The National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada is using its presence at this year’s Canadian National Exhibition to promote a message that has been central to the organization for decades, the importance of a strong and united Canada.

Speaking at the opening of the NEPMCC booth, located next to the International Stage at the CNE, council president Thomas Saras reflected on the organization’s long history of representing ethnic media while advocating for its place within Canada’s broader media landscape.

Saras said the council established its CNE booth about 35 years ago and has used the space ever since to promote the ethnic press and the communities its publications serve.

That history has also included involvement in major national issues. Saras recalled the council’s efforts during the Quebec sovereignty debates of the 1990s, when members travelled to Quebec to encourage Canadians there to support national unity.

“We took with us 55 buses full of people,” Saras said, recalling the campaign against Quebec separation.

This year, the council’s CNE booth carries the theme “Together for a Strong and United Canada,” which Saras said reflects the organization’s continuing commitment to Canadian unity.

The council has also spent decades fighting for greater recognition and financial support for ethnic media.

Saras recalled years when he personally helped finance the organization to keep it operating. About a decade ago, he said, the council began developing closer relationships with mainstream media before pressing the federal government to ensure ethnic publications received a fairer share of programs supporting Canadian journalism.

Those efforts, he said, contributed to increased funding opportunities for ethnic media and programs that have helped publications hire journalists and students.

Among the initiatives Saras highlighted were the Local Journalism Initiative, which supports journalism in underserved communities, and internship opportunities designed to help publications bring young people into their newsrooms.

Today, Saras said, the NEPMCC represents approximately 850 active members across Canada.

He also emphasized that the organization operates democratically, with members determining its direction through motions and votes at regular meetings.

“I never impose my will,” Saras said. “If they agree on something, the plurality, I’m going to do it.”

Saras also addressed a recent funding dispute involving federal administrators, alleging that funding previously administered through three organizations, including the NEPMCC and two Quebec organizations, was consolidated and transferred elsewhere.

He said the matter has been brought to the attention of the responsible federal minister and is under review. Because that process is ongoing, Saras said he could not comment further on the details.

For now, the organization’s focus at the CNE is on showcasing the ethnic press and reminding visitors of the role multicultural media can play in strengthening the country.

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