L'ASSOCIATION DES MUSULMANS PROGRESSITES DU CANADA

18TH ANNUAL EID-UL-ADHA DINNER ON OCTOBER 30, 2012

This year, the celebrations were held at the Government Conference Centre, 2 Rideau Street, as Room 200 in West Block is under renovations. The 30th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights was celebrated and the Keynote Address was delivered by Professor Errol Mendes, who is an expert on the Charter and the Canadian Constitution.  Professor Mendes teaches Law at the University of Ottawa and has acted as a consultant and advisor to leading corporations, NGOs, governments and the United Nations. He also acted as a Senior Advisor in the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada. He has devoted his professional and personal life to promoting human rights, peaceful and democratic constitutionalism and multiculturalism, ethical conduct and integrity in the public and private sectors in Canada and around the world.  For full speech, please click here.  

The Spirit Bear, a recent creation by Sandaluk was presented to Professor Mendes.

Retired Chief of York Regional Police, Armand La Barge,  was the Master of Ceremonies.  The National Anthem in both English and French was recited by Mr. Craig Kennedy, Senior Protocol & Visits Analyst, RCMP.   Members of Parliament,  John McKay, brought greetings from the Liberal Party,  Joe Daniel from Hon. Jason Kenney of the Progressive Conservatives, Rathika Sitsabaiesan from Thomas Mulcair of the New Democrats, and Senator Don Meredith from the Senate.

President of APMC,  Mobeen Khaja, spoke about how the Eid celebrations started at Parliament Hill and thanked Susan Crystal, Minister Counsellor, US Embassy, Ottawa, and her staff for presenting him with a framed copy of  the article written by the 1st lady, Hillary Clinton, from the archives of a US Newspaper 18 years after it was published.

Some of the more prominent guests were James Malizia, Asst. Commissioner, National Security Criminal Investigations and Protective Policing, RCMP, Chief Jennifer Evans of Peel Regional Police Services, Chief Charles Bordeleau of the Ottawa Police, Councillor Shad Qadri from Ottawa City Hall.

Yasser  Naqvi, MPP, brought greetings from Ontario's Premier Dalton McGuinty. Members of Parliament, John McCallum and Irwin Cotler also attended.

From the Diplomatic Corps. Ambassador of Azerbaijan, High Commissioners of Pakistan and Malaysia, Acting Ambassador for Turkey attended.  Susan Crystal, Minister Councillor from the Embassy of the United States attended with several colleagues.  Several other countries were represented by other high ranking officers from their respective countries.

In the afternoon, John McCallum, MPP - Markham and Unionville, rose in the House of Commons and made the following statement:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the occasion of the Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada's 18th annual Eid al-Adha dinner this evening. Marking the occasion of the Hajj, Eid is a time when Muslims in Canada and around the world take time to consider the most disadvantaged members of society, to donate to charities and to share a meal with the less-advantaged members of their community. It is also an occasion for Canadians of different backgrounds to see first hand the rich cultural and religious mosaic that is one of the defining features of Canada.

I would also like to thank Mobeen Khaja, president of the Association of Progressive Muslims, whose work in promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue has contributed to the tolerance, respect and mutual understanding that are the cornerstones of the society we are privileged to be part of.

I look forward to attending this year's dinner and wish everyone a Very Happy Eid al-Adha. Eid Mubarak."

DVD copies of the two educational films produced by the Association "No Distance Between Us" and "Fragile Mosaic" were available for those who wanted them.  Albums of previous events were also on display

We are grateful to our sponsors for their support.

PLATINUM

MR. CHARLES S. COFFEY, O.C.

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

RBC FINANCIAL GROUP

TD BANK

TRANSGLOBAL SYSTEMS OF CANADA INC. & EXE STEEL

GOLD

MR. MOE ANWAR FMA, FCSI

SILVER

HIS HIGHNESS PRINCE AGA KHAN SHIA IMAMI ISMAILI COUNCIL FOR OTTAWA

BRONZE

CHIEF ARMAND LA BARGE & MRS. DENISE LA BARGE

COUNCIL OF TURKISH CANADIANS

 A.N. FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD.

Some photos from the event: