Politikacılardan Mesajlar
Turkish Society of Canada’nın düzenlediği 23 Nisan etkinlikleri için Ontario Başbakanı Katleen Wynne, Toronto Belediye Başkanı John Tory, Federal Milletvekili Julie Dzerowicz, Whitby Belediye Başkanı Don Mitchell, Markham Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong kutlama mesajları gönderdiler.
Ayrıca etkinlik sırasında gönüllümüz Eren Aksungur, Eyalet Milletvekili Bob Delaney ve Trustee Ken Lister ile birer röportaj gerçekleştirdi. Gönüllümüz Emine Gizmen yazıya geçirdi. Sevgili Eren ve Emine’ye katkıları için çok teşekkür ediyoruz.
MPP Bob Delaney ile röportaj:
Eren Aksungur: Today, as you know is a day that celebrates diversity in the entire world and celebrates childhood, children, and how do you think you as a Torontonian and as a Canadian celebrate diversity?
Bob Delaney: Well, this day, International Children’s Day, we first of all have to give credit where credit is due, this celebration of youth and the potential of children began in Turkey. On the inspiration of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. So, we do have to acknowledge that this is an important day and it was begun worldwide in Turkey. This is a day in which, through performances, music, dance, through some of the things community leaders say, we emphasize the promise of the next generation which is embodied in our children. We showcase some of the best of our abilities of our children and as a society we work toward providing the supports and the education and the understanding, so that the potential in the generation of children actually becomes its destiny.
Eren Aksungur: Speaking of the potential of youth and young generations, you as a politician, what would you recommend to the up and coming children or youth in Toronto in universities that want to be in the same place as you, as successful as you?
Bob Delaney: Well the great equalizer in this century is education. And, if you were born in the last decade or the 20th century, or if your birthday, or the date of your birthday begins with two, chances are you know, you are going to live on more than one continent, you are going to have three or four careers in your life. So, aside from getting an education, I would say to be proficient in more than one language. Those who are proficient in more than one language, we now have definitive research, are generally smarter people. It allows you, it appears, according to science, to be able to look at issues and problems from more than one perspective. And to be able to think on more than one plane. So, certainly to all of the young people growing up today, I would say first of all don’t follow the money follow your dreams. And, let the great leveler be education, and do not be afraid to take a chance.
Eren Aksungur: Thank you very much, and one last question. As you mentioned before, today is very synonymous with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who is an incredibly important person in Turkish history.
Bob Delaney: Right
Eren Aksungur: And, I’d like to ask you, who do you think, for you in your life has been a huge inspiration that this one leader that you look up to? Or is there anyone like that?
Bob Delaney: Well I guess it depends on the year in which you grew up. And the year in which I grew up, in the year 1960s and 70s, that one inspirational leader who seemed to embody the ability to fulfill all of the promise that people had was Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Eren Aksungur: And is there any one quality of Pierre Elliott Trudeau that you adore that you really strive to be like?
Bob Delaney: The thing that I remember the most, was that, and I met Pierre Trudeau a number of times. Pierre Trudeau always had you believe that your dreams were possible and that you could get it done and that the country was behind you. The country wasn’t trying to block you, the country wasn’t trying to tell you how to do it, the country was trying to help you do it.
Eren Aksungur: Thank you.
Bob Delaney: Thank you
Trustee Ken Lister ile röportaj:
Eren Aksungur: Mr. Ken Lister, my first question is as you see today is a day that celebrates diversity, youth, and just culture, multiculturalism. And how do you think you as a Canadian, or as a Torontonian celebrate these things?
Ken Lister: I celebrate them by, not just living in Canada and being a part of this country, but by embracing the diversity that is around me every day. I celebrate by ensuring that my children attend public school and learn about the different heritages, cultures, languages, foods, traditions of different countries, different religions, in addition to enjoying one of the best things that I, one of my favorite things about Toronto, because I am not originally from Toronto.
I lived for 30 years, out west in Edmonton. One of the things that I like, that I really, really, like about Toronto is the fact that there is so much culture and diversity when you go out for food.
Eren Aksungur: Yes, it is delicious.
Ken Lister: So, every weekend, I try, my wife and I try to go out to a different restaurant. I’ve had Labovian food, I’ve had food from Tanzania and Ghana and it is wonderful that you can do this. In Edmonton, and in many other parts of the world you do not have so many countries all together in one place. And Toronto is fantastic for having every country, every culture here represented. It really really and truly is, and I am very fortunate to live here.
Eren Aksungur: Another question for you is, today is synonymous with our founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and he is an amazing figure for all Turkish people and an ideal, not just a person. And I wanted to ask you, if there is anyone in your life that inspires you, that you consider an ideal, and that you thrive to be like?
Ken Lister: You know, I guess I would say each of the members of my family. You know I try and take the best of each person and I try to make that who I am. My mom, my dad, my sisters, you know and now my wife and my kids everyday. They bring me joy and they each teach me things and you know hopefully make me a better person. You know, I look up to everybody in different ways. I do not know if there is one person that I look up to as much and say it’s a group of people.
Eren Aksungur: So, this is kind of a two part question and also my last question. As you see there is more and more people coming from all around the world to this beautiful country, and to this city also specifically. And the question, the first question would be, what do you think the children coming to this city, their parents, what can they teach their children? What can schools in Toronto specifically teach them? What’s that one quality?
Ken Lister: It’s not just tolerance. It’s acceptance. It is accepting that there are different people who speak different languages, who have different accents, who eat different foods, who celebrate different holidays, and it’s not just tolerating that they are around us. It’s accepting and embracing that, so.
Eren Aksungur: Absolutely
Ken Lister: You know what, the school board, I am proud to be on the Heritage Month Committee. To lead the celebrations for Chinese heritage month, Jewish heritage month, and Italian heritage month. So, three different groups, where we celebrate specifically those heritages. And I’m certainly not Chinese and I’m not Italian, but nonetheless you know, its important that we all celebrate everybody and all the different cultures and the riches it brings to our life here. So, that’s for sure for most important thing for kids to learn, is to embrace everyone’s’ culture.
Eren Aksungur: Okay, thank you
Ken Lister: Thank you.