Posted by Concerned Citizen on August 01, 2001 at 20:19:34:
EXPOSED:
I came across some very useful information concerning the Hellenic Canadian Congress.
Please read the following:
The Hellenic Canadian Congress was created in the spring of 1982 as a pan-Canadian, non-partisan organization for the primary purpose of:
Uniting Canadians of Hellenic heritage;
Promoting Hellenism;
Fostering inter group relations; and
Providing a collective voice for the Canadian Hellenic community.
URL: http://www.hellenes.ca/national/index.cfm
Here is the information I found on the Hellenic Canadian Congress of British Columbia:
WELCOME to the Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC Web Site
MISSION STATEMENT
The Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC represents all Canadians of Hellenic heritage in the province to the various levels of governments, while it fosters education, communication, and cooperation between Hellenic Canadians and other ethnocultural groups, and promotes the development of just and equitable policies and legislation concerning all citizens.
This is achieved by the establishment of the Chair in Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University and other cultural and social projects, and by diligently following national and international matters and events.
URL: http://www.hellenes.ca/bc/bccongress/
Some key words (political terminology) that are used in the HCC's description:
1- congress
2- pan-Canadian
3- non-partisan
4- government
5- equitable policies
6- legislation **
- Now, at first glance a person might believe that the "Congress" is some form of governmental body representing the Greek community.
But, what happens if we attempt to analyze?
This is what I came up with:
SOME DEFINITIONS
con·gress (knggrs)
n.
4. A formal assembly of representatives, as of various nations, to discuss problems.
5. The national legislative body of a nation, especially a republic.
6. Congress
a. The national legislative body of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
b. The two-year session of this legislature between elections of the House of Representatives.
c. The act of coming together or meeting.
d. A single meeting, as of a political party or other group.
7. Sexual intercourse.
Congress \Con"gress\, n.; pl. Congresses. [L. congressus, fr. congredi, p. p. -gressus, to go or come together; con- + grati to go or step, gradus step: cf. F. congr?s. See Grade.] 1. A meeting of individuals, whether friendly or hostile; an encounter. [Obs.]
Here Pallas urges on, and Lausus there; Their congress in the field great Jove withstands. --Dryden.
2. A sudden encounter; a collision; a shock; -- said of things. [Obs.]
From these laws may be deduced the rules of the congresses and reflections of two bodies. --Cheyne.
3. The coming together of a male and female in sexual commerce; the act of coition. --Pennant.
4. A gathering or assembly; a conference.
5. A formal assembly, as of princes, deputies, representatives, envoys, or commissioners; esp., a meeting of the representatives of several governments or societies to consider and determine matters of common interest.
The European powers strove to . . . accommodate their differences at the congress of Vienna. --Alison.
6. The collective body of senators and representatives of the people of a nation, esp. of a republic, constituting the chief legislative body of the nation.
Note: In the Congress of the United States (which took the place of the Federal Congress, March 4, 1789), the Senate consists of two Senators from each State, chosen by the State legislature for a term of six years, in such a way that the terms of one third of the whole number expire every year; the House of Representatives consists of members elected by the people of the several Congressional districts, for a term of two years, the term of all ending at the same time. The united body of Senators and Representatives for any term of two years for which the whole body of Representatives is chosen is called one Congress. Thus the session which began in December, 1887, was the first (or long) session, and that which began in December, 1888, was the second (or short) session, of the Fiftieth Congress. When an extra session is had before the date of the first regular meeting of a Congress, that is called the first session, and the following regular session is called the second session.
7. The lower house of the Spanish Cortes, the members of which are elected for three years.
The Continental Congress, an assembly of deputies from the thirteen British colonies in America, appointed to deliberate in respect to their common interests. They first met in 1774, and from time thereafter until near the close of the Revolution.
The Federal Congress, the assembly of representatives of the original States of the American Union, who met under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 till 1789.
Congress boot or gaiter, a high shoe or half-boot, coming above the ankle, and having the sides made in part of some elastic material which stretches to allow the boot to be drawn on and off. [U.S.]
Congress water, a saline mineral water from the Congress spring at Saratoga, in the State of New York.
Syn: Assembly; meeting; convention; convocation; council; diet; conclave; parliament; legislature.
pan-
pref.
1. All: panorama.
2. also Pan- Involving all of or the union of a specified group: Pan-Hellenic.
3. General; whole: panleukopenia.
non·par·ti·san: Based on, influenced by, affiliated with, or supporting the interests or policies of no single political party: a nonpartisan commission; nonpartisan opinions.
nonpartisan adj 1: not affiliated with any one party 2: free from party affiliation or bias
gov·ern·ment (gvrn-mnt)
n.
8. The act or process of governing, especially the control and administration of public policy in a political unit.
9. The office, function, or authority of a governing individual or body.
10. Exercise of authority in a political unit; rule.
11. The agency or apparatus through which a governing individual or body functions and exercises authority.
12. A governing body or organization, as:
a. The ruling political party or coalition of political parties in a parliamentary system.
b. The cabinet in a parliamentary system.
c. The persons who make up a governing body.
13. A system or policy by which a political unit is governed.
14. Administration or management of an organization, business, or institution.
15. Political science.
16. Grammar. The influence of a word over the morphological inflection of another word in a phrase or sentence.
government \Gov"ern*ment\, n. [F. gouvernement. See Govern.] 1. The act of governing; the exercise of authority; the administration of laws; control; direction; regulation; as, civil, church, or family government.
2. The mode of governing; the system of polity in a state; the established form of law.
That free government which we have so dearly purchased, free commonwealth. --Milton.
3. The right or power of governing; authority.
I here resign my government to thee. --Shak.
4. The person or persons authorized to administer the laws; the ruling power; the administration.
When we, in England, speak of the government, we generally understand the ministers of the crown for the time being. --Mozley & W.
5. The body politic governed by one authority; a state; as, the governments of Europe.
6. Management of the limbs or body. --Shak.
7. (Gram.) The influence of a word in regard to construction, requiring that another word should be in a particular case.
government n 1: the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit; "the government reduced taxes"; "the matter was referred to higher authorities" [syn: authorities, regime] 2: the system or form by which a community or other political unit is governed; "tyrannical government" 3: the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the government of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government" [syn: governing, governance] 4: the study of government of states and other political units [syn: politics, political science]
equitable \Eq"ui*ta*ble\, a. [F. ['e]quitable, from ['e]quit['e]. See Equity.] 1. Possessing or exhibiting equity; according to natural right or natural justice; marked by a due consideration for what is fair, unbiased, or impartial; just; as an equitable decision; an equitable distribution of an estate; equitable men.
No two . . . had exactly the same notion of what was equitable. --Macaulay.
2. (Law) That can be sustained or made available or effective in a court of equity, or upon principles of equity jurisprudence; as, an equitable estate; equitable assets, assignment, mortgage, etc. --Abbott.
Syn: Just; fair; reasonable; right; honest; impartial; candid; upright.
This is achieved by the establishment of the Chair in Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University and other cultural and social projects, and by diligently following national and international matters and events.
pol·i·cy1 (pl-s)
n. pl. pol·i·cies
17. A plan or course of action, as of a government, political party, or business, intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters: American foreign policy; the company's personnel policy.
a. A course of action, guiding principle, or procedure considered expedient, prudent, or advantageous: Honesty is the best policy.
b. Prudence, shrewdness, or sagacity in practical matters.
pol·i·cy2 (pl-s)
n. pl. pol·i·cies
18. A written contract or certificate of insurance.
19. A numbers game.
Policy \Pol"i*cy\, n.; pl. Policies. [L. politia, Gr. ?; cf. F. police, Of. police. See Police, n.] 1. Civil polity. [Obs.]
2. The settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of a state.
3. The method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course.
4. Management or administration based on temporal or material interest, rather than on principles of equity or honor; hence, worldly wisdom; dexterity of management; cunning; stratagem.
5. Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit.
The very policy of a hostess, finding his purse so far above his clothes, did detect him. --Fuller.
6. Motive; object; inducement. [Obs.]
What policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an injury? --Sir P. Sidney.
Syn: See Polity.
leg·is·la·tion (lj-slshn)
n.
20. The act or process of legislating; lawmaking.
21. A proposed or enacted law or group of laws.
legislation \Leg`is*la"tion\ (-l[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [Cf. F. l['e]gislation, L. legis latio. See Legislator.] The act of legislating; preparation and enactment of laws; the laws enacted.
Pythagoras joined legislation to his philosophy. --Lyttelton.
legislation n 1: a law enacted by a legislative body [syn: statute law] 2: the act of legislating [syn: legislating, lawmaking]
FURTHER ANALYSIS:
WELCOME to the Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC Web Site
MISSION STATEMENT
The Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC represents all Canadians of Hellenic heritage in the province to the various levels of governments,
1. By whose authority?
2. Which governments does the Hellenic Canadian Congress represent, Canadian or Hellenic?
3. What are these “various” levels of governments?
while it fosters education, communication, and cooperation between Hellenic Canadians and other ethnocultural groups, and promotes the development of just and equitable policies and legislation concerning all citizens.
Legislation?
1. Exactly what laws does the Congress promote or enact?
2. At what capacity do these forms of lawmaking effect Canadian citizens, or are these laws exclusive to Greek citizens living in British Columbia and the rest of Canada?
3. Is the HCC a political party? If so, are they affiliated with the Provincial government of BC and on a wider scale the Federal government of Canada?
This is achieved by the establishment of the Chair in Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University and other cultural and social projects, and by diligently following national and international matters and events
After some proper investigating I discovered that the Congress is nothing more than a non-profit society, that any Tom Dick or Harry can organize which is cleverly disguised as a kind of "official" organization in government.
*** Only the Greek Consulate can represent Greeks on a governmental level.***
This is apparently very common with other ethnic groups where the community Congress misrepresents their position.