Toronto Mayor joins CASJ get-together

Toronto Mayor joins CASJ get-together

Toronto Mayor David Miller acknowledged the work of the Community Alliance for Social Justice (CASJ) as important for the City and the community, during a speech he delivered at the organization’s holiday gathering on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Parkdale Library in Toronto.

“The themes of the Alliance matter to all of us, because it is about justice,” he said.

“It matters to one and all because there has to be justice, and without advocating, and without being strong and in solidarity, there will not be justice.”

Miller was speaking before CASJ officers and members, community leaders, members of professional associations, live-in-caregivers, members of the Reodica family and supporters of the Justice for Jeffrey campaign, media, and guests which included politicians, City of Toronto staff, and officials of the Philippine consulate.

Miller also acknowledged CASJ’s work in advocating for access to trades and professions, as well as the improvement of the status of the live-in-caregivers.

He said: “The challenge still exists for people getting their own skills, trade and professions being recognized, and I know that’s true particularly for people from the Philippines, who come with tremendous background, and are asked questions like ‘What is your Canadian experience?’”

He added: “In Toronto, we are very lucky to have so many talents from other countries that we should be saying, ‘What is your experience?’… we should be bending over backwards to ensure that their qualifications are recognized here.”

Hence the Community Alliance’s work on the issue on access to trades and professions is important, he said.

Miller also acknowledged CASJ’s work on improving the social and economic plight of live-in-caregivers.
“(CASJ) is also working on issues of the live-in-caregivers, who give so much to the Toronto community and families across the City. Our goal is to treat them with respect and the justice and the fairness and the compensation that they deserve.”

Miller noted that the work of the alliance goes beyond the Filipino community, and that “other communities will benefit from its advocacy.”

In conclusion, Miller said: “What the Alliance is all about, what City Hall is about is making sure that everyfamily truly has an opportunity to participate in the wealth of the City, and that’s not always true today. I know that with the hard work of the organizers, the Alliance will succeed in its goals.”

CASJ – a coalition initiated by the Filipino community in October 2004, composed of 26 organizations and more than a hundred individuals – is working towards police reforms and community safety; recognition of Philippine earned education, training and experience toward access to trades and professions; and improving the working and social conditions of live-in-caregivers by letting them enter the country as immigrants.

The event, titled “Celebrating Our Solidarity with the Community,” attracted almost 200 members and guests, majority of them participants in CASJ conferences, workshops, survey and focus groups, and community actions held in late October 2004 and through the most part of this year. Many of the guests brought their families, including youth children and seniors.

The Mayor, who mingled with the guests and joined them in a buffet Filipino lunch, also obliged to pose for photos. One touching moment was when he approached Flora Reodica, the mother of student Jeffrey Reodica who was fatally shot by a Toronto Police officer in May 2004, and hugged her in a gesture of condolence. He also talked with Joel Reodica, Jeffrey’s brother, who is now a recognized leader in the Justice for Jeffrey Campaign and also a member of the CASJ Executive Committee as head of its Youth Affairs group, and a member of the Advisory Board to Police Chief William Blair.

Other politicians gracing the event were Sam Bulte and Peggy Nash, MP candidates in the Parkdale High Park area.

The event’s program, which ran from lunchtime to 4 p.m., featured welcome remarks from CASJ Chair Edwin Mercurio; a report on the organization’s achievements during its first year by CASJ President Hermie Garcia; and the following updates from the major task forces and committees: (1) Access to Professions and Trades, Summary of “Deprofessionalization of Filipinos in Toronto” – a paper presented to the10th International Metropolis Conference by Dr. Philip Kelly of the Department of Geography, York University, and Mila Garcia, CASJ Board Member and Research Coordinator; a brief update from CASJ representative to PROMPT , Clarence Luna and a report on PROMPT by Nikhat Rashid; (2) the Live-In Caregiver Program, by Joy Sioson, CASJ Board Member who heads the LCP Task Force; (3) Policing and Community Safety, by Mithi Esguerra, CASJ Board Secretary; and an update on the Justice for Jeffrey Campaign by Joel Reodica, who also presented a 4-minute preview of a video documentary on the campaign for justice, the full-length video of which will be released early next year.

One of the event’s highlights – which was a surprise number in the program – was the award ceremonies to individuals recognized by the CASJ leadership, for their assistance in CASJ’s formative and developmental stages, that has helped the organization build itself into a solid respected alliance, using its own capability of harnessing resources, mobilizing the Filipino community and its supporters, and linking up with networks, individuals and groups within and outside the Filipino community.

Two of the awardees who were presented their plaques of appreciation by Mayor Miller assisted by Garcia and Mercurio were officers of the City of Toronto’s Community Safety Secretariat : Michelle Munroe, Community Development Officer; and Arnold Minors, Policy Development Officer. Zanana Akande, former president of Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and the first Black woman to become member of the Ontario government Cabinet as minister for community and social services, was presented her award of appreciation upon her arrival later in the afternoon.

Munroe was awarded for “her role in providing culturally sensitive support to the Justice for Jeffrey Campaign and assistance to CASJ during a crisis situation.”

Minors was awarded for his role “in providing valuable community development support to CASJ during its inception, advice, training and facilitation that enabled it to mobilize its own strengths, resources, network and partnership capabilities.”

Akande was awarded for her significant role as keynote speaker in CASJ’s October 30, 2004 conference, “for sharing her valuable lessons and insights as a resolute and uncompromising social activist leader in the fight against racism and all other forms of oppression.”

The success of the event came from the contributions of everyone who had helped, including the sponsors who had donated money for the food, among them: Belle Tumbokon; Rafael Nebres of Action Honda; Bernard Farrols; Bernie Tanz of All City Storage; Bernie Romano, Barrister and Solicitor; Jose Saavedra Jr. of Triple A Personnel; Dr. Philip Kelly of York University; Tess and Jess Mallari of Mabini Express, Henry Sia of Golden Valley Food Outlets; Mazher Jaffery of Canadian Business College; Michael Tibollo of Tibollo & Associates; Roland Chan of Liland Insurance; Nanette Britanico of Liland Insurance; Jan Goddard and Associates; and Mon and Teresa Torralba of Philippine Variety Store.

Overall, CASJ’s holiday party was a success, as many guests expressed their thanks to the organizers for giving them the opportunity to know more about CASJ and its social justice mandate; to network with community members affected by the same issues being taken up by the organization; and to become members and partners of the organization.

City staff and other groups commended CASJ for the numerous achievements of the group in only one year since its founding. Among the accomplishments cited by Garcia in his report:

a. CASJ articulated three major issues that profoundly affect the lives of a great majority of the members of the Filipino community.

b. CASJ has provided full support for the campaign for truth and justice in the Jeffrey Reodica case. The huge rally of May 21, 2005 that demanded an immediate inquest on the case was jointly organized by Justice for Jeffrey Coalition and CASJ with the support of many organizations and individuals from various communities.

c. There are now 26 member organizations of CASJ and more than 100 individual members committed to social justice.

d. CASJ Board of Directors has drafted and adopted a Constitution.

e. Conducted and completed a survey involving 420 Filipinos in Toronto on their access to professions and trades. Focus group sessions among various professions were held. This resulted in a paper presented at the 10th International Metropolis Conference in Oct. 2005 attended by hundreds of delegates from various countries.

f. Adopted a position paper on the Live-In Caregiver Program submitted to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, November 2004.

g. Supported the formation of a Canada-wide organization of Overseas Filipino Workers, SIKLAB, in October 2005.

h. CASJ presented a paper, “The Road to Empowerment: Moving from Crisis to Community Capacity Building” at the Community Crisis Response Conference: Looking Through a Cultural Lens, in June 2005.

i. CASJ made two deputations at the Toronto Police Services Board in 2005 to propose reforms in the policing of the city.

j. CASJ made submissions to the Patrick LeSage Commission on police reforms.
For information about CASJ’s activities, email: casj_canada @yahoo.ca.