Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
by CK May is the month of flowers not just in the Philippines but also here in Calgary. A lot of my neighbors have done their spring cleaning and unfortunately I cannot cope up with them. I remember that during this time of the year my husband, Hank gets busier day by day. He takes care [...]
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Towards a Community Driven Municipal Immigration Framework

We want Calgary to become a welcoming city for all, including immigrants. This is the goal of a Community Driven Municipal Immigration Strategy spearheaded by the Immigrant Sector Council of Calgary (ISCC), a network of organizations that includes the Ethno-Cultural Council of Calgary.
This is the theme that the Ethno-Cultural Council of Calgary (ECCC), will highlight in its 8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September, 16, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Marlborough Park Community Association, 6021 Madigan Drive, N.E. Calgary, Alberta. City Council Alderman Joe Ceci is the keynote speaker for the event. Alderman Ceci was elected to his fifth term as Alderman for Ward 9 in October 2007. He was Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Economic Development with Federation of Canadian Municipalities, was Vice-Chair of Calgary’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Board of Directors, and President, FCSS Association of Alberta.

The key note address will be followed by a preview presentation of Dr. Bejoy Thomas on Disparity in Cancer Care Outcomes. Dr. Thomas is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Psychosocial Resources, Tom Baker Cancer Centre and University of Calgary and Research Scientist, Community Oncology, Alberta Health Services – Cancer Care. Dr. Thomas shared that their groups earlier data indicates an inequity in patients from visible minority groups even at entry into the tertiary cancer care system – at new diagnosis. They have also identified that this inequity persists even up to a year after the initial assessment. What is more interesting is that this disparity is not just for the first generation immigrant (whom many assume to universally have Limited English Proficiency), but also equally affects the 2nd or 3rd or 6th generation “Canadians” (their children and subsequent generations). Dr. Thomas and the ECCC want to share these findings to uncover determinants, foment discussion and promote community based public policy solution to this phenomenon.
ECCC is an incorporated non-profit entity in The City of Calgary and in the province of Alberta Canada and it was formed on December 16, 2002. ECCC is a community-based organization and its mission is to facilitate the collective voice of Calgary’s visible minority communities to influence and effect social, economic and political change through collaborative action. Through the concerted efforts of its 36 (thirty six) individual members, 29 (twenty nine) organizational members, 3 (three) full-time staff, volunteers and various partners including the funders, ECCC implemented various civic-engagement activities using participatory research, popular–education approach, experiential learning, dialogue, and public forum to achieve its objectives.
As a way to celebrate its success, acknowledge the diversity of its membership, recognize its leaders, and continually advance its mandate to inform the community on various issues affecting visible minorities, this year’s AGM is a combination of learning and fun. As a start, the attendees to this meeting will be ushered to the different display tables of participating ethno-specific member organizations where they will have a chance to know more about the goals of these ethnic societies. In addition, the attendees will have a glimpse of the rich cultures of these organizations which will be displaying their traditional wares as well as get the chance to sample some of their favourite knick-knacks. Official business meeting will follow.

The evening will be capped by short presentations of member organizations and a second round of tour to their display tables. Possible Participating Members’ Tables include Calgary Vietnamese Youth Group (CYVG), Salvadorean Community Association of Calgary (SALCA), United Sudanese Canadian Enhancement Society (USES), Babae Council of Filipina-Canadian Women, Afghan, Nepalese Community Society of Calgary, Afro-Francophone, Somali Association, India Canada Association (INCA), Chinese Professionals & Entrepreneurs Association of Calgary (CPEAC), Calgary Chinese Community Services Association (CCSA), Ethiopian, Eritrean Canada Community Association, Japanese, Council of Sikh Organization (COSO), African-Caribbean United Foundation of Calgary, The Latin American Literarian Association of Calgary, Somaliland Community of Alberta, Kurdistan Alberta Culture Immigrant Society and several others.
For those interested to know more about ECCC or further inquiries about this year’s AGM, you may contact Vic Lantion thru phone (403) 263-9900 Ext *2723 or email [email protected].

Towards a Community Driven Municipal Immigration Framework

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