Announcement of Members of Group of Ten: Integrated Community Response to South-Asian Youth Violence |
| VANCOUVER, August 4, 2005 -- Minister of State (Multiculturalism) Raymond Chan and Minister of Health Ujjal Dosanjh today announced the names of those who will make up the Group of Ten: Integrated Community Response to South-Asian Youth Violence. The group will bring together a representative cross-section of community members from within the South-Asian community to develop, adopt, and promote an integrated regional action plan to reduce the violence among young people in the community. "We have consulted considerably with community, government and agency stakeholders concerning this issue and we have heard some great ideas," said Minister of State Chan. "We must now take the next step, which is to take those ideas and do something with them. The Group of Ten will create the strategy that will implement those solutions to deal with youth violence in the South-Asian community." "The progress being made is tremendous," said Minister Dosanjh. "The Group of Ten's action plan will give direction to a community that is committed to preventing youth violence and providing concrete recommendations from within the community itself." The members of the Group of Ten are: Kashmir Besla Rosy Deol Andrea Dulay Avtar Gosal Sweetie Sanghera Sepia Sharma Harjit Singh Robinder Singh Sandhu Jet Sunner Gary Thandi The creation fo the Group of Ten is based on a recommendation from a study entitled South-Asian-Based Group Crime in British Columbia (1993-2003). The Multiculturalism Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage commissioned this study. For more details on the members of the Group of Ten, please consult the backgrounder attached to the news release at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Media Room. Information: Kevin Grandia Office of the Minister of State (Multiculturalism) (778) 228-8689 Adèle Blanchard Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Health (613) 957-0200 Janet Miller Senior Communications Officer Canadian Heritage (604) 666-3633 Backgrounder Group of Ten: Integrated Community Response to South-Asian Youth Violence brings together a representative cross-section of community members to develop, adopt, and promote an integrated action plan to reduce the incidence of South-Asian youth violence in the Lower Mainland. Group of Ten Members Kashmir Besla Counselor for youth, families, and women. Rosy Deol Involved in Four Pillars Community Dialogue sessions. Andrea Dulay Teacher, Delta School District Avtar Gosal Retired; National Vice-President for the National Indo-Canadian Council and Vancouver Chapter President, Vice-President India Cultural Centre of Canada, committee member of Lower Mainland Sikh societies, Past President of Vancouver Khalsa Diwan Society, and former Secretary of the East Indian Canadian Citizens' Welfare Association. Sweetie Sanghera Program Manager of the DEAFBLIND Services Society of British Columbia Sharma Sepia Community Developer, Vancouver Coastal Health; involved in the implementation of the South-Asian Information & Crisis Line. Harjit Singh Degree in Criminal Justice - University College of the Fraser Valley; author of a report on South-Asian Gangs in the Lower Mainland. Robinder Singh Sandhu Social Studies Teacher - Vancouver School Board; former coordinator of a summer "head-start" program for immigrant children. Jet Sunner Corporal - Richmond RCMP; Team Leader - IZZAT, a volunteer organization of police officers working with youth. Gary Thandi Probation Officer - Abbotsford Community Corrections |
