The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1967, Page 25

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
23
Centennial Message
by JOHN FISHER, Centennial Commissioner
It is quite possible too few Can-
adians, regardless of their racial
sources, realize that about one quarter
of our population—close to 5,000,000
souls—are of an origin other than Bri-
tish or French.
This lack of awareness of the size
of our ethnic groups, if there is such
a lack, may be taken as a compliment
to the approximately 25 per cent of our
population which is neither of Bri-
tish nor French extraction.
It means they who came here from
abroad in the past century to make
their homes and fortunes in Canada
have completely taken their places
and responsibilities as Canadians.
They have done this while, in many
cases, retaining their homeland lan-
guages and the finest, and most inter-
esting and colorful, of their national
traditions and customs.
While giving the best possible sup-
port and interest to the cause of good
Canadian citizenship, these people of
other races have retained enough of
their national cultures to provide
splashes of color and glamour which
help to make Canada a place of in-
creasing interest to the world— and
to its own people.
It has been my good fortune to move
a great deal among the various ethnic
groups and to have close associations
with those who are leaders in those
groups. In the most recent years while
we have been organizing the current
Centennial Year celebrations, my as-
sociation has been more widespread
and significant than ever—and most
rewarding.
One of the most encouraging aspects
of Centennial planning has been the
consistent co-operation of the Ethnic
groups and the Ethnic press.
It may surprise some readers to
know that there are well over 100 peri-
odicals published by Ethnic groups—
some in the national language of the
groups but often published in English
or French.
The Ethnic press is a powerful in-
fluence in Canada. We are proud to
know its influence in recent years has
been devoted to helping make our Cen-
tennial a success. And always, I believe,
its influence has been exercised for the
betterment of Canada.
This is being written for the Iceland-
ic Canadian, the periodical represent-
ing one of our oldest and smallest
ethnic groups in Canada. It is a labor
of love because I have had such happy
associations with the Icelandic people
and had the honor of proposing the
toast to Canada at the 1965 annual
anniversary celebration at Gimli, Man-
itoba.
It is a labor of love also because it
is for your Centennial edition and gives
me the opportunity again of telling
the Icelandic people how much we in
the Centennial Commission appreciate
the consistent enterprise they have
shown in finding ways to participate
in the anniversary observances, and
telling the people responsible for this
periodical how thankful we are for its