HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 1, 2005
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Minutes / Meeting Summary
PICKERING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON RACE RELATIONS & EQUITY
December 1, 2005
7:00 PM
Chair - Councillor Pickles
Attendees:
Guests:
Regrets:
Councillor David Pickles
Fred Gibson, Community Appointee
Kirk Mark, Community Appointee
Jacqueline Moriarty, Community Appointee
Kim Krane, City of Pickering
Debbie Watrous, Committee Coordinator
Ida Fogo
Jennifer St. Aubyn
Rowena Kirk
Margaret Lazaras, Glengrove Public School
Malvina Ram, Community Appointee
Joe Mitschang, Durham Regional Police Service
Nazneed Dindar, Durham District School Board
Robert Cutting, Durham Catholic District School Board
Item / Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items /Status
Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as
appropriate)
1. Welcome & Introductions
Councillor Pickles welcomed members and guests to the
meeting.
2. Minutes/Notes
Minutes of the November 3, 2005 meeting were approved.
3. 2005 Committee Events
HeritaQe Day
Kim confirmed that Pickering Town Centre had been booked for
the Heritage Day events scheduled for February 18th, 2006 and
further advised that:
. invitations had been mailed to those groups/organizations
who may be interested in participating in this event
. assistants to dignitaries had been requested to mark this
event on their calendar - written invitations will be mailed in
the New Year
. the sound system and OJ have been confirmed
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r Item / Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items / Status
Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as
I appropriate)
Essay Competition and Forum
Kim confirmed that the information on the essay writing contest
and forum have been distribution to the schools and had been
placed on the City's website.
Councillor Pickles to
Kirk suggested Dr. Karen Mock as the Keynote Speaker and invite Dr. Mock.
provided Biographical Notes of Dr. Karen Mock to committee
members.
After lengthy discussion the following points were made:
· the topic suggested for next year was 'What we like and
what we don't like about living in a multicultural and diverse
community and what can be done to make things better'
. essays will be divided into three age categories and each
category will have three judges for a total of nine judges
Tapestry 2006 Event
This event entitled' Canadian Tapestry --- weaving the world
together' will take place on June 11 th, 2006 at the Pickering
Museum Village.
Councillor Pickles, Malvina Ram and Jacqueline Moriarty
represent the Race Relations & Equity Committee on the Sub-
committee of the Tapestry Event.
The next meeting of this Sub-committee will take place on
February ih, 2006 at 7 pm at the Recreation Complex.
4. Website Cultural Calendar Listing
Kim advised that the Ethnic and Religious Calendar had been
placed on the website advising of scheduled events during
2006.
.----
5. Katrina Relief/Magna Project
Kim was in contact with Shawna Mutton, City of Pickering
concerning the Magna Project and Shawna provided the
following information:
. books for Canada Village Louisiana's goal was to collect
5,000 books and DVD's;
. this goal was surpassed with approximately 12,000 books
being collected;
. all books above and beyond the 5,000 will be delivered to
other libraries in the hurricane stricken areas of Louisiana
and Mississippi.
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6. Lobby Display
'--- The banners for Chanukah and Kwanzaa have been ElacedJ.~
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Item / Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items / Status
Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as
appropriate)
the front foyer of the Civic Complex. An unveiling ceremony will
take place on Monday, December 19th at the Council Meeting.
Councillor Pickles, Chair of the Committee and another Councillor Pickles
Committee Member will say a few words. and one Committee
Member to speak.
It was suggested that invitations to this unveiling be sent to all
denominations inviting a representative to the event.
An invitation to the public will be placed in the News Advertiser Kim to arrange.
, on the Community Page.
6. Other Business
a) A question was raised concerning the admission fees at the
Pickering Museum Village. The following has been
provided by Dave Marlowe, Pickering Museum Village:
. General Admission
. Adult $4.00
. Senior/Student $2.50
. Child $2.00
. Pre-school FREE
. Family $12.00
. Special Events
. Adult $5.00
. Senior/Student $4.00
. Child $3.00
. Pre-school FREE
. Family $15.00
. Ticketed Events as advertised
b) Rowena Kirk provided the following information concerning
The Amnesty International Write-a-thon:
. Scheduled for Saturday, December 10, 2005, 1 :00 -
6:00 pm at the Loblaws store in Pickering in the upstairs
Community Meeting Room;
. Jessica Farias for the Chiapas Region of Mexico and
Brigitte Muleka for Democratic Republic of Congo are the
guest speakers;
. The presentation schedule can be found on their website
at www.aiqroup83.ca.;
. 100 letters will be written for Human Rights;
. A discussion on the 'Stop Violence Against Women'
concerns in many parts of our world, including the Stolen
Sisters Campaign (Aboriginal Women) in Canada will
take place.
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Item / Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items / Status
Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as
appropriate)
b) Kim advised that the Race Relations and Equity web page
has been updated to reflect the accomplishments of the
committee and the plans for 2006.
c) Councillor Pickles will provide Committee members with an Councillor Pickles to
update on the City of Toronto's Race Relations and Equity update
report.
d) Councillor Pickles informed the Committee of the
Communities Against Violence Everywhere (CAVE) event
which took place in the Council Chambers of the Civic
Complex on Tuesday, November 29th, 2005. A lengthy
discussion took place and the following points were made:
. the Police do not reflect the diversity of the community;
. there are underlying problems which need to be
addressed;
. what is there for kids to do and where can they go;
. Joe Mitschang, Durham Regional Police Service will be
asked about the make-up of the Police Force as it relates
to the diversity of the community;
. a City wide survey should be undertaken asking the
residents how the feel living in the City of Pickering, how
they feel about housing, recreation and equity.
4. Next Meeting
Thursday, January 12, 2006, 7:00 PM - Main Committee Room
ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO CONFIRM
THEIR ATTENDANCE
._-
Meeting Adjourned: 9:34 PM
Copy: 1. J. Quinn, Chief Administrative Officer
City Clerk
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