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CHANGE POLICIES TO HEAL WOUNDS,
STOP TREMENDOUS LOSS TO CANADA
BY JAVED ZAHEER, FREE EXPRESSION
AWARD WINNER
TORONTO:
A high-powered delegation of influential Pakistani community members, led by
Team Leaders of Pak Seniors Forum (PSF), despite worst weather warning and
condition, braved the chilly and snowy winter storm and held an important
meeting with John Carmichael, MP for Don Valley West, and Costas Menegakis, MP
for Richmond Hill, on Saturday, December 14, 2013, at the office of John
Carmichael at Suite # 704, 18 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M3C3S2, Canada.
The
meeting lasted for over an hour and proved very successful in the sense that it
provided an opportunity for both the parties to better express and understand
each other, the issues and problems.
In
short, after healthy discussion, it was observed and found that priorities and
policy changes are urgently needed and extremely necessary with serious
consideration of issues and problems to save the people from great painful suffering,
mental torture, frustration, disappointment and uncertainty and Canada from
tremendous losses in the shape of waste of these genius and their talents,
skills and experiences. Canada and the people could benefit greatly if the
outdated and wrong policies and bad leadership are replaced with the right and
true ones.
Only
true leadership is capable of bringing the changes and doing this otherwise the
parties and THEIR leaders with VESTED INTERESTS would keep exploiting and playing
with the stability, progress, prosperity and the future of the people and
Canada---The cause of all sufferings.
Both
the MPs, John Carmichael and Costas Menegakis, not only warmly welcomed the PSF
team and Pakistani community leaders of other groups, addressed them, heard
them patiently but also held meaningful discussion on various important issues
and problems including unnecessary extraordinary delays in immigration, spousal
and other sponsorship and citizenship processes, recognition of accreditation,
extreme hardships and difficulties in settlement, adjustment and employment due
to lack of Canadian experience and renewal of expired permanent resident (PR)
card.
Costas Menegakis, MP, who is
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, in
response to the questions on immigration said: “We inherited from Liberals a
broken immigration system with a huge pile of increasing backlog. We looked
into the system to fix it and worked hard to cut the backlog which climbed over
a million. We have greatly reduced the backlog. Our priority and greatest focus
is on backlog. We just don’t want to keep accepting applications to increase
the backlog. We are screening the applications to avoid abuses.”
He said: “We enjoy good relations
with Pakistan and a great number of Pakistanis are being accepted for
immigration to Canada. The delay is due to the processes of selecting,
screening and security checks in order to avoid abuses and ensure selection of
those who really deserve to qualify.”
He
cited the Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, 2013 and highlighted the
salient features. For details visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/annual-report-2013/index.asp.
JZ’S
SPEECH: Javed Zaheer, Professional Journalist and Director
Information of Pak Seniors Forum (PSF), spoke on the occasion on behalf of the
community and PSF. He also presented the copy of his speech to the MPs for
consideration by them and all parliamentarians in Ottawa and necessary action
for policy changes. The speech is as follows:
“Respected John Carmichael, MP, Costas
Menegakis, MP, and distinguished guests,
first
of all let me thank John Carmichael, MP, for honouring me by recognizing my
contributions and achievements and making the Pakistani community and South
Asians feel proud as Canadians by taking keen interest, giving respect to the
various community groups and team leaders and the opportunity to come closer,
understand each other and work together.
“Present today in this meeting are
highly educated, internationally renowned and recognized professional members
of the Pakistani community and South Asians with tremendous contributions and
achievements track record and belonging to good families. They include
educationist, lawyer, doctor, banker, journalist, bureaucrat and businessman.
They are the cream of Pakistan and now a valuable asset for Canada. They have
sacrificed a lot to reach Canada and make this wonderful country their permanent
home.
“These gems and cream of specialists
and experts anxiously want to serve the people and Canada by contributing
towards progress, prosperity and stability of the people and the country. They
want to properly adjust and become an important part of the society, system,
people and the country. They are struggling and working hard for their
families, communities and Canada but are unable to prove their genius and worth
in the real sense.
. “I
feel proud in becoming their voice and strength and would keep working as a
team leader to build bridges, restore the trust and confidence, unite them and
keep struggling to bring necessary policy changes so that the genius and gems
are not wasted but utilized properly in the best interest of the people and
Canada. Waste of their skills and talent is a tremendous loss and that is why
policy changes are essential.
“This
is where John Carmichael you can play an important role as a federal
representative and a true leader of the
people. You are in a position to do so and must help all such people. This is
how you can win hearts, trust and confidence of the people and then hope of
getting re-elected.
“Also,
the community members are faced with various federal issues including painful;
long delays in immigration, citizenship and other such important processes,
which are badly affecting their lives and making them tense and sick. The extra-ordinary delays in processes and
inquiries are a severe punishment and reflect badly on the performance and
image of the government. The matter needs serious attention and consideration.
“Pak
Seniors Forum (PSF) was formed to build bridges and help both the people and
the leaders work together for solution of the issues and problems and for
maintaining Canada as the best country of the world. The PSF motto is `Serve
Humanity In Reality and the concept is `Live & work together’.
“With
the help of individuals, leaders, groups and partners PSF hopes to achieve the
objectives and turn dreams of people into realities. It feels proud in being
and remaining part of the people and not parties with vested interests. The community is fed up with lip service and
lollypops and is more interested in real service. The PSF’s great success is
that people are responding positively to the call for working together and
eager to unite and serve.
“We
thank Hafiz Khan and all others for working in the interest of the community
and helping build bridges. They are indeed playing a very important role as
Community Team Leaders.”
The Pak Seniors Forum (PSF) Team
Leaders present on the occasion included Syed Muhammad Iqbal, President, Javed
Zaheer, Muhammad Hafeez, Mirza Nooruddin, Dr Tariq Mirza, Afzal Khan Nayyar.
Due to the bad weather some members including Masoodul Haq, Tariq Malik, Khalid
Ahmed and Hanif Khayal could not attend the meeting. Other community members present
on the occasion included Abdul Razzak Chishti, Tariq Rehman, Azhar Bokhari,
Naseem Hussain, Syed Shakeel Ahmed and Ejaz. John Carmichael presented
recognition certificates to the PSF team leaders and all community members who
took part in the meeting.
Hafiz Khan, a senior member of
Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office (TNO) and an active member of John Carmichael
team, presented the closing remarks and thanked all for making the meeting
successful. PSF thanks Hafiz Khan for the
role played in organizing this important meeting and hope to work
together in the future as well in the best interest of the people.
JZ’S
PROFILE: Javed Zaheer, Free Expression Award Winner, Desi
Idol Recognition Award Winner, ex-Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan-Canada
Relations (PCR) of Good Governance Forum (GGF), Pakistan, Member/Honorary
Director of NEPMCC, Veteran Active Member (VAM) of Toronto Press Club,
Ex-Member of The National Club and The Ontario Club, Honorary Editor of English
Weekly `Pakistan Abroad’, Canada, ex-Chief Editor (Honorary) of English Weekly
`The Ambassador’, Canada, ex-Chief Editor (Honorary) of English Weekly `DAWN',
Canada, ex-Senior Sub-Editor of English Daily DAWN, Pakistan, Chairman, CANOPI,
Director of Children Dignity Foundation (CDF---Canada & Pakistan), Honorary
Director Information of Pak Seniors Forum (PSF), Canada, and Director, Canpak,
Chamber of Commerce, Canada, is contributing purely on Voluntary and Honorary
Basis in order to serve all people and communities. Contact:
(416)696-0981/jazamedia@hotmail.com, jazamedia@mail.com. To read more JZ’s
exclusive articles, please visit: www. nepmcc.ca and nationalethnicpress.com
(Editorial Sections. Scan years from 2004 to 2011. Visit
www.javedzaheernews.blogspot.com and www.jazamedia.wordpress.com.
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