The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations will be
holding its Annual General Meeting on Saturday, March 10,
2007 at
3.00 pm at the Honeywell Room, Ottawa City Hall, 111 Lisgar
Street in Ottawa. Read below for more information.
NCCAR Working For You
·
NCCAR Co-hosts
Visit of MK Dr. Jamal Zahalka in Ottawa
·
MP Borys
Wrzesnewskyj Speaks on NCCAR Mission to MidEast in Alberta
·
Parliamentary
Internship Program 2007
·
Annual General Meeting
– March 10
·
NCCAR Annual Dinner 2007 – March 19
In Government/Parliament
·
News
Releases/Speeches
·
House of Commons Debates
Events & Postings
·
Invitation to the Arab Community, February 20, 2007 –
Toronto
·
CJPME delegation to Parliament, February 20, 2007 -
Ottawa
·
Francois Ziade Art Exhibition, February 4 - March 3, 2007 –
Gatineau
·
End the occupations - troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan now, March
17, 2007 –
Across Canada
·
Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Jewish Fear, March
12, 2007 –
Ottawa
·
Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: The Palestinian
Right of Return, March 21, 2007 –
Ottawa
·
Women's Role in Peacemaking in the Middle East, April 29, 2007 –
Ottawa
Announcements
·
Art Work by Ibrahim Shalaby
·
Trip to Palestine
·
The Ottawa Arab Forum
·
The Palestinian summer celebration 2007
-
June 20-August 18
·
Palestine Summer Encounter 2007
-
May 24-August 16
·
Damascus Summer Encounter 2007
-
June 10-August 11
·
Journey of the Magi 2007
-
September 17-December 25
·
Incarnational Pilgrimages 2007
Job/Volunteer Opportunities
Important Contact Information
Support NCCAR
NCCAR WORKING FOR YOU
NCCAR Co-hosts Visit of MK Dr. Jamal Zahalka in Ottawa
On February 14,
NCCAR co-hosted the visit of Dr. Jamal Zahalka,
an Israeli politician and a member of the Knesset since 2003.
He was visiting Canada as part of a tour to several cities to give
lectures sponsored by Palestine House (Mississauga). NCCAR in
collaboration with the office of MP Omar Alghabra coordinated a
meeting for him with the Department of Foreign Affairs, one-on-one
meetings with MPs and a special reception with various MPs and
Senators to discuss the issues concerning Arab Israeli citizens and
their rights in Israel. The Arab Peace Initiative was pushed as the
only comprehensive proposal for a peaceful resolution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj Speaks on NCCAR Mission to MidEast in Alberta
Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj
was
the guest speaker at a dinner held in
Edmonton and a brunch held in Calgary
by the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations. The
Stories from the Ground
event allowed the MP to give
his
impressions of what
he
saw on the ground in Lebanon only days after a ceasefire was
brokered. Arab-Canadian community newspaper
Canadian Arab News
covered the dinner and will have coverage of the event in their next
edition. NCCAR organised the fact-finding mission to Lebanon, Egypt
and Syria in August where the MPs met with Lebanese Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa as well as
dozens of politicians, civil society members and international
experts. For more information on the delegation, please visit:
http://www.nccar.ca/programs/parl_delegation.htm
Parliamentary Internship Program 2007
NCCAR is looking to raise funds for young Canadians of Arab Origin
wishing to participate in our Parliamentary Internship Program 2007.
In past years, we received generous donations that lessened the
financial burden associated with travel and living costs in Ottawa
for some of our participants. Operating since 1996, the
Parliamentary Internship Program has become a fundamental component
of NCCAR's Educational Program. This placement is available to young
Canadians of Arab origin currently enrolled in a Canadian
post-secondary educational institution for a 6-week period starting
in May. The placement provides interns with exposure to the Canadian
political process and serves as an eye-opener to the challenges and
opportunities the Canadian Arab community faces in the Canadian
political arena. We would appreciate any amount you can donate to
this important program. You can find more information about the
program on our website and can securely donate online by credit card
via by clicking on the "Donate Now" icon. You will receive a charity
receipt for your contribution. The website is
www.nccar.ca. Further updates will be posted
on the website. You can also send cheques to: Parliamentary
Internship Fund, NCCAR, 63 Sparks St., Suite 301, Ottawa, Ontario,
K1P 5A6.
Annual General Meeting
– March 10
The
National Council on Canada-Arab Relations will be holding its Annual
General Meeting on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at
3.00 pm at the Honeywell Room, Ottawa City Hall, 111 Lisgar Street
in Ottawa. A number of names have been submitted for nomination to
the new Board of Directors. Please note that only those members who
renewed their 2006-2007 memberships on March 10 or before are
eligible to vote. We do hope that you will take this opportunity
to join and/or renew your membership and thus continue supporting
NCCAR's efforts. We look forward to seeing you, exchanging views and
ideas, and hearing your contribution with the aim of making NCCAR,
your organization, a better organization. To help us better
organize, please RSVP by March 5, 2007.
NCCAR Annual Dinner 2007 – March 19
NCCAR will be
holding the Annual Dinner 2007 on Monday, March 19, 2007 at the
Fountain Room in the National Arts Centre. The keynote speaker at
the event will be The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign
Affairs. Reception will commence at 18:30 (6:30pm). The ticket for
the dinner is $150. If purchasing a table ($1500), it can be marked
with the company/organization name. To
reserve your ticket and make a payment please contact: (613)
238-3795 or
essamfarag@nccar.ca. We accept cheques or
Visa/Mastercard.
NCCAR is a registered charity (#11905 1696RR). A charity receipt
will be issued for a portion of the ticket
cost.
IN
GOVERNMENT/PARLIAMENT
Government News Releases
MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE - HON. DAVID EMERSON
No. A/7 - February 12, 2007
DELIVERS KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE CANADA-ARAB BUSINESS COUNCIL'S
CONFERENCE ON CANADA AND THE ARAB WORLD.
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS – HON. PETER MACKAY
No. 2007/3 - January 26, 2007
MR.
MACKAY TO THE HERZLIYA CONFERENCE, HERZLIYA PITUAH, ISRAEL - JANUARY
22, 2007
House of Commons Proceedings
The 39th Parliament of Canada has commenced its sessions for Winter
2007. Visit
www.parl.gc.ca
for all the information you need to know about Parliament (House of
Commons and Senate of Canada) and find current information about
Members of Parliament (MPs). Below are some of the comments made
during the debates in the House of Commons (Hansards) which are of
interest. Click on the MP's name to see complete comment.
39-1: Hansard - 103 (2007/2/5)
Francis Scarpaleggia - Lac-Saint-Louis
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate members of the JACtivists,
a student run advocacy group at John Abbott College in my riding
that campaigns f...
39-1: Hansard - 105 (2007/2/7)
Hon. Peter Van Loan - Leader of the Government in the House of
Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal Party was in government, special
advisers for foreign affairs were a way to give people a going away
party. Just think a...
39-1: Hansard - 106 (2007/2/8)
Hon. Stéphane Dion - Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for the report that the
hon. member for Mississauga-Streetsville and special advisor to the
Prime Minister on...
Right Hon. Stephen Harper - Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I have already said that I received the report from the
hon. member for Mississauga-Streetsville after his trip abroad a
number of months...
Hon. Stéphane Dion - Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, I asked the Prime Minister if the report was a written
one. He did not answer that. He needs to clarify if it is a written
report, and if...
Right Hon. Stephen Harper - Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Mississauga-Streetsville was asked
to go on a trip and to prepare a report for me. He did prepare a
written report; I...
Hon. Stéphane Dion - Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, a commitment was made by the member for
Mississauga-Streetsville to release the report. The Prime Minister
is keeping the report. He is n...
Right Hon. Stephen Harper - Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member of the Liberal Party knows full well
that special advisers to the Prime Minister do not release their
reports publicly. T...
Hon. Josée Verner - Minister of International Cooperation and
Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, so far, the government has provided $35 million in
humanitarian assistance to Darfur. This is indeed a very troubling
situation, which we...
Glen Pearson - London North Centre
Mr. Speaker, I just returned from the region and I can tell the
House that time is of the essence. The region cannot handle the
influx of these refuge...
Hon. Josée Verner - Minister of International Cooperation and
Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages
The hon. member is right, Mr. Speaker. Canadians are extremely
concerned about the situation in Darfur. We are closely monitoring
the situation. It is...
Glen Pearson - London North Centre
Mr. Speaker, I urge the Conservative government to make a specific
contribution to an emerging humanitarian catastrophe developing in
south Sudan....
------------------------------
EVENTS AND POSTINGS
Invitation to the Arab Community, February 20, 2007 -
Toronto
The Premier of Ontario, the Honorable Dalton McGuinty has accepted
an invitation to address the Arab Community in the GTA. Dr. Khalil
Ramal, MPP London will address the community as well. A large number
of MPPs and Ministers have also been invited. The event will take
place at Supreme Banquet and Convention Center, 8311 Weston Road,
Woodbridge. Cocktails will start at 6pm and dinner will be served at
7pm. Entertainment is included. Tickets are $40 and 8 people can be
seated per table.
To order tickets please call 905-771-1331 evenings; or 416-397-0591
daytime; or e-mail
mouaket@rogers.com or
amouake@toronto.ca.
CJPME delegation to Parliament, on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 -
Ottawa
CJPME is going to Parliament Hill early this year, as they weren't
sure when an election might be called. The focus of the delegation
will be Jimmy Carter's recent bestseller, Palestine: Peace not
Apartheid, which CJPME sent to all the MPs and Senators in
January. For more information please visit:
http://www.cjpme.ca/
Francois Ziade Art Exhibition, February 4 - March 3, 2007 –
Gatineau- Quebec
10 of the latest acrylic paintings - the style is abstract
figurative with some "fauvism" tendencies. The focus in the
paintings is to transmit and communicate emotions and energy through
the subject, colors and brush work. The event will take place at:
Café 4 aux 4 Juedis, 44, rue Laval, (Vieux-Hull), Gatineau, QC
(819) 771-9557.
Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Jewish Fear, March
12 2007 –Ottawa
POTLUCKS FOR PEACE invites you to this event which will take place
at the Library and Archives Canada - 395 Wellington Street, 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30.
Through the eyes of a Jewish-Canadian and a Palestinian-Canadian in
dialogue, we invite you to understand the concept of Jewish fear,
its history, its presence at the root of the Israeli need for
safety, its importance in understanding Israeli actions and Jewish
reactions; its impact on Palestinians and the key role its
understanding plays in achieving a long term solution for the
on-going conflict in the
Middle East. Speakers: Monzer Zimmo and Lawrence Greenspon
Moderator: Evan Dyre of the CBC. Public Participation welcome in
discussion after the presentations. MC: Qais Ghanem. Admission 5$ at
the door. Refreshments will be available. For more information about
Potlucks for Peace checkout our website:
www.potlucksforpeace.ca
or To contact us write to:
events@potlucksforpeace.ca
End the occupations - troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan now, March
17, 2007 –
Across Canada
The Canadian Peace Alliance and Echec à la Guerre (Montréal) have
issued joint Call to Action (www.acp-cpa.ca)
for demonstrations on Saturday, March 17, 2007, the four-year
anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, to oppose the occupations of
Iraq and Afghanistan. There will be demonstrations across the
country that day to say: END the wars of occupation in Iraq and
Afghanistan. BRING Canadian and US troops home immediately. REJECT
the Canada-US military partnership. For more information please
visit or contact:
http://www.nowar-paix.ca
,
info@nowar-paix.ca
,
http://www.rocg.ca
,
info@rocg.ca
.
Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: The Palestinian
Right of Return, March 21 2007 -
Ottawa
POTLUCKS FOR PEACE invites you to this event which will take place
at the Library and Archives Canada 395 Wellington Street, 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30.
Through the eyes of a Palestinian-Canadian and a Jewish Canadian in
dialogue, we invite you to understand the Palestinian Right of
Return, its history, its presence at the root of Palestinians' need
for justice, its importance in understanding Palestinian actions and
Palestinians' right to equal humanity; its impact on Israelis and
the key role its resolution plays in achieving a long term solution
for the on-going conflict in the Middle East. Speakers: Jonathan
Wouk and Samah Sabawi. Moderator: Evan Dyre of the CBC. Public
Discussion welcome after the presentations. MC: Sylvia Laale.
Admission 5$ at the door. Refreshments will be available. For more
information about Potlucks for Peace checkout our website:
www.potlucksforpeace.carite
to:
events@potlucksforpeace.ca
Women's Role in Peacemaking in the Middle East, April 29 2007 -
Ottawa
POTLUCKS FOR PEACE invites you to this event, which will take place
at the Kingsway United Church, 630 Island Park Drive, Ottawa, 1:00 -
4:00 PM Doors open at 12:30. This workshop will begin with a
meditation for peace. We will explore the possibilities for peace
from a women's perspective, which will include a review of the role
that some women play in current peace efforts. We will conclude by
reflecting on simple actions each one of us might take towards
creating and nurturing an environment for peace. Everyone is
welcome. Refreshments will be available. Speaker: Anne Goodman.
Admission $5.00 at the door
For more information about Potlucks for Peace checkout our website:
www.potlucksforpeace.ca
or to contact us write to:
events@potlucksforpeace.ca
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Art Work by Ibrahim Shalaby
The Palestine Community Centre has acquired some pieces of artwork
from Dr. Ibrahim Shalaby, a Toronto based Palestinian-Canadian
artist. All can visit this website to view some of his work and to
purchase a piece at
http://www.palestinecommunityce
ntre.com/i.shalaby.htm
Trip to Palestine
Palestine House is organizing an Educational two-week trip to
Palestine. Departure Date from Toronto is May 21, 2007
returning June 3, 2007. The cost of the trip is $ 1980.00, which
includes 1-Round Trip Ticket, From Toronto to Palestine, group
accommodation and food local transportation (group) and health
insurance. For more information and to register, please call
Palestine House at 905-270-3622, or e-mail
info@Palestinehouse.com.
The Ottawa Arab Forum
The Ottawa Arab Forum is an initiative that was initiated as part of
the action plans of the Ottawa Arab Community Project (OACP). The
project was initiated by the National Council on Canada-Arab
Relations
(NCCAR)
in January 2006 in order to create links between Arab organizations
based in the Ottawa region, and to improve communication,
understanding, and create a better social climate amongst them. The
project facilitated communications between various Arab
organizations in Ottawa, held meetings to discuss action plans,
conducted workshops on government and media relations, and produced
a new newsletter, the Ottawa
Focus, for the Arab community. For more information about
the project, please refer to the
Ottawa Arab Community Project.
The Palestinian summer celebration 2007, June 20 - August 18th 2007
The Palestinian summer celebration is a unique annual program that
gives people from all over the world the chance to encounter the
life and culture in Palestine in addition to donating some of their
time to a local community organization through voluntary work and
internships. The Palestinian summer celebration 2007 will take
place in the Bethlehem area in Palestine, between Wednesday June
20th and August 18th 2007. the annual celebration is organized by
Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies
www.sirajcenter.org
in partnership with Bethlehem University
www.bethlehem.edu
and the US based Society for Biblical Studies,
www.sbsedu.org.
Participants will also have the opportunity to listen and question
high level speakers of various positions and expertise. For more
information:
http://www.sirajcenter.org/courses.htm
Palestine Summer Encounter 2007, May 24th-August 16th 2007
Live with a Palestinian host family. Serve the community by
volunteering with a local organization. Study Arabic in an
Arabic-speaking country. Meet with Palestinian and Israeli
peacemakers and activists. Palestine Summer Encounter is a one to
three month cultural immersion and Arabic language training program
in the city of Bethlehem, Palestine. Participants live with host
families, study Arabic at a local college and are placed at
individual volunteer opportunities at Palestinian nonprofits,
schools, churches, hospitals and humanitarian organizations. The
purpose of the program is to create a dialogue between Palestinians
and members of the international community. During the program,
participants will learn beginner or intermediate conversational
Arabic through language immersion and partner with Palestinian
non-profit organizations as a volunteer. Those who join the program
will also have the opportunity to meet with both Israeli and
Palestinian peacemakers and human rights activists. For details
please visit
http://
www.middleeastfellowship.org/pse2007.
A free packet of information, including a 15-minute DVD with
interviews from former participants, is available upon request. The
deadline for applications is April 20th 2007.
Damascus Summer Encounter 2007, June 10th-August 11th 2007
Serve the community through locally organized volunteer projects.
Spend two weeks with a Syrian host family. Study Arabic in an
Arabic-speaking country. Learn about Syrian history culture and the
wider Middle East through lectures, day trips and discussions. The
Damascus Summer Encounter is a 9-week volunteer and cultural
immersion program. Participants will have the opportunity to: study
Syrian history and contemporary politics, live with a host family,
practice their Arabic speaking skills, participate in services
projects in cooperation with local churches and organizations,
explore the modern nation of Syria and experience daily life and
Middle East. The purpose of the Damascus Summer Encounter is to
create opportunities for friendship and partnership between the
peoples of the Middle East and the rest of the world. The program
will allow participants from around the world to build relationships
with the Christian and Islamic communities of Syria, to serve the
local community through vital service projects and to learn about
the peoples of Syria and the richness of their history and culture.
For more details visit
http://www.middleeastfellowship.org/damascus2007.
The deadline to apply for the program is May 10th 2007.
Journey of the Magi 2007, September 17th-December 25th 2007
Follow the path of the magi ('wise men') from Iran to the city of
Bethlehem. Join Christians and Muslims in a pilgrimage of peace .
Join us for two-week segments or walk the entire route (over
1,200miles!) The Journey of the Magi 2007 program is a re-enactment
of the journey taken by the magi (or "wise men") from the Biblical
Nativity Story. The pilgrimage is a joint effort between Christians
and Muslims to honour Jesus (Issa), to pray for peace and to build
bridges of understanding between Christian and Muslim communities.
Journey members will walk and ride camels from Hamadan, Iran to the
city of Bethlehem in the West Bank. The journey will also be divided
into six two-week segments so you will be able to join us for any
section of the program. For more information please visit
http://www.middleeastfellowship.org/magi.
The Journey will end on Christmas day when we will be joined by
thousands of Palestinians for Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem as
we walk the final stretch of the Journey from Manger's Field to the
Nativity Church in Bethlehem.
Incarnational Pilgrimages 2007
Join us on a journey to the Holy Land this spring 2007 as we
discover the ancient church by taking an historical pilgrimage in
the footsteps of Jesus, learning to respond as He would to the needs
of the people and build relationships of encouragement and support.
Meeting with Jewish and Palestinian organizations working for peace,
we will consider the current situation and the role of the Church
today and seek ways of building bridges of peace through interfaith
dialogue. This will be a rich cultural experience as we meet local
families, stay in their homes, taste fabulous Middle Eastern
delicacies and receive their incredible hospitality. Vital service
opportunities will be incorporated throughout the schedule.
Delegations are limited to fifteen people, so please select your
first two choices for dates of preference and submit your
application with $150 deposit to Middle East Fellowship. More
information:
http://www.middleeastfellowship.org/incarnational
Proposed Trip Dates: April 14 - 28, April 29 - May 12, and May 19 -
June 2. For more information about the Incarnational Pilgrimages,
please contact Christy Reiners for more information by phone at:
(925) 934-1754 or by e-mail at:
Christy@mef-sf.org.
