...and a few star-struck Van Loan deciples within the community whose admiration for this man does the community and Estonia a great disservice.

Van Loan's mother is Estonian. No, he doesn't speak Estonian, but he is hardly alone there. He represents the many Estonians who live in his constituency. That probably accounts for his interest in Estonian affairs.

Remind us - where he was in April?

Remind us why he hasn't bothered to learn Estonian? I used to understand that during Soviet times, it might have been a hell of a lot more difficult to get non-Estonians to learn to speak the language, but these days people frequently flip in and out of Russian and Estonian in public places. It should be the same where freedom has always existed, and all the more so in the case of those whose background is Estonian. There is no use convincing people they are into the Estnonian cause when these days huge numbers of Russian descendants speak the language with a fluency that should be the envy of most Estonian descendants. Van Loan should be a living example of this. Instead, he is the opposite. He backed off in April and hasn't said anything in his defence since then. The silence is deafening!!!

Miks teie jagelemine ei toimu meie ja Peter Van Loani emakeeles?

Miks teie jagelemine ei toimu meie ja Peter Van Loani emakeeles?

Toimubki-sest see mees ei tea MÕHKUGI eestikeelest.

Maxim and Shär share alike?

Remind us, where was Estonian parliament in April?

Jaan-get your facts right before you come here defending someone like van Loan who should know better than cave in on Estonia. Van Loan has done sweet fanny adams as far as I'm concerned. Laas has done his own job plus everything that van Loan should have done, but conveniently left it undone for fear of losing friends in the wider Canadian political field. It's a pathetic situation that he should be representing Estonia, when he has done so little other than attend big functions where the grog is on the house. They got a pretty good snapshot of him this time drinking to his heart's delight!

Lihtsalt selle pärast et me seda väga hästi ei oska, paraku.

Dear Maxim, the facts are as follows: the Canadian parliament did not say a word about the disorder in Tallinn in April, and neither did the Estonian parliament. Empty declarations cost nothing. Work done in silence matters. As far as I know Van Loan has allways identified himself as a Canadian from Estonian origin, not an Estonian. So what is the problem with the language? He speaks both: English and French. If he takes deeper interest in Estonian history, culture and politics, should he be beaten and dislodged for that? You're right, I don't know the back ground, and that is not for me to decide. But I'm surprised about the anonymous wickedness (we are unfotunately used, in Estonia) also in Canadian Estonian society. But Estonians remain Estonians everywhere. Don't they? :)

USA, UK, Iceland, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Portugal, Macedonia, Greece, Poland, Czech, Solvenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland etc.. . . in no specific order: all of them pledged their support for Estonia. Again, where was Canada and the Canadian of Estonian origin?

Jaan - Does it matter that the Estonian parliament said nothing? Ilves is head of state and along with Ansip was front and centre in April. I'm not sure I understand your point on this issue.

There is just too much confusion regarding this issue, and perhaps in all fairness van Loan certainly has the right not to comment on this issue. I think that the April uprising was handled fairly well, though I disagree that prior to the statue's removal there was any particular public outcry on the subject, just as today there is generally no outcry whatsoever about the ugly Soviet obelisk residing at Pirita. The answer is in finding the best workable solution to bringing about a better sense of assimilation between various community groups in Estonia. The removal of the bronze statue could have waited a few more years when statistically many many more young Russians in Estonia have received a different kind of education to their parents, and I think you would have found that the change in location would have gone much more smoothly. Much of the problem lay in poor timing. Besides, Laar missed his opportunity to move on the issue, but that is another story. Young Russians are now making a fist of becoming fine Estonian citizens who speak Estonian as well as van Loan speaks French, and I think that is a cause for celebration!

You, as Canadian citizen, I guess, were waiting Canadian parliament to say something. I, as Estonian citizen, expected Estonian parliament to do the same. Neither of them did, but I am not rubing it in almost a year later. Let's look forward.

Correct. We do need to move forward.
New threats will almost certainly arise and I'm sure that the criticism he has received will help improve Van Loan's reaction time in the future.

We are few, and when someone wants to step up to help our cause, we should welcome them with great enthusiasm, rather than criticizm, which is, unfortunately, an ugly trait of our people.

Only the naive will congratulate apathy. We must celebrate those who actively support the community and our issues and criticize those who seek the support of the community but do little to help it. Let's move forward.

To keep someone interested in promoting Esto stuff, you need to pay them-and pay reasonably well. I understand that Avo is in a paid job, yet you all criticize him as if nothing has changed for the better whilst he has been at the helm. If van Loan has genuinely done some nice things for the community, then that's very nice of him. However, I hardly think that his contribution to our general cause is going to get him next years' ametiraha. There are only a handful of people who deserve such an award, and I trust Rasmus is more than capable of making the correct decision in these matters. Nice to have seen the Tulvings this time at the President's reception.

EKN on rahvus-poliitiline organisatsioon. See tähendab, et tema mandaat on tegutseda Eesti huvides siin Kanadas.
Hilisaegu on aetud segi mitme organisatsiooni eesmärgid.

EKN = rahvuspoliitiline (lobbying government, organizing political rallies, such as Black Ribbon Day & Balti kett) etc.

Eesti Liit Kanadas = umbrella organization for the various Estonian Canadian societies and organizations (as of late, EKN's mandate has been confused with ELK's)

Eesti Selts = most cities and towns have their Eesti Selts, whos function is to organize functions, Esto Schools ... bring the community together.