MEDIA RELEASE

Canada’s Ethnocultural Communities Express Contempt for Vandals

Ottawa, March 23, 2004. The President of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council Mr. Art Hagopian, expressed indignation at the recent acts of anti-Semitic vandalism which, have taken place in Toronto against Jewish tombstones and homes.

 “It is hard to believe that in this day and age this can happen” said Mr. Hagopian. “This kind

of vandalism is an attack on all of us not just the Jewish community. It is an affront to our shared Canadian value of respect for each other.”

Mr. Hagopian has called upon the leaders of the various ethnocultural communities to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and speak out against these acts. “The perpetrators of these senseless crimes must be brought to justice”said Mr. Hagopian. He urged all levels of Government to work together to find the culprits and to speak out against these senseless acts of hate.

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For more information contact Anna Chiappa at 230 - 3867, fax (613) 230-8051 or cec@web.ca.

Or website at www.ethnocultural.ca

The Canadian Ethnocultural Council is a coalition of 32 national ethnocultural organizations which in turn represent over 2,000 local chapters across Canada and whose mandate is to work towards the elimination of racism and the understanding of the multicultural reality of Canada as defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and The Canadian Multiculturalism Act.