Toronto saw two politically flavoured seasonal festivities of note: the one at Queen’s Park hosted by Premier Dalton McGuinty on December 15; the other by the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC) hosted by president Thomas Saras on December 12th.
The NEPMCC event featured the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Heritage, who spoke of the achievements of the federal government. The point of interest was that the government plans to maintain its immigration quota of 250,000 despite the onrushing recession. To be fair, however, the other parties would do the same - and do it with less discrimination.
Among the honoured guests were federal Liberal member Rob Oliphant, who has constantly promoted indiscriminate immigration, Provincial Liberal Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne who has had her hands full not only with infrastructure but with Catholic school trustee spending habits and Federal Liberal Jim Karygiannis who will always be a backbencher because he criticizes even his own party when necessary. Finally there was Toronto City Councillor Michael Thompson, guest at last year’s Estonian Independence Day celebration, who was asked when would he run for mayor. His answer was pleasantly non-committal.
The Queen’s Park event was more lavish, attended by most Toronto Liberal Members of Legislative Assembly, emceed by the Honourable Michael Chan, who just two years ago was at the same event running for the nomination of the riding. Now he is on his second ministry. Premier McGuinty spent most of the time posing with the attending ethnic/diverse media. McGuinty gave honourable mention to ninety-year-old Ben Viccari, just recently President of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association, referring to him as the "dean of ethnic media.”
McGuinty tried to ensure that all the gathered received a personal seasons greetings message but admitted he might have missed a few.
Political Season’s Greetings for 2008
Archived Articles | 18 Dec 2008 | Adu RaudkiviEWR
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