Prime Minister schmoozes with business leaders.
Bmm mmmm staff reporter
I rime Minister Jean Chre-I tien took time out fiom his busy schedule of sparing with Quebec separatists to meet with members of the Ethno Business Council of B.C (EEC).
The private meeting, which included the 20 plus-member council and all six B.C. Liberal MPs, was held Oct. 11 at Vancouver's Metropolitan Hotel.
Vancouver lawyer Morris Soronow has been the Canadian Jewish Congress* represen-
Sorcmow said the Council makes recommendations on policy to the Federal government and the Federal Business Development Bank on business matters that concern the multicultural community.
*WeVe come up with policies on many things," said Mr. Soronow. "But the one that the government seems to have looked at followed some of our recommendations having to do with grant and loan policies to immigrants."
tative to the Council for the last seven of SBC's eight-year existence.
While he's met with all the ministers responsible for EBC through the Conservative and now liberal governments, this was his first op|M}rtunity to meet a prime minister. Joining him was Michael Eiterman, GJC*s chairman.
"[Chretien] was quite fmmy actually on a personal level," commented Mr. Soronow, "He does have a human touch." Mr. Soronow reported that
injocu-
The goal is to get immigrant entrepreneurs involved in the economy and to match up their skills with the borrowin^grant powers of the Federal government.
"Often immigrant entrepreneurs come over with experience, but no credit backgromd in Canada."
He said virtually every ethnic community sends a representative to the EEC's montiily meetings. His participation allows
lar fashion, "That one of his policies has been to downsize the civil service... and he appreciated the efforts of small snd medium-size businesses, because that's where job creation is coming from for his former employees." As to EEC's purpose,
Jewish and other communities, he said. There is a Ethno Business Council for each Canadian
provmce.
A handshake
andaphotoop-le meet-
ing. □
Local Pollard supporters applaud rejection of Israeli citizenship.
abseil FBIgSmA^ editor
Ihough Israel has rejected a request for citizenship by imprisoned spy Jonathan Pollard — tbaf s just ^e, say local mem-hers of Citizens for Justice for Jonathan Pollard.
Hilaiy Nicholls, co-chair of the Lower Mainland chapter, said Pollard supporters are
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by the U.S., and not an offer ofiiiwmidpMy teael.
if£s|^u!ole;^ new year, probabty January, we don't wanttp do any^ that wbnld prejudice him in American eyes," she
If Israel would have granted citizenship to Mr. Pollard, "it would look to the Americans as if Israel is endorsing
Nicholls, "so it would not be good for him. Besides, citi-n(
Mr. Pollard, a former U:S. naval intelligence analyst, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for spying for Israel. His Toronto-based wife, Esther Pollard, had petitioned the Israeli government to grant citizenship to her husband Her application was rejected by Interior Minister Ehud Barak
Mrs. Pollard's application had been based on Israel's 1952 Citizenship Law which is,
tended to grant State protection to those aspiring to
struggle for the opportunity to immigrate, and whc^ identification with Israel is forbidden in their coimtries of origin."
Israel has used this law to grant citizenship to aliyah activists and Prisoners of Zion
continues on page 10
caliber education for Jewish children in the Vancouver community. Children are treated with love and respect in a healthy, stimulating and nurturing enviroirnient Our teachers are highly trained, experienod and well-qualified to accompany our children on an exciting journey through (heir Jewish heritage and culture,with esplisratfons in Jewish lar^uage, idl^on, holidays, hi^oiy and music As wen, children are imbued with a love of reading and writing, skills development in mathematics and science, and a complete art and physical education programme. Our secular curriculum follows guideline set by the B.C. Ministiy of Education.
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