NEPMCC and Corriere: where reality survives policy

Joe Volpe December 16, 2025

TORONTO – Before governments converted to the “new secularist religion” that absorbs public sector financing, at a cost to the industry that shapes Canada’s story, a long-time friend of mine, from a South Asian community, admitted to me that, in spite of our personal relationship, he had little use for “our system”.

He would say, “I and my kind only need government for two reasons. One, to keep Canada Revenue Agency from taking a bigger share of our annual income to finance projects and programs that have nothing to do with us. Two, to ensure we bring our families [parents, mostly] here through immigration so that they might instill our children with the values they need to survive and grow, while we adults try to fashion a living and [maybe] prosper”.

Preparing an article of the annual Christmas NEPMCC festive event and knowing he helps [financially] several of our members (not the Corriere), I asked whether he continues to hold that view, while I shared some of the photos with him.

He has known Thomas Saras and his family, including Maria Saras-Voutsinas, for decades. “Look, do not paint me as a surly person. These journalists deserve my/our support because they tell the Canadian story to our families and children in the language they know intuitively, with the imagery and nuances that transcend the generations they live here in Canada and visit back home.”

Wistfully, he added, pausing to reflect on the “injustices” – real or perceived – “who else will tell our story and educate our families regarding the Canadian culture of civic responsibilities?” Then he added, if NEPMCC were not here acknowledge the contribution of these journalists and awardees, who would even know we are here?

Since we became friends some four decades ago, That Canadian family has grown to the point that now a full 24% of Canadians self-identify as speaking a third language (not English, French, or Aboriginal) at home or at work, on a daily basis.

Several of the twenty + political figures [at all three levels of governments, and four political parties] pointed that 51% of Toronto’s three million citizens) were born outside Canada. All of them know that the messages of their successes, or not, will be told via the communications outlets represented by the periodicals, online platforms, OTA outlets and social media platforms in the room.

The event was a marvellous display of integration, recognition of merit, fraternity and reciprocal hospitality. It could not have been less.

Here below is a photogallery of the event, followed by the names of all the winners along with images and two short videos of the band The Killers’ performance (photoshoot by Priscilla Pajdo, Marzio Pelù, and Ricky Castellvi)