Communities must work together

Letters

Editor: The Canadian Ethnocultural Council expresses deep dismay at the recent attack on a Jewish school in Montreal. "Hate crimes are an awful scourge. These are particularly offensive and harmful when they are directed at places such as Montreal's United Talmud Torahs School where children gather. We share the pain that this attack has caused to the Jewish community," said Art Hagopian, president of the CEC.

"This and other hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim communities are of much concern to our member organizations as they are to many other Canadians across the country. These attacks go against the very essence and core of what it means to be a Canadian. All communities must work together to support each other's rightful place in Canada. Collectively, we can send a strong message of support that hate crimes are not tolerated," said Anna Chiappa executive director of the CEC.

"It is ironic that the United Talmud Torahs School had agreed to be a pilot site for the Pacific Path Program, a kindergarten to Grade 12 program run by the International Centre for Conflict Resolution and Mediation. We hope that the spirit and the sentiment which allowed this program to teach children how to resolve conflicts peacefully will continue," said Chiappa.

Hagopian urged all cultural communities to denounce hate, racism and religious intolerance. While he was encouraged by the co-operation shown by police and various government leaders, he recommends that as many cultural communities as possible be involved in working with these agencies to help create a climate of trust and understanding to target the root cause of hate crime and bring about change.

The Canadian Ethnocultural Council, a coalition of more than 30 national ethnocultural organizations whose mandate is to work towards the elimination of racism and to promote the understanding of the multicultural reality of Canada as defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act.

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