Nunez, Immigration Critic for the Bloc Québecois to discuss with them their plans to address the issues of specific interest to ethnocultural minority communities. The issues raised by the CEC included: the new federal multiculturalism program, Canadian unity and identity, family class immigration, access to professions and trades, the review of the Citizenship Act, Governor­in­Council appointments, the Canadian Heritage Languages Institute, amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act, the literacy needs of ethnocultural minorities, the Employment Equity Act, and the Race Relations Foundation. A copy of the issues and questions raised by the CEC can be obtained from the CEC Secretariat.

The CEC also met with the Hon. Stéphane Dion on Tuesday. Mr. Dion expressed his support for the CEC's activities to promote Canadian unity. Several meetings also took place on Tuesday with assistant deputy ministers and other senior public servants.

All of these meetings had one purpose: to ensure that federal policies, programs and services respond to the needs of Canada's diverse population.

For further information contact: Irene Kamchen, Executive Director at 613­230­3867.

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