Press Release by the Canadian Branch of the Congress of North American Bosniaks
Historically important day for relationship between Bosnia and Hezegovina and Canada
Mr. Brian Masse, Member of the Canadian Parliament and sponsor of the Srebrenica (remembrance) Genocide Day, which was adopted last year in the Canadian Parliament informed the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch that a Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group has been formed in the Canadian Parliament.
The Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group in the Canadian Parliament consists of:
Chair: Mr. Dave Mackenzie, MP,
Vice Chair: Mr. Brian Masse, MP,
Vice Chair: Mr. Bernard Trottier, MP,
Executive Member (Treasurer): Mrs. Nina Grewal, MP,
Executive Member: Senator Raynell Andreychuk.
Group currently has 26 members
Special credit for the formation of the Group in the Canadian Parliament goes to H.E. Biljana Gutić-Bjelica, Ambassador Bosnia and Herzegovina in Canada, MP Nine Grewal and Dženita Hozo.
It is also important to emphasize that the formation of the Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group was assisted by the Bosnian Community in Canada led by Congress of North American Bosniaks and Institute for Research Genocide, Canada.
The special assembly on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Canadian Parliament will provide support to the Canadian Parliament with the necessary political and economic reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to improve cooperation between the two states. With this new establishment there is an aim to also improve cooperation between the two parliaments, and the present the values of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Canadian society.
After the recognition of the Bosnian language in Canada, the ability to use the ethnic name Bosniaks in the Canadian political and statistical documents, the adoption of the Srebrenica Genocide resolution in the Canadian Parliament, the establishment of a parliamentary procedure regarding the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the formation of the Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group in the Canadian parliament demonstrates a successful start, but the process of lobbying for the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Canadian cultural mosaic must continue.
Prof. Emir Ramic
President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch