To the editor:
I am writing in response to a very insulting cartoon published on June 6 that slams the front-line workers at the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association. They are a non-profit organization that relies on government funding to keep running. Many similar organizations in other communities have had funding cuts and are now shut down.
It is TBMA’s dedication to our community and their hard working staff that keep them running, and able to serve the immigrants and refugees they help settle into this area.
I have volunteered with them for many years (quite a bit of what they do relies on hard working volunteers as well) and I see the positive impact they have on the lives of newcomers. Whether it is through helping them with the settlement process, offering English language classes, or giving them a friend to help them adjust through the HOST program.
They are also strong supporters of anti-racism and anti-oppression. Across Canada, they are considered a model organization in immigration and multiculturalism. All of this is only possible because of the government funding they need to work hard to receive.
Shame on you for publishing something that dares belittle such a vital service in our diverse and growing community.
Emily Biloski,
Thunder Bay
