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September 2,1976
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Ottawa.
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V olu m e
25 Cento
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by Bharat P. Mathor
OTTAWA, '.Augusti-3^'.^97i61.r.'.In - }' bureau for disseminating inf0r� ' order effectively tp;/jtackle th& t mation among (Canadians about various problems they were j Indians history, [(iv) employment facing in Canada, incluiding racial j opportunities for immigrants discrimination, & founding conference of representative^ of Indian' settlers drawn from j different parts -of the country j yesterday formed a Natkmal Assjocijatipn, of Canadians with Origin ijv; India, (NACQl) with -headquariers in Ottawa. � �;.. � �! v �'� j^'l':!':�'��'
Fulfilling a long-felt? n$e4, the Association has (a) protection of the rights of Indian*�"�.|b),,Vfull participation in Canadiim society, '(c) improvemen.t of their cplle-
A panel discussion on the 29th chaired by|Dr. M.V. Naidu
T.J* Samuel Education) and ash, of Caltures) Paul (Social
heard from (challenge of Msv G. Irani (C and Dr. G-S
ctive image, (d) assistance ..,. their Adaptation to i Canadian
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milieu, (e) bringing about a better
understanding among, � tfcenv.OiT
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Canada and �... ,V,\;. j.1 i."': �.-'..'. Canadians of other ethnje o^rigiafc, pTOvVdn>tt a fofruttft for, �ih
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* -.Of ideas onv j issues of common concern, and (g) jissur^ aricc of due recognition <if then comribuitoh to the quality of;.the countrv>:*s life ai its i principal
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Economic And Political Realities). The session on j the constitution was ably chained by Dr. . M. Sahasrabudhe, jfy JParekh chaired
the Conference!
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opening R.S. kangi and T.P.S. Sahdhu chairei the conferehce
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The two-day conference* "held at th<r Law Building; of jOttawa 1U niversity,.. elected : a i fojunding executive committee wiithj Ranjit 5 Hall of Ottawa | (^ho � is currently working in thje ifejpart^ mem of Manpower arid Iniimigrat-'on)as President, the i t^rm of mTiCif of which would t>i one y0ar or tiU such, time, as ja jregular executive is appointed j. at a general body meet ing:.;]Thje;'-pther member^ of the cbh^ittee elected were Dr. Q.Sj J>aul (Alberta) and Mrs. Blanjche G. Dillon (Britisri Goliimbija),! Vice- ' Presidents; Samit Basuj(6intario>, Surendra Panhar (OptaHof; Trea-_ surer, and iOr. P.M. Rao (Alberta)
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Banquet, and jthe session Resolutions. . l - t
The conference was informed, that the MpftkiilturaJ Department of the Federal {Government .had made an initial brant of $ 7,000 to the rMACOJ. Apart fron* $i&* several ^legates made announcements of donations on behalf of
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the association^ in the provinces they represented and So did a number of individuals mike voluntary contributions, the total amount promised, and collected on the spot] being in the neighbourhood iof $ 1800. A NATIONAL VOICE
Speaking as trie guest of honour at a dinner Arranged on the occasion, Fernland E. Leblahc, Parliamentary jSecretary to the, Miniter for Labour and Multi-cult uralism, we corned the foiind^ ation of NACOI. The evidence ofw support from tr|e Indian community for 4a national voice* for Canadians of Indian origin, he said, was apparent from the large attendance "at tie first convent-
The Canadian
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Hie National Voice of Judo-Canadians)
Jtyni ffi^yra Waadhvfc, Delhi nirpwiK by the President, F&khraddira
received at Ahmed.
Constitutional
I ion , which jndi i not reacting to \
ated that 'you are superficially-per-
jind Xrvind Iyer (Pntarao)j Members at Large,.: � ., . ',. .;:; �. ) �;� j /' ' ./.
The conference entrusjted the committee with the re&ponsibiljity of formulating the .Asspcifttions's. constitution and then | hsfyi^k ^ iidopied by the generajl tjody. In the draft; cOs^stitutiojn j placed before] the conference, i the terms
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tlric naiine of the organisation were explailned to includje jlarided
�i^mJ^'antV\//airid:\'ap'|3Jly\f1to-'? all persons having their 1 origin in . by birth; 'mrri
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JThe -conference |ai4 down guidelines for the c6mmittee to initiAte steps in the direction of (i) Goycynrncnt recognitiojri qf Indian tmiversiiy degrees, (ii) education of Canadians on Indii!s jciiltural (iii( establishment of 3>
ceived need bui your feelings are shared by those wh6m you seek to represent9. ] " ,
Pointing out that rthe actions of the organisers qf the new national body of Indians formed were:*in consonance wir|i the aims of the multi-cultural Policy of Canada*, he referred tp the Canadian Government*^ commitment, to help ethno-cultural groups which .demonstrated 'ft collective wjlj to
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exist . 4
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Referring to cultural diversity,. Leblanc said thftt whereas people
of Anglo-Sax
origins collectivjely formed 73 per
cent, of the pop the remaining
:>n and French
ilation of Canada, 27 per cent.
constituted persons of bthe language origins. And although there were two official languages, there was no official culture* nor
did any -ethnic group take
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NewDelhi, Aog.31: A t proposed constitutional amendment giving (the executive branch virtually unfettered po^wwr was unveiled yesterday b> TPrime Ministec Indira Gandhi's Government
The 20 page draft amendmen rewrites the; preamble and 5r artkles of India's Constitution, sets forth fundamental duties for! each citizen; bars activity the! government deems 'anti-national4) and curtails the judiciary's right to enforce civil liberties andj .review legislation, including con-j stitutional amendments. j
Under the amendment, India's high courts wffl nq longer be allowed to issue orders �iudud* , Sng writs of habeas corpus � that] might delay ['a matter of importance', t
amendment introduced
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precedence ^>ver any other. A policy of rnulti-culturalism within a bilingual framework was the most suitable means of assuring the cultural freedom of Canadians . the Government was totally against discrimination and wanted all people to be equal iro Canada. j
The dinner was followed by an entertainment programme consis-ing of voc^l, music by, Mrs* Nirmala Gautama to the accompaniment of tabla by Hiro Advani, Bharatanatyam dances by Mrs. Reniifca Sahay and a few by Hardip Bakshi
The propsed amendment also allows the president, ,on advice of the Cabinet, to amend the Constitution himself over the next (two years to take care of any difficulty arising from the constitutional overhaul.
The Government said the change* are needed to help achieve a 'socio-economic revolution which would end poverty, Sgnorance, disease and inequality of opportunity.9 But leading opposition spokesmen charged that it would destroy India's parliamentary democracy.
'This makes Parliament into e intake-believe,' charged Krishna Kant, who last � year was drummed out of the, ruling Congress party for opposing Mrs.Gaadhi's policies. 'If the president can amend the Constitution, parliamentary democracy becomes meaningless.
Opposition member B.NJSingh said,'the amendment paves the way for constitutional dictatorship It's a blueprint for i one-woman rale. -
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The amendment would change the preamble's descriptions of India as a sovereign democratic republic' to 'sovereign Socialist democratic ' republic,' but no on^jor new Socialist policies are mentioned. ' ,
The fundamental duties outlined under a new article, caH for each
citizen to work for the good of th� nation, abide by the Constitution, uphold India's ideals, 'abjure violence and promote harmony.9 The amendment bans *anti-na�* tonal activity, which it defines as that'whlch disclaims, questions, threatens, disrupts or is intended to disrupt the sovereignty and integrity of India or the security of
the state or the unity of the nationfA.P.]
Mukeshdies
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Famous playback singe?, Mukesh died recently of heart attack at Detroit where he was. to give a performance. ^
India to have * maritime boundary talks
New Delhi, Aug. 29 (Samachar) The/Indian Law Minister, H. R. Gokhale told the Lok Sabha, lower house of Parliament that India was - trying to have negotiations with Pakistan and Thailand on the question of demarcation of maritime boundary.
He said the agreements on this . had been reached with Sri Lanka, and Indonesia and talks were on with Burma and Bangladesh. India's attempt in these matters was to try to reach a settlement through neogti&tions, he said.
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