Tel: 416-223 2858   Fax: 416-223 9715
Email: Chungsen.Leung@parl.gc.ca

February 4, 2014

Dear Mr. Leung,

Further to letters sent to you by members of our community regarding the January 16, 2014 speech of Minister John Baird, during which he used the misnomer Arabic Gulf to refer to the Persian Gulf, we would like to request a meeting with you.

We would like to point out that our Minister of Foreign Affairs was disrespectful and offended 200 000 Iranian-Canadians by using the wrong term to refer to something that is a part of our history and so dear to us.

We would like also to express our opinion about our government's international politics, especially the one Canada is currently following in the Middle East.

We believe that Canada by its diversity and multiculturalism reflects the world. We should not be extremists in our politics. Every time we have a tendency to go to one side, we discriminate the other. One cannot advocate for human rights and at the same time support sanctions and war which make people suffer.

We believe that our government is wrong to not differentiate the Iranian Government from the people of Iran. Our government is also wrong when selecting as leaders or representatives of our community only those who have similar beliefs to conservative policies.

Our government should not present meetings with the Iranian-Canadian community as a sign of approval of its policies toward Iran.

We would appreciate if you could allocate some of your valuable time to listen to our concerns.

Medi Shams - on behalf of several Willowdale residents.