Thursday, August 11,1994 — THE BULLETIN — 3
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JWB Staff
Canadian Jewish Congress (Pacific Region) believes a steady flow of immigration is good for Canada.
So says Bernardo Berdi-chewsky, chair of CJC's ethnic relations and multicultural committee, who represented the organization at a recent citizen's consultation forum on immigration policy.
The Vancouver forum was one of several meetings held across Canada by the Honorable Sergio Marchi, minister of citizenship and immigration.
Marchi said in a news release the meetings "give Canadians the opportunity to participate in this important consultation."
"I need this information to develop the vision and longer term strategy which sees immigrants as contributors to Canada's economic and social fabric."
Some 250 people attended the event, held the evening of June 27 at the Hastings Community Centre. The forum was planned and co-hosted by the Social Planning and Research Council of B.C. and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.
Seated at the head table were Marchi; Angela Julien, SPARC past-president and current vice-president; and SPARC board member Carole Christensen.
Julien, acting as master of ceremonies, opened the evening. Christensen, performing the duties of moderator, introduced the four panelists.
They included Otto Rieve, President of the National Council of Ethnic Canadian Business and Professional Associations; Nancy Knickerbocker, member of the Parent Advisory Committee of Tillicum Elementary School; Paul Ching Lee, Past President of the Strath-cona Community Centre Association; and Cyrus Eduljee, Canadian student representative in the United Nations Peace Conference.
After being introduced, each panelist talked for five minutes on his personal vision of Canada, and the role of immigration in it. The presentations were followed by table discussions in small groups of 12-15.
Two broad issues were covered at the meeting: "What criteria should Canada consider in selecting immigrants?" and "With your vision of Canada, how should we help newcomers integrate into Canadian society?"
In a telephone interview, Berdichewsky told The Bui-letin he thought the forum worthwhile. "It was democratic consultation on an important topic."
He noted there was a lively exchange of ideas with Marchi after each of the panelists had made their presentations.
"The Minister really knew what he was talking about," Berdichewsky noted.
The CJC ethnic relations and multicultural committee chair told a steady flow of immigrants was needed in order to keep Canada's population from decreasing.
"The people already living here aren't reproducing fast enough," he explained.
Berdichewsky said CJC is
BERDICHEWSKY
in agreement with the federal government's immigration target of 250,000 per year. "That represents only about one percent of our population," he noted.
Because many immigrants don't stay in Canada, he added, the net annual immigration figure is actually less than 200,000.
Berdichewsky said that changes in world-wide immigration flows have had a profound effect on Canadian society. "We have become a real pluralistic society," he said. "Canada is a model for the 21st century for the rest of the world."
he has called upon the Israeli government to have an hon^ orary consul general in Vancouver.
"There are great opportunities for trade between B.C. companies and Israeli companies," said Simpson. "However, serious trade cannot take place without at least an office of an honorary consul general, he stressed.
"I would hope that the Israeli government and the Jewish community would
take up the challenge which could have great economic beneflts to Israeli and B.C. companies."
Simpson pointed out that the value of Israeli exports to Canada average $ f 30 million per year; B.C. exports to Israel are around $5 million.
The Israeli Embassy in Ottawa, in response to Simpson's urging to open a B.C. office, told that "The subject is under consideration."
TALKING TRADE: MLA Bernie Simpson with Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz.
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MLA Bernie Simpson (Vancouver-Fraseryiew) was told recently by a senior Malaysian official that the Asian country's policy of banning trade with Israel is being reconsidered.
Simpson raised the question of the trade ban, and Malaysia's refusal to allow Israelis into the country, with senior cabinet minister
international trade and industry, at a recent meeting of the Pacific Basin Economic Council in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The MLA reported that Aziz, who is viewed as one of the most influential members of the Malaysian cabinet, said that unofficial permission may be granted to Malaysian companies who wish to trade with Israel.
Trade links would benefit both Israel and Malaysia, each of which is experiencing rapid rates of growth, Simpson told The Bulletin.
The Jewish MLA has been assigned by Premier
At a
TORONTO
recent meeting of the Canadian commission on Jewish identity and continuity, sponsored by Canadian Jewish Congress, several suggestions were made for broadening the appeal of the Jewish community to young Jews.
Ideas included advertising in the non-Jewish press, setting up sports leagues and offering programs that may not have a particailarly Jewish content.
By GIL KEZWER
TORONTO (JTA) — Officials with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada's immigration department recently arrested a former bodyguard of Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat for being a threat to Canadian security, a spokesman with the immigration authorities revealed.
Wahid Khalil Baroud,43, was arrested at his home near Toronto, where offi-
cials presented a rarely used National Security Certificate for his arrest.
The warrant, signed by Immigration Minister Sergio Marchi and Solicitor General Herb Gray, was based on information provided by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canada's equivalent of the FBI and CIA. No further details were revealed.
Baroud, an officer in Arafat's mainstream Al Fatah organization, arrived at Toronto's Pearson Interna-
tional Airport from Greece in May 1991 with his wife and three children.
The family, traveling on forged Egyptian passports and claiming to be Israelis, filed for refugee status.
But Canadian offlcials issued an arrest warrant after Baroud missed two immigration hearings.
Baroud was reportedly in charge of coordinating PLO terrorist acts in Libya, Syria, Lebanon and Greece, where he had been stationed for eight years.
Mike Harcourt the responsibility of trade with the Asian Pacific, and is in close contact with senior government officials in countries of that region,
Simpson recently spent two-and-a-half weeks in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, where he promoted B.C. and the benefits of trade with the province.
nru_ ill A i lie ivii^n
promoting trade not only with S.E. Asia, but with Israel as well. To that end.
'^Land of Promise^' Calgary E%hibit and auiilliary Edmonton Esshibit
1) It wilt take lots of man and woman power to staff the exhibits in the Zack Gallery S®pt. 22 to Oct. 14th. Please volunteer to Jewish Historical Society office at 257-5199. Co-chairs will call you back re scheduling.
2) Contributions (which are income Tax deductible) to defray costs of transportation of exhibit from Calgary and return would be most welcome. For further information, call either co-chair of the "Alberta Roundup" —Fay R|back at 279-0035 or Mersam Winston at 322-3294 after S p.m.
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