canadian tamil congress celebrates its 8th annual thai pongal

7/26/2019 Canadian Tamil Congress Celebrates Its 8th Annual Thai Pongal

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Canadian Tamil Congress celebrates its 8th

Annual Thai Pongal

Published on: 01/20/15 08:03

The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTCs) 8th annual Pongal Dinner was celebrated onJanuary 17th, !1" at the #heraton Par$way %otel in &ichmond %ill' ttended by closeto 1,!!! eole, the e*ent showcased Tamil arts, culture and highlighted CTCsimressi*e achie*ements in !1+ (ideo)'

The dinner was attended by se*eral oliticians, ublic o--icials and community leaders

including the .ederal Citi/enshi and 0mmigration inister %on' Chris le2ander,

Parliamentary ssistant to the Prime inister 'P' Paul Calandra, .ederal 3iberal

3eader Justin Trudeau, 4ntario inister Tracy acCharles, ississauga ayor

5onnie Crombie, City o- Toronto Deuty ayor Den/il innan6ong, #tou--*illeayor Justin ltman, ember o- Parliament -or #carborough6&ouge &i*er &athi$a

#itsabaiesan, or$ &egion Police Chie- 9ric Jolli--e, City o- Toronto Deuty Police

Chie- Peter #loly, 4ntario Conser*ati*e arty leadershi candidates, Patric$ 5rown

and Christine 9lliott as well as numerous other Ps, PPs, councillors, Consul

:eneral -or 0ndia in Toronto r' $hilesh ishra, Chie- o- Political and 9conomic

--airs o- ;# Consulate, s' ndrea :orog, academics, ro-essionals, members o- law

en-orcement, media and business and community leaders'
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:reetings -rom Canadian go*ernment, 4ntario go*ernment, City o- Toronto, City o-

ississauga, City o- ar$ham and the host town &ichmond %ill were also resented at

the e*ent'

r &a< Tha*aratnasingham, resident o- CTC, so$e about CTCs internationalad*ocacy wor$ and its role in the assage o- the ;=%&C resolution in arch !1+,

which established an international in>uiry into war crimes and crimes against

humanity committed during the -inal stages o- war' hile welcoming the change in

residency in #ri 3an$a, the resident said ?CTC remains hoe-ul that -riendly

countries li$e Canada, 0ndia and the ;'#''@who ha*e ro*ided much suort so -ar@

can ersuade the new go*ernment to resol*e the underlying issues so that e*eryone in

that country can mo*e -orward'A

s in the ast, three awards were resented' This years ?#er*ice 92cellence wardA

was awarded to Dr' #han Chandrase$ar, President and C94 o- sian tele*ision

=etwor$ (T=)' The award recogni/es an organi/ation or indi*iduals comassion,

dedication and suort to community building e--orts' This award also recogni/es the

organi/ations long6term suort, commitment and signi-icant contribution to the

Tamil community at large' Dr' Chandrase$ar raised the wor$ CTC does and ledged

to gi*e more e2osure to CTC through his *ast networ$ o- T= channels'

The 3eaders -or Change ward was resented to r' 5ernie ' .arber, the -ormer

C94 o- the Canadian Jewish Congress' This award honours the uni>ue contribution o-

an indi*idual who through his or her e2cetional *ision, erse*erance andcommitment has rede-ined or strengthened the need -or change in our society' The

reciient o- this award is someone who has demonstrated an e--ort to stri*e -or change

in a way that ositi*ely imacts the li*es o- others' 0n hisaccetance seech, while

noting the tamil communitys suort in -ighting against racism in early B!s, r

5ernie .arber said the ?Tamil community was one in one with Jewish community' e

stood together against hatredA'

The 3i*ing %ero award was resented to &e*' Dr' #'J' 9mmanuel, resident o- :lobal

Tamil .orum' The award recogni/es the wor$ o- heroic indi*iduals -or their sel-lesswor$ in bettering the li*es o- others' The award is gi*en to a erson o- Tamil origin

who has demonstrated e2emlary leadershi, courage, emathy and ser*ices in

challenging circumstances' s President o- :lobal Tamil .orum (:T.), .ather

9mmanuel brought greetings -rom Tamil organi/ations around the world'


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Object1

s in the ast " years, in !1+ CTC once again raised money through its annual wal$6a6

thon -or a Canadian charity' ith the che>ue -or ,!!! resented to %eart and

#tro$e .oundation, CTC has raised closed to !!,!!! -or si2 charities in the ast si2

years'

The e*ent also included cati*ating er-ormances by the students o- =iran


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Some images from the event:


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canadian tamil congress celebrates its 8th annual thai pongal

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