April 20, 2009                 Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian

 

CAMBRIDGE, Friday, April 17, 2009 – The Armenian National Committee of Cambridge and the Armenian Community Centre hosted a reception today for the three local Members of Parliament--Dr. Harold Albrecht, Peter Braid and Stephen Woodworth. Hon. Gary Goodyear was traveling on government business and could not attend the reception. The gathering was held to celebrate Dr. Albrecht's election as Chairman of Canada Armenian Parliamentary Friendship Group, his commitment to enhance Canada-Armenia bilateral relations, and his assistance to the Golden Triangle Canadian-Armenian community.   

 

During the three-hour event participants were impressed by Dr. Albrecht’s knowledge of the issues critical to the Armenian community in Canada. The new chairman of the friendship group pledged to continue to work closely with Cambridge Armenian community members and the ANCC office in Ottawa. He extended his gratitude to the community and for its assistance in obtaining an unprecedented number of parliamentarians to join the Canada-Armenia (Parliamentary) Friendship Group. This year nearly one in six members of parliament have joined the Canada-Armenia Friendship Group. A total of 46 MPs have pledged to be part of the group. This number is expected to increase in the coming months.

 

Dr. Albrecht, (Kitchener-Conestoga, Conservative) was elected as chair of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group on March 25, 2009. He is a dental surgeon with several decades of community activism in the Kitchener area. Recently Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed the three-term politician as deputy government whip.  

 

MP Peter Braid represents Kitchener-Waterloo, while MP Stephen Woodworth represents Kitchener Centre.  Mr. Braid is a businessman; Mr. Woodworth is a 30-year veteran lawyer. Both representatives also praised the work of the Cambridge Armenian community.   

 

The three members expressed their admiration with ANC Cambridge and the community centre’s 100-year service to the Southern Ontario Canadian-Armenian community.

 

The Armenian community was represented at the meeting by a large contingent of Armenians from Cambridge, Waterloo, Kitchener, and Guelph, including Armenians from the three ridings represented by the above members of parliament. ANCC board members Greg Chitilian, Zohrab Tatikian, and Raffi Bekemzian also attended the reception.

 

 

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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.

 

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Le CNAC est l'organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus large et influentielle. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux, chapitres et souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations affiliées à travers le monde, le CNAC s'occupe activement des inquiétudes de la communauté canadienne-arménienne.