CHC - Aims and objectives of the Canadian Hellenic Congress

Advocating for Canadians Hellenes and Hellenism

Canadian Hellenic Congress (Congress) has been the Voice of Hellenism in Canada since 1982. We speak for Canadians of Hellenic heritage and their communities and organizations on matters of education, cultural, social, economic and national Hellenic issues. The Congress is a non-for-profit, democratic communal institution, member-funded organization representing more than 250,000 Hellenic-Canadians and their associations and societies from coast-to-coast. The Congress serves as a link between individuals, communities, associations and societies and governments, including non-governmental bodies.

Το Ελληνοκαναδικό Κογκρέσο ασχολείται γενικά με θέματα Εθνικής εμβέλειας. Δεν μας χρηματοδοτεί, μήτε μας συνδράμει δημόσιος ή ιδιωτικός φορέας.
Είμαστε εθελοντές, χρηματοδοτούμαστε από τα μέλη μας με την ετήσια εισφορά τους ή δωρεά και από συγκυριακές χορηγίες διαφόρων εκδηλώσεων μας.
Κρατάμε ψηλά την φλόγα, προσφέροντας στα κοινά, κρατώντας την ανεξαρτησία της απεξάρτησης οικονομικά και κρατώντας μια σχετικά ουδέτερη στάση, ως προς τα πολιτικά κόμματα, δεν αποτελούμε ουρά κανενός πολιτικού κόμματος.
Αυτή μας η στάση μας επιτρέπει να διατηρούμε την αντικειμενικότητα μας και να ασκούμε κριτική επί ίσοις όροις προωθώντας όλα τα σχετικά τα θέματα υπό διάφορες μορφές, με μόνο γνώμονα τα εθνικά συμφέροντα.

OBJECTS

The objects of the Congress include:

• To advance and promote Hellenism, Democracy, Human Rights and Civic Responsibility
• To enhance solidarity and unity among Hellenic communities and their organizations throughout Canada
• To facilitate and ensure the continuity and development of Hellenic culture, language, custom, tradition, spiritual and social heritage in Canada
• To promote and support Hellenic education and the development of Hellenic values

MEMBERSHIP AND STRUCTURE

The membership unit of the Congress is the organization. The organization could be communities, associations, societies, federations, professional groups and individuals . Individuals of Hellenic descent can also be members of the Congress. In Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and British Columbia and Saskatchewan the members have a direct membership to the Congress through the respective regional councils. At the national level, the Congress functions are administered by two principal organs: The National Council and the National Assembly.

National Council

The National Council is the board of directors of the Congress and comprises of 26 elected persons and the immediate past president. Elections are held every three years. Members of the National Council represent provinces/regions.

National Assembly

The National Assembly is comprised of 100 delegates selected by the member organizations from across Canada. The National Assembly meets once a year.

Provincial Congresses and Regional Councils

At the provincial level, the Congress functions are administered by the three provincial congresses and four regional council in accordance with its own Constitution and bylaws. The congresses and regional Councils are:

• Canadian Hellenic Congress of Alberta;
• Hellenic Canadian Congress of Manitoba;
• Hellenic Canadian Congress of Ontario;
• Atlantic Hellenic Regional Council;
• BC Hellenic Regional Council;
• Quebec Hellenic Regional Council;
• Saskatchewan Hellenic Regional Council

The Canadian Hellenic Congress, is a member of the Canadian Ethnoculural Council and partners and collaborates with many other organizations.

Activities included:

• The Congress has held national and regional conferences on Cyprus, Greek language instruction, education, youth issues, socio-economic issues and building trade relations between Canada and Greece.
• The Congress has made representation to municipal governments about the FYROM and flag raising recognitions.
• The Congress with our partners (Canadian Jewish Congress, National Congress of Italian Canadians) contributed to our country’s constitutional challenges by organizing and holding cross country consultations on the constitutional arrangements, i.e. Charlottetown Accord.
• The Congress with our partners (Armenian National Federation of Canada, Cypriot Federation of Canada, and Serbian National Shield of Canada) organized and held conferences on Balkan and Mediterranean security issues.

International Committee of the German Debts to Greece

As you are probably aware, Greece suffers from a foreign debt that is much smaller than the German Debt to Greece. While Greece honors its obligations to Germany and other European countries, Germany refuses to honor its obligations to Greece contrary to the advice of the Scientific Committee of the German Bundestag.
In detail, WHAT GERMANY OWES TO GREECE:

• Besides its Cultural Debt dating back to Antiquity
• and besides the fact that Germany is not under Nazi rule today, in part because of the fight that Greece put up in War, at an extraordinary cost
• GERMANY also OWES TO GREECE from the WWII:
• The WAR REPARATIONS awarded by the Paris Conference, which are enforceable (note that, Germans caused 131 Holocausts and burned 1770 Greek villages)
• COMPENSATION to VICTIMS of war crimes (note that Greece lost 13% of its population)
• The repayment of the OCCUPATION LOAN (which is imprescriptible in perpetuity) and
• The return of the ARCHEOLOGICAL TREASURES looted by Germans from Greek museums and digs.

In monetary terms, Germany’s debt to Greece is ONE ORDER of magnitude higher than the Greek debt to Germany. In fact, if Germany fulfilled its obligations to Greece, Greece would be able to immediately repay its debt to European countries that are also in financial straits, and the eurozone might survive.

Greek Veterans Pensions Extension

Worked with the Federal government and extended the period on Greek Veterans pensions.

Canadian Olympic Committee

Representation to the Canadian Olympic Committee about the use of the name “Olympic” by Canadian Hellenic business.

Pier 21 – Commemoration Plaque

Pier 21 – Special plaque commemorating and honoring the Greek immigrants who enter Canada through this Halifax port pier.

CANDU Nuclear Reactors

Advocated against the sale of Canadian nuclear reactors (CANDU) to Turkey.

Public Policy Issues

• Presentation and submission on Canadian security legislation
• Advocated ethnic broadcasting in Canada

Celebrating Greek Contributions

Her Majesty’s The Greek Immigrant Exhibit, commemorating the contributions of Greeks immigrants.

Supporting the Armenian Community

• Supporting our partner, the Armenian Community, in its efforts to get Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
• Working with the Coptic Community on the Syrian and Iraqi Refugees

Hellenic Pontic Genocide

• Establishment of the Greek Pontian Genocide Memorial Park
• Working with governments to acknowledge and recognize the tragic and destructive events of August 1919 against Greek Canadian business. Toronto City Council passed a resolution to that effect at its July, 2015 meeting.
• Working with Toronto City Council to declare May 19th as a Greek Pontian Genocide Remembrance Day. We achieved this on May 19, 2016
• Communications with several Ontario and Quebec and other cities and provinces , municipal councils to declare May 19th as the Greek Pontian Genocide Remembrance Day. The Ottawa Mayor made such proclamation on May 19th
• BC Hellenic Regional Council;
• Promoting and Advancing Senate Motion 158 – Recognition of Greek Pontic Genocide and Designation of May 19th as a Remembrance Day throughout Canada. Organized and Coordinated National Letter writing calling upon the Senators to pass the motion. The campaign continues.
• Municipal Councils that have passed resolutions and/or issued proclamation in 2017: City of Oshawa, Borough of LaSalle (Montreal), Borough of Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension (Montreal), City of Montreal, City of Vancouver, City of Regina

Canada 150

A partnership project with the Armenian National Committee of Canada; Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs Ukranian Canadian Congress and other