Current Issues

Current Issues

Take an in-depth look below at current issues affecting Turkish Canadians:

Toronto District School Board – TDSB

January 16, 2008 – TDSB – Program Committee Deputations

TDSB – Program Committee Deputations in opposition and in favour of the course CHG38M (Genocide: Historical and Contemporary Implications)

While the citizens concerned about the course material were granted only two deputations, the group in favour of the course was granted four deputations (five speakers). TDSB is informed of our disappointment about this imbalance. Turkish Community was not heard for 2.5 years, this was Turkish Community’s first chance to be heard. It would have given TDSB officials a much-needed fair and just image. While it is unfortunate that the Program committee missed this opportunity to display their commitment to equality, we are hopeful that fairness and balance will prevail in the review committee.

Videos of the entire session are provided generously by Turkuaz Television (TTV – http://www.turkuaz.tv) and placed here by their permission. We thank the staff of TTV for their work and their kind permission for use of their material. Copyright belongs to TTV.

Please contrast what you see in the videos with what is written in the Press Release (at the bottom of the page) by Armenian National Committee of Canada, titled Turkish Ultranationalists Try to Silence Prominent Canadians.

Notice how the Turkish Community members are portrayed as Turkish Ultranationalists (not Canadians) while the members of the Armenian Community and their supporters are Canadians.

Videos:

Part One:

Speeches by Lale Eskicioglu and Prof. Dr. Ozay Mehmet


Part Two:

Speeches in favour of the course by Leo Adler, Aris Babikian, Prof. Frank Chalk, and MP Jim Karygiannis


Part Three:

Fourth speech in favour of the course by David Warner and closing remarks by TDSB


June 02, 2008 – TDSB – Appeal to the Director’s Decision at the Program Committee

Director’s Decision:

TDSB published two versions of the Director’s decision, only six days apart. In the second and final version of the decision, favorable wordings in support of the thesis of the Turkish-Canadian community were removed.

Here are these two versions for your review:

You can view the whole appeal proceedings in the videos below:

Videos are provided generously by Turkuaz Television (TTV – http://www.turkuaz.tv) and placed here by their permission. We thank the staff of TTV for their work and their kind permission for use of their material. Copyright belongs to TTV.

Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Four


June 12, 2008 – TDSB – Final Decision of the Program Committee

Appeals didn’t make any impact to Director’s Decision. Program Committee agreed with the decision of the Director without any debate what-so-ever. You can watch the complete session here.

Videos are provided generously by Turkuaz Television (TTV – http://www.turkuaz.tv) and placed here by their permission. We thank the staff of TTV for their work and their kind permission for use of their material. Copyright belongs to TTV.

Part One

Part Two