The Canadian Ethnocultural Council
partnered with the Department of Justice Canada and collaborated with
Status of Women Canada, Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Canadian
Council for Refugees for the forum on March 30, 2004, National Press
Club, Ottawa. View
Report
i) “Developing and Building Capacity in
Ethnocultural Communities”
On October 25-27, 2002, over 100
participants from across Canada attended a national conference by the
CEC in cooperation with, the Law Commission of Canada, the Institute on
Governance and the Association of Canadian Studies co-sponsored a
national conference, "Looking Back, Looking Forward: Building Strong
Ethnocultural Communities". It concluded the first of three phases of a
3-year project, "Developing and building Capacity in Ethnocultural
Communities", funded by the Multiculturalism Program of the Department
of Canadian Heritage. The conference brought together leaders of
national ethnocultural organizations and representatives of provincial
multicultural groups to establish, strengthen and build governance and
community capacity within ethnocultural communities, in the context of
Canada's celebration of 30 years of Multiculturalism Policy in 2001.
The conference was televised on OMNI TV.
Toolkit and Train the Trainer Sessions 2003
and 2004-05-21
It is in the spirit that the Multiculturalism
Program of the Federal Department of Canadian Heritage provided funding
to the Canadian Ethnocultural Council to produce a "toolkit" for
emerging communities to use as they grow in today's Canada.
An assessment made by the Canadian
Ethnocultural Council indicated, among other things, that for this to
happen a community must: Have leadership, be unified, be
self-sufficient in resources, have active youth involvement, have a
strong committed volunteer base, have a sustainable infrastructure and
capacity to carry out its work, have a positive media profile, and
carry out activities that are beneficial to all Canadians.
The chapters in the toolkit aim to support
these findings through the presentation of basic information,
illustrative case studies, workshop outlines, and identification of
accessible and affordable resources.
One of the best ways of learning is by
teaching others. Train-the-trainers methodology takes this one step
further. There is not much new in sharing information with others, so
that they too can strengthen their organization. Train-the-trainers
formalizes this process and asks for a commitment on the part of those
receiving training to undertake similar workshops with the communities
they serve.
ii) "Culturally Appropriate Best Practice Models for Healthy
Aging"
Duration: September 2000-September 2003
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council has
published a resource manual on "Culturally Appropriate Best Practice
Models for Healthy Aging", for use by healthcare providers and
healthcare agencies serving ethnic seniors across Canada.
The project was funded by Health Canada.
iii) “Type 2
Diabetes in Asian, Black, and Hispanic Populations: Community-Based
Prevention Model”
Duration: March 2001 – March 2004
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council has
designed and developed an "Ethnic Food Guide for Healthcare
Professionals" on an interactive CD.
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council
has developed an innovative model promoting lifestyle changes related
to the occurrence of type 2 diabetes among older adults from Asian,
Black, and Hispanic backgrounds.
Financial support provided by
Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program,
Health Canada.
iv) “Diabetes
and Ethnic Older Adults: Best Practice Models for Prevention and
Management”
Duration: February 2002 – March 2004
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council has
produced a culturally appropriate resource information package about
type 2 diabetes for use by healthcare providers and healthcare agencies
across Canada. This resource package was developed in partnership with
the London InterCommunity Health Centre.
Financial support provided by the Prevention
and Promotion Contribution Program, Health Canada.
v) Multiculturalism Day
June 27, 2003 marked the first
Multiculturalism Day in Canada. This event brough community groups and
members of parliament together to enjoy a luncheon with speakers, a
performer and a display of the "Quilt of Belonging". The patches of the
quilt come from people of various cultural backgrounds who live in
Canada. Along with the celebrations there was a consultation with the
Canadian Ethnocultural Council's member organizations and the federal
government's department of Canadian Heritage representatives. This was
a chance for the CEC's members to voice their opinions and concerns
regarding their communities.
vi) Youth Forum
As part of the constultations on
Canada's foreign policy, organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade (DFAIT), youth delegates selected by the CEC
participated in a Foreign Affairs Youth Forum in Ottawa in March 2003.
The Forum provided ethnocultural and other youth with the opportunity
to recommend ways to strengthen Canada's foreign policy priorities.
vii) Healthy Aging in
Caring Communities: A Cross-Cultural Approach Project
The project was undertaken by the CEC, in
partnership with the National Indian and Inuit Community Health
Representatives Organization, United Chinese Community Enrichment
Services Society, amd the Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Saskatchewan
Provincial Council with funding support of the Population Health Fund,
Health Canada. The project was completed and the report submitted to
Health Canada on May 15, 1998. A separate evaluation report was also
submitted to Health Canada.
viii) A Feasibility
Study on Multicultural Community Care Services Project
On May 29, 1998, the CEC-Canadian Association
of Community Care (CACC) joint project " A Feasibility Study on
Multicultural Community Care" was completed and the report submitted to
CACC. CACC will incorporate the required information from the report
and submit the final report to Health Canada in September1998. The
information will contribute to a proposed future comprehensive project
on multiculturalism and community care whose goals are to ensure that
community care services across Canada respond to the needs of
culturally diverse populations, thereby enhancing the health status of
various multicultural groups, to improve access to community care for
Canada's multicultural population and to improve the quality of
community services provided by home care/home support agencies,
long-term care facilities to various ethnocultural groups.
ix) National Non-Profit
Associations in Canada: An Analysis of their Role in Public Policy to
Address Diversity Project
The project was undertaken by Dr. A.
Kobayashi with the support of the Kohanoff Foundation and the School of
Policy Studies at Queens University. To assess the role of non-profit
national associations, the study was conducted in cooperation with the
CEC and its member organizations. The project was completed in June
1998. The study involved the following: 1) A macro-scale study of all
33 member organizations of the CEC by administering a questionnaire;
focus group discussions during Board of Presidents' meetings: archival
survey of records of the CEC; a follow-up survey with selected
government departments. 2) Case-studies of five associations. The CEC
will have access to Dr. Kobayashi's research findings.
x) CEC Booklet for
Child Welfare/Child Protection Workers
CEC's booklet for Child Welfare/Child
Protection workers "Working with Immigrant Families" final draft was
prepared (September 1998). Child Welfare League of Canada was
contracted by CEC to prepare the document. CEC Executive Director
reviewed the document. The final document will be translated, printed
and distributed.
xi) "Use and Misuse of
Drugs by Seniors: A Cross-Cultural Education Model" Project
During September 1998, CEC developed the
project proposal to be submitted to the Population Health Fund, Health
Canada. The project partners include the Centre for Mental Health
(Addiction Research Division) and Ukrainian Canadian
Congress-Saskatchewan Provincial Council. Support letters for the
project were received from National Association of Japanese Canadians,
United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society and Multicultural
Association of Nova Scotia.
xii) Human Rights for
the 21st Century: Rethinking Anti-Racism and Human Rights- Sharpening
the Tools
The CEC and the National Association of
Japanese Canadians are the partners in the development of a project to
celebrate the anniversary of the Multiculturalism Act. The project is a
national conference on anti-racism and human rights practices with the
objective of defining the concepts and practices for " Human Rights for
the 21st Century".
xiii) “Our
Nations’ Elders Speak: Unwanted Isolation Experienced by Elders in
First Nations, Inuit and Ethnocultural Minority Communities” – A joint
project between the National Indian and Inuit Community Health
Representatives Organization and the Canadian Ethnocultural Council Duration: March 1995 –
March 1997
Back to top
REPRESENTATIONS
i) Feasibility Study on
Cultural Diversity Research and Analysis
The project is a partnership effort of the
Canadian Council on Social Development and the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities. CEC Executive Director is a member of the Steering
Committee for the project. The project objective is to determine the
need for and the feasibility of undertaking ethnoracial data research
and analysis. The study has two parallel stages: (1) assessing the
current state of research and (2) identifying the information needs
among those who are active in social planning, service delivery, and
research in the area.
ii) Canadian Policy
Research Networks: The Society We Want Advisory Committee
The CEC Executive Director is the Council's
representative on the advisory committee. The third advisory committee
meeting was on June 22, 1998 where the progress regarding the
fundraising efforts and the new directions for the dialogue tools were
discussed.
iii) Framing a New
Relationship between National Voluntary Organizations Working in Health
and Health Canada.
CEC was invited to participate in the
meetings scheduled in June 1998. Since CEC has decided to pursue
further work in the health area, attendance at this meeting is
beneficial in providing input on the ethnocultural diversity
perspective and forging alliances for future project work with other
NGOs.
iv) Migration Policy
Group Meeting in Brussels, Belgium
M. Kesebi, Secretary, CEC represented the
Council in Brussels on July 7-9, 1998, at the Transatlantic Exchange on
European and North American Approaches to the Employment Integration of
Immigrants and Ethnic Minorities: Voluntary versus Legislative
Measures. M. Kesebi prepared a report and presented the relevant
information to the participants at the Board of Presidents' meeting in
Toronto (January 1999).
v) Court Challenges
Program
The CEC is a member of the Court Challenges
Program of Canada. E. Binavince, CEC's Legal Counsel represented the
Council at the 4th Annual General Meeting and National Consultation in
Ottawa on September 18-20, 1998.
vi) National Summit on
Innovation and Learning
The CEC participated in this summit which was
sponsored by Industry Canada & Human Resources Development Canada,
in Toronto, November 18-19, 2002.
vii) Second Minister’s
Round Table on Parks Canada
The CEC facilitated and participated in this
focus group which was sponsored by Canadian Heritage, March 23 - 26,
2003.
viii) National Forum on
Policing in a Multicultural Society
The CEC participated in this National Forum
which was sponsored by Canadian Heritage & Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, in Ottawa, February 27-28, 2003.
ix) Visible Minorities’
Roundtable on Leadership
The CEC participated in the Roundtable
discussion on Leadership, sponsored by the Conference Board of Canada,
in Toronto, April 10, 2003.
x) Consultations on
Canada’s Foreign Policy
The CEC youth group participated in
consultations and responded to a discussion paper through the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; and the CEC
Youth Group participated in a Foreign Affairs Youth Forum in Ottawa
(March – April, 2003).
xi) Consultation and
assistance toward the Juno Beach Museum,
funded by Veterans
Affairs Canada and opened on June 6, 2003, in Normandy, France.
xii) United Nations Special Rapporteur
receives CEC report
The CEC presented
a report, "Racism and Racial Discrimination in Canada Report on the
Compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All
forms of Racial Discrimination. Human Rights Reporting and Complaint
Systems in Canada. Concerns about Accessibility, Effectiveness and
Equality." September 2003
Back to top
