E-Arabica Newsletter

• The NCCAR Annual General Meeting will be help on May 31 st , 2008 at 2 p.m. in the Billings Room of City Hall located at 111 Lisgar St. , Ottawa .  According to NCCAR's bylaws, the Nominating Committee will prepare and present a slate of twelve candidates for the 2008-2009 Board of Directors for approval at the Annual General Meeting.  Only up-to-date members will vote, so please remember to renew your membership .

• A letter to the editor by NCCAR President, Bahija Réghaï, was published in the Globe & Mail on May 9 th , 2008 in regards to Israel 's ambassador to Canada , Allan Baker.  The letter addressed Baker's alleged assumption that non-Muslin Canadians support the pro-Israel shift in Canadian foreign policy, whereas polling indicated that most Canadians favour a neutral stance , according to Réghaï.  She continue d on to comment that Mr. Baker's statements reflect an unfortunate tendency among some Israeli ambassadors who “feel free to criticize policy and citizens of the countries where they reside as guests.” 

• Bahija Réghaï was interviewed yesterday by French CBC Toronto about the Canadian government's position vis-à-vis Israel , before Prime Minister Harper was to attend an Israeli event in Toronto in the evening.  

• Bahija Réghaï attend ed the launch and fundraiser for Peddling Pictures in Montreal on May 10, 2008 . NCCAR is co-sponsoring this documentary on Montrealer Ameen Lawand. Mr. lawand helped establish the longest-lasting independent theatre chain in Montreal which includes heritage landmarks such as the Rialto , Empress, Chateau, and Outremont.  If we accept that knowledge of the present and the future pre-supposes knowledge of the past, it is important that the stories and successes of Arab Canadians are recorded and told. The documentary Peddling Pictures  will highlight and show one of the many Arab Canadian contributions to the fabric of Canadian society. 

• NCCAR participated in the following events in the last two weeks:

• P resentation by Linda Abou-Habib, Director of the Centre for Research and Training on Development, Beirut , Lebanon .  The presentation was in regards to NGOs, Gendered Social Entitlements and Active Citizenships: Shaping Future Policies in Egypt , Lebanon and Palestine , ( May 5).
• Arab Day, an event organized by the Arab diplomatic Corps in Ottawa o n May 5 th .
• Gala Night in Support of Journalist Scholarship organized by the National Press Club in Ottawa o n April 30 th 2008.

Contacting your Member of Parliament (MP) is an effective way to take action and to be heard.  If you have any trouble finding your MP or need help, use the following link requiring only your postal code: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

NCCAR Volunteers

NCCAR benefits from the work of many volunteers and we are proud to salute one of these individuals who provide s many hours of help to the organization.

Adam Dottridge graduated with Honours from Wilfred Laurier University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Global Studies.  Since then, he has worked in several organizations including the Canadian War Museum and Macron Power Systems.  He is currently assisting NCCAR in updating its website and is doing a fantastic job.

Adam says that volunteering with NCCAR provides him a way to stay engaged with international issues and Canadian politics, while being involved in various fields in which his future career aspirations lie.  He is also proud to contribute to fostering positive relations between Canada and the Arab world, one of NCCAR's key objectives.

We send our warmest thanks to Adam.