Minister Lecce and MPP Babikian put on the defensive re ethnic media
TORONTO – The meeting had the makings of a successful public relations exercise for the provincial government. Members of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council (NEPMCC) had been invited to a Media Roundtable with Minister for Energy, Steven Lecce, and Aris Babikian, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for Multiculturalism. The topic: a report by Minister Lecce on the outcomes of his recent foray on behalf of Ontario into the American political and economic landscape.
In brief, Ontario wanted to advise the USA that “we count” and that “our patience with the USA” is wearing thin. Ontario may start looking elsewhere for economic partnerships. Good on Minister Lecce for trying. I and my colleagues from the NEPMCC either taped or took copious notes. The full report may have to wait.
The theme turned quickly into government credibility on the issue of support for small and medium-sized businesses operating press, digital platforms or over-the-air outlets. I am confident no one orchestrated the discussion, but it did seem legitimate for the attendees to raise the issue of why none of the $112 million allocated for advertising in media and press could not find its way to ethno-lingual outlets.
From that point onward, NEPMCC members from the President Thomas Saras on down, seemed intent on teasing out the justifications for what appeared to everyone a gross examples of inequality (or, from Corriere’s perspective, unjustifiable discrimination against ethnic press. Chairman of NEPMCC, Dr. Tajdolati, a journalist in Iran prior to emigration to Canada in 1994, and member of NEPMCC since 1995 put it thusly: we have invited members of governments to our monthly meetings to speak to us and to hear our pleas to support financially the efforts of our media to get out the message of government, and, every time we are left asking if this is the time they will follow through.
Keep in mind that the $112 million annually comes from the tax base of contribuants like those in the room. According to Census Canada 2021, linguistically those taxpayers represent 11 million of Canada’s 42 million inhabitants, said President Thomas Saras, then question becomes why are we paying to keep mainstream outlets afloat as we sink?
One Toronto daily – not the Corriere Canadese – two Saturdays ago, apparently received five full pages of advertising from the Provincial government. Ethnolingual press…none. That is the imbalanced position Messrs Lecce and Babikian found difficult to address. In fairness, they had come for another reason.
Here below is a photogallery of the meeting (photos: Corriere Canadese)
