On May 9th the Liberal Caucus of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) honoured the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) at a reception at the Montessori Hotel on the occasion of CEMA's 30th anniversary. At least half of the caucus was present at the event hosted by MP Alan Tonks, formerly the mayor of York and then Metro Chairman.
Honour folders, signed by Liberal leader Stéphane Dion were handed to the executive of CEMA starting with Chair Madeline Ziniak, an Estonian Central Council Medal of Merit recipient and President Ben Viccari, who is nearing his 90th birthday this year. Ziniak, as executive vice-president of OMNI-TV organized the production of Estonian Waves (Telepeegel), which ran for two years. Viccari produced a television segment on ethnic media just a few years ago.
Among Liberal caucus members were MP Borys Wresnewskjy who organized Canada's involvement in the Ukraine's Orange revolution, and has been active in anti-communist activities.
MP Martha Hall Findlay, recently elected member from the recent by-election was also a candidate during the 2006 Liberal leadership battle.
Former City of Toronto Mayor and now Senator Art Eggleton and former Alderman and now Senator David Smith were two of the upper house contingent. Eggleton spent 11 years as mayor then went to Ottawa as a MP, becoming a minister. Eggleton was always very cordial to Estonians and once was the keynote speaker at a Baltic Evening on Parliament Hill.
There were many members of parliament and senators who went out of their way to make one feel welcome.
The Conservative Caucus in the GTA, however, cannot have a similar reception, since there aren't any elected members from the GTA.
