This week marks the first anniversary of the tragic plane downing of PS752 by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missiles. This tragedy took the lives of 176 passengers and crew - 138 of whom were travelling to Canada. These individuals were irreplaceable members of communities. January 8, 2020 marked an unbelievable amount of loss for the Iranian-Canadian community and communities across Canada. This week we remember the beautiful lives lost and recommit ourselves to accountability and justice. 

The Iranian Canadian Congress extends our deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones and to our entire community who are mourning this tragedy. We know that this time will be even harder because we cannot gather to mourn and many of us will have to mourn alone. Please take time to check in on your friends and loved ones. The wounds left by the loss of such brilliant and extraordinary members of our community are still fresh in our hearts and minds. We re-commit to supporting the efforts to seek transparency, accountability, and justice for the victims and their families.

Today, we renew our calls to the Canadian Government in: 

1. Continuing to work diligently with Afghanistan, Sweden, Ukraine, and United Kingdom,  in the International Coordination Response Group, to demand answers, accountability, transparency, and justice for the families of victims in compliance with the international law;
2. Continuing to call for a thorough and transparent investigation that complies and is aligned with not only international law but also International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines as set out by the United Nations;
3. Encouraging Iran and the rest of the international community to join Canada and endorse the Safer Skies Commitment Statement. This statement reinforces the importance of safe civil aviation operations around the world, and calls on the international community to renew their commitment to a global strategy in addressing the risk that exists within conflict zones for civil aviation;
4. Continuing to support the families of the victims in not only their search for accountability, transparency, justice, and reparations but also to have access to the resources and services they need. This includes services like mental health supports and other types of assistance;
5. Continuing efforts for improving security, safety and stability, and assisting the plans for removing destabilizing foreign interference that escalate tensions in the region.

The ICC is in agreement with Prime Minister Trudeau who aptly described that the military escalation in the region created the conditions for the PS752 tragedy to occur. We will continue to echo the calls for de-escalation in hopes of creating a more peaceful world that resolves our differences with diplomacy.

As a community we need to come together and support one another during this painful time amidst a global pandemic. The ICC has compiled a list of digital vigils and commemoration events we can attend to mourn together while respecting physical distancing guidelines - please see here. Please also donate, if you can, to support scholarships that are set up to honour the victims - you can see a list here.

For the ICC 2019 Election Results and the Election Report from the Technical Expert please click on the link below:

2019 Election Results

December 11, 2020

Notice from the Technical Expert

If you have not received appropriate notices to vote in the ICC 2019 Election or participate in the 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM), you are invited to send me an email at: [email protected]. (You should check spam, promotions and junk folders first in your email system.) Each person needs a separate email address to vote and participate. 

In order to ensure sufficient time for me to complete the preparations for the 2019 Annual General Meeting, I will not receive any inquiries about missing ballots for the Election or missing notices for the AGM after Saturday, December 12, 2020, at 10:00 pm ET. 

Marcel D. Mongeon
Court appointed Technical Expert
Iranian Canadian Congress
2019 Annual General Meeting and 2019 Election

11 دسامبر 2020

اطلاعیه کارشناس فنی

اگر اطلاعیه و ایمیلهای مربوط به رای دهی در انتخابات 2019 و یا شرکت در مجمع عمومی سالانه 2019 را دریافت نکرده اید از طریق ایمیل زیر با من تماس بگیرید:

[email protected]

لطفاً ابتدا پوشه ی ایمیلهای ناخواسته خود را بررسی کنید که احیانااً ایمیلهای مربوطه در آن پوشه ها قرار نگرفته باشند .

هرعضو کنگره باید ایمیل متمایز خود را داشته باشد تا بتواند رای بدهد و در مجمع عمومی شرکت کند.

پس از ساعت 10:00 بعد از ظهر (به وقت تورنتو) روز شنبه 12 دسامبر 2020 و به جهت تدارکات و آمادگی برای مجمع عمومی سالانه 2019 ، من قادر به پاسخگویی سوالات در مورد برگه های رای و نیافتن ایمیلهای مربوطه نخواهم بود.

مارسل مونژیان

کارشناس فنی منصوب دادگاه

انتخابات 2019 و مجمع عمومی سالانه 2019

کنگره ایرانیان کانادا

Please see the Final Registration Notice for the ICC 2019 AGM and 2019 Election, from the Technical Expert by clicking the link below:

Final Registration Notice

Please see the Notice of Monitor's Determination Regarding Members' Motions at the 2019 Annual General Meeting by clicking the link below:

Notice Link

Please follow the link below for the List of Eligible Nominees for Election to the ICC Board of Directors at the 2019 Election

Eligible Nominees List

The reported assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh is an attempt by warmongers in the region to push the Middle East into another military conflict. Faced with an incoming Biden administration which has expressed its intentions to re-enter the Iran Deal and work towards peace, the forces for war are attempting to trap this administration and prevent these efforts by heightening tensions. 

Furthermore, assassination of scientists is an abhorrent and egregious act that violates all international norms.   

As such, the Iranian Canadian Congress condemns this reckless and illegal assassination.

The Canadian government must use all diplomatic means to prevent a military confrontation in the region. Canada must stand against war and against acts designed to spark war such as this assassination. 

Find below a letter sent by ICC President Soudeh Ghasemi asking Canada send its extra vaccines to vulnerable Iranians: 

Attention: 

Honourable Minister of Health Patty Hadju

Honourable Minister of International Development Karina Gould

My name is Soudeh Ghasemi, President of the Iranian Canadian Congress, a non-profit, non-religious, and non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Canadians of Iranian heritage. 

As has been reported in media, Canada has purchased in advance more vaccines than it needs and is currently considering sharing vaccines with other countries who need them in the future. 

This is a laudable goal and the Iranian Canadian Congress commends the Canadian government for considering it. This letter is to ask the Canadian government to share the excess vaccines that it has with healthcare workers, seniors, and people with underlying health conditions in Iran. 

As you may know, Iran, in particular, is suffering greatly from the coronavirus pandemic due to the fact that it is currently subjected to an inhumane sanctions regime by the Trump administration that has made it difficult to purchase medicines, ventilators, and other medical equipment needed to control the pandemic. As such, Iran has one of the highest death tolls per capita in the world. 

Canada must step in and help Iranians by giving our excess vaccines to the Iranians most at risk of this deadly disease. Indeed, a petition initiated by a group of health professionals* signed by nearly 15,000 individuals is making this exact request. 

As such, we ask you to help Iranians in this time of need by sending our excess vaccines to Iran’s most vulnerable. Iranians are suffering, and Canada can help. 

Sincerely, 

----------------

* The petition was initiated by:
Syda Alavi ,DDs, MSc - Elli Baran, MD - Melika Meshkat, Pharm.D. - Reza Moradi, MD - Rose Sanei

Petition link: https://www.change.org/p/justin-trudeau-covid-19-vaccine-for-healthcare-workers-and-persons-at-highest-risk-from-covid-19-in-iran