Consulate General of Sri Lanka, Toronto - Canada

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TorontoDiary
The Little Lanka in Toronto Area
Daily Mirror- 3rd DecemberOne may ask where else than Sri Lanka would one feel at home across the seas.  Some may say Melbourne, another may say Los Angeles. But, I am sure many would say Toronto in Canada.  This is not my home though, and I am here to serve my country. For me home is home not somewhere else. However, many Sri Lankans have made Toronto their home. Though many talk only of Toronto it is the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) where many Sri Lankans live. Mississauga is one place (that is where the International airport is situated), then there is Brampton, Oakville, Hamilton, London Ontario and Windsor where Sri Lankans live and roam. There is more but I cannot mention all cities in GTA here.  Brampton and Mississauga are the closest cities to Toronto and many Sri Lankans have begun to move towards these areas due to the congestion in Toronto. Don’t think that I have forgotten Scarborough. It is a part of Toronto so it is Toronto too. Things have changed, people have moved and even Buddhist temples have come up in Brampton and Mississauga apart from the Toronto Mahaviharaya in Scarborough. Then there are number of Hindu kovils, mosques and churches where Sri Lankans go to pray and worship.  All these places are active and are rallying places for Sri Lankans living in Toronto. Yes.  There is everything here.  From string hoppers, koththu, hoppers, malu buns, cream crackers, to lunumiris, pittu, MD jams, watalappan, ulundu wade, kiribath, sweet rice to geta bera to what not.   Yes. There are two-legged Tigers too, facing extinction in Sri Lanka soon. All the temples conduct Daham Pasals here. There is great religious harmony and I say it with happiness because the Mississauga Buddhist Temple conducts its Daham Pasal at a Christian Church due to lack of space at the temple. Hope others would learn from it. Then there are language classes, drama and art classes, newspapers, television programmes all Sri Lankan.

 

Hopper Man and Tea However, I have requested the many Sri Lankans I meet, and the organisers of such events to integrate more, reach out to other Canadians to share our rich culture and hermitage as proud Sri Lankans. Canadians like to see new things and experience different things in life and rich cultures like ours. Sri Lanka got a lot to offer.  Eddie the Sri Lankan Hopper Man has been making hoppers here in Toronto for more than 15 years. He is a big hit among Sri Lankans and Canadians who taste his hoppers. At a function I hosted and several Canadians wanted hopper parcels to be taken home to share with their families. There was another instance where the Deputy British Consul General tasted two Sri Lankan omelettes and wanted ‘haalmesso theldala’ wrapped to be taken home and of course many others too got the courage to follow him thereafter. The Mexican Consul General, Austrian and the Pakistani Consul Generals and their families for the very first time saw Buddhist monks at the Wesak celebrations at the residence.  They still speak about it and were so pleased to see Buddhist monks chanting pirith. When we invited Canadians and dignitaries from other countries to have a taste of the best Sri Lankan tea, they all enjoyed. They still talk about it. The German Consul General’s wife cannot get over the taste of our teas and she has succeeded in a way to change her husband to a part time tea drinker.  A Hungarian teacher told me how the Sri Lankan tea helped her when she was sick. She is ever so thankful

 

Proud of you Chelva That is why I say we Sri Lankans have so much to offer to the world be it in Toronto or anywhere else. We need to be proud of what we have and take it to the world. Islanders are fun and easy-going people. But, we should not have the island mentality. These are pieces of life in Toronto. There is more to come. But, let me end by telling you about someone I am very proud of here. Do you know that the Professor of English and the Director of South Asian Studies at the University of Toronto is a Sri Lankan? Yes. Professor Chelva Kanaganayakam is a product of Trinity College Kandy and a very unassuming Sri Lankan who makes the world richer with language and his ways. (Bandula Jayasekara is the Consul General for Sri Lanka in Toronto. He aims to build bridges between Sri Lanka and Greater Toronto Area and give Canada a real taste of Lanka. Views expressed here are his personal views)  History of TorontoSet on the north shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto was created on March 6, 1834, when the settlement of York was renamed Toronto, the Mohawk word for "meeting place." The British settlement of York was founded as the capital of the new province of Upper Canada by Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe in the 1790s and had grown to 10,000 people by the 1830s. Toronto is still the capital of the province, now called Ontario, and is the largest city in Canada, with a population of 2.4 million, 4.7 million in the Greater Toronto Area. One of the most multicultural cities in the world, Toronto is home to more than 80 ethnic groups and more than 100 languages, and is marked by the diversity of distinct neighbourhoods, cultures and communities. Yonge Street, known as the longest street in the world, is the main north-south road and divides the city into east and west. Major intersections include: Bloor/Yonge, King/Bay, Yonge/Dundas, Yonge/Eglinton, Yonge/Sheppard, Queen/Spadina, Broadview/Danforth. Main east-west avenues include Eglinton Avenue, Lawrence Avenue, Steeles Avenue, Wilson Road, and Bloor Street-Danforth Avenue. Distinct neighbourhoods include Little Italy (west of College/Bathurst), Queen Street West (a soho-style strip east of Spadina Avenue), the Entertainment district (bounded by Front and King Streets, University and Spadina Avenues), the fashion district (Spadina and King), Greektown on Danforth Avenue, Little India (Gerrard Street East), and three Chinatowns.

 
 
Sri Lankan Associations in Canada
Associations and Associations in Little Lanka
  

TORONTO Diary By Bandula Jayasekara

SLUNA

Toronto boasts of many Associations and Unions and groups of Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka United National Association better known as SLUNA celebrated its 25th anniversary this year with Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona and Mrs. Suganthi Kadirgamar widow of late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who was assassinated by the LTTE as Chief Guest and guest of honour. TULF leader Veerasingham Anandasangaree was an honoured guest at the event. The event was held at the Scarborough civic centre. Members of SLUNA had done yeomen service to Sri Lanka by standing up to the terrorists LTTE and its sympathizers. These great people have sacrificed their money, energy and time for 25 long years to expose the activities of the LTTE to Canadians and the world. They have fought on behalf of all right thinking and democratic Sri Lankans living in Canada. They have fought against terror and helped innocent Sri Lankan Tamils who were continuously harassed by the LTTE and its sympathizers. SLUNA has fought against the terror of the LTTE for 25 long years much more than anyone else in Canada. The Consulate in Toronto was opened in 2001.

I am deeply touched by the patriotism of these Sri Lankans and their deep love for their Motherland. Their members are from all walks of life from professionals to youth to people living in retirement. I know many SLUNA members do not like their names mentioned because they do their bit for the country without seeking any publicity or fame. However, I need to salute few of their senior members such as Dr Asoka Weerasinghe, Daya Hettiarachchi, Mahinda Gunasekara and Ira de Silva.. The story of SLUNA must be kept for another day because it is a long and a great story.

Canada/Sri Lanka Association

Another association here which celebrated its 40th anniversary last month is Canada Sri Lanka Association currently headed by Aloma Yapa. The oldest Sri Lankan association in Canada has done yeomen service in bringing people and cultures together. Their Avrudu celebrations attract many Sri Lankans and the Association continues to build bridges of friendship for Sri Lanka in Toronto . Aloma has a journalist connection too and a cricketing connection. She is married to Gamini Yapa, brother of Vijitha Yapa founder Editor of The Sunday Times and The Sunday Island and now of Vijitha Yapa bookshop fame. Aloma says she is the first Sri Lankan woman to have played cricket and faced the fiery leather ball.

Sri Lanka Day Committee

Then we have the Sri Lanka Day Committee which organizes the Annual Sri Lanka day event to raise money to build a Community Centre for Sri Lankans. All other associations are helping this committee to build the community centre. It is a long, long way to go to have sufficient funds to realize that dream of all the Sri Lankans here. Led by Indica Jainudeen known as one of the Iron ladies of Toronto the Committee   also organize other events to raise funds and plays an active role in taking Sri Lanka to Canada . They have managed to showcase Sri Lanka at many South Asian and other festivals.  This year, along with the Sri Lankan Consulate,  they took Sri Lanka to the heart of Toronto, the Harbourfront Centre which was a great success.

Democratic Tamil Cultural Association

Democratic Tamil Cultural Association headed by Sam Rajendran   is another gritty gathering of Sri Lankans with Great Spirit. This association for the first time in Toronto organized a joint Sinhala /Tamil New year celebration   and showed Canada the unity and the spirit of democratic Sri Lankans. Many hailed their courage to stand up against terror. One member who belongs to this Association sends e-mails and sign off saying “Terrorism never Sri Lanka forever” As a fellow Sri Lankan, I salute these brothers and sisters of Lanka. Their homeland is Sri Lanka.

Malay Association 

Malay Association headed by Ackiel Ousmand is another dynamic association. They are very patriotic Sri Lankans and  are very popular. The Association is already making plans to put up a cultural show in the coming year. If anyone asks me where I had the best meal so far in Toronto,  I will not hesitate to say at Ackiels and his wife Roshans place when the Malay Association hosted me for a welcome dinner. Their hospitality was truly heartwarming.

Sinhala Association 

Sinhala Association  led by the dynamic Wanni Dhanawardane is a very active association. They don’t do politics like the cowardly Tigers who tries to terrorize innocent Sri Lankan Tamils. The Sinhala Association  promotes peace and culture. Their Avrudu celebrations are held each year following the traditions. They remind the Lankans living here the value of our culture and the children who grow in Canada the meaning of our traditions. Would you expect to see Lissana Gaha, Kamba Endima, Avrudu Kumari and all the traditional games in Toronto and the best of our traditional food? You got them all at the Avrudu in Toronto. One must come to Scarborough  Civic Centre during Summer to see  the Sathsara Ravaya organised by the Association. It is where people meet and greet, sing and eat.  It is  truly a crowd puller.

Toronto got many other associations such as the Muslim Association, Sri Jayewardenepura Graduates Association, Ambalangoda Association, JVP etc. Will tell  you more about them later.
 
Reply to Mr Martin Regg Cohn

Sri Lanka is not a war zone. Wars are fought between countries. The conflict in Sri Lanka is between a sovereign state and a group of terrorists trying to carve out an independent state for themselves in the north. This conflict has not produced refugees; the people have been internally displaced.

The government of Sri Lanka is strongly committed to eradicating the brutal violence unleashed by the Tamil Tigers over the last 25 years. Yet, you accuse it of ignoring a Norwegian-brokered pact, failing to mention that it was the ruthless Tamil Tigers that violated the pact over 6,000 times and twice pulled out of peace talks. The latest time, the Tigers refused to participate in talks after going all the way to Oslo.

The government of Sri Lanka is fighting one of the deadliest groups of terrorists to have emerged in our recent history. Yet, you refer to them as "combatants." Perhaps you are unaware of the fact that the Tamil Tigers are banned as a "terrorist" organization in the U.S., U.K. and much of Europe. Your own government has banned the Tamil Tigers and their front organizations.

Sri Lanka is a country where Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay and Burgher people live together. We have more Sri Lankan Tamils living in the capital Colombo than in the north of the country. The UN and NGOs did not pull out of the north of the country as you suggest. The government of Sri Lanka merely requested they move out of the conflict areas for their own safety. Most of these organizations continue to operate in other parts of the country.

Sri Lankans are in need of peace and the government has made it clear that a military victory is not the solution to years of bloodshed. We have a hurdle to jump – the Tamil Tigers. We will conquer and ensure that the innocent Tamil diaspora will be able to go back to their roots and reunite with family in the peninsula scattered with palmyra fronds without fears of extortion by the Tamil Tigers.

Bandula Jayasekara, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Toronto
 
Snow Tigers at the doorstep
It was Tuesday the 20th. Another cold winter day in Toronto, described sadly as the capital of Eelam by Lenin Benedict diehard  member of the Democratic Tamil Cultural Association who has stood against the Tamil Tigers in Toronto   for many years.

Time was 10.30 and I was in my office and the staff members came running and told me that 20 LTTE members had pushed them and forcibly entered the Consulate and took the seats reserved for the public.

They also informed me that LTTE members had started to photograph and videotape the Consulate Staff in threatening and intimidating manner.

I immediately called the Canadian Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).  They arrived at the Consulate in no time. Having explained to them who they were I requested the officers to remove them from the Consulate premises and went to the reception area along with my staff.

 The LTTE men dressed in black were doing their thing having entered the Consulate forcibly; only way they are used to do things.

 I told them that I will not have any dealings with them since I don’t talk to terrorists. (LTTE is banned as a terrorist Organisation in Canada) and requested the Police in the presence of the 20 LTTE members to remove them.

The Police Officers told the group “This is a diplomatic mission. The Consul General has requested that you’ll be removed and if you do not we have to arrest you’ll” then a member of the terrorist group said “ We are waiting for the media to come” It was clear that they wanted it to be a media circus. Let us not forget that LTTE has earned a Masters Degree in propaganda.

The Police officers then told the youth terrorist group misled completely by the LTTE that they will not allow anyone else to enter the premises. Not even respecting Canadian values the group then tried to argue with the Police at which point the Police officers announced that they were under arrest and led them away. I must commend the Toronto Police and the officers of the RCMP for their valuable support.

 The group of misled LTTE youth clearly used force to enter the Consulate, behaved in a threatening and intimidating manner towards the Consulate staff representing all communities of Sri Lanka.

 One of my staff members said that one young terrorist had said that he had never even visited Sri Lanka. His comment itself proves how the LTTE has brainwashed the youth living in Toronto. Another had said that the Consulate had no surveillance cameras and they will not be on tape.

That is how they had done their home work and later a staff member said he identified two members of the terrorist group who had done a reconnaissance mission at the Consulate and the wash room area. This is how these groups abuse the Canadian hospitality.  

 Due to the threatening action by the LTTE group the people who suffered most once again were the innocent Sri Lankans living in Canada, mostly Tamils.  An elderly Sri Lankan Tamil gentleman who had come to collect his pension at the Consulate had  told the LTTE group that their actions were unacceptable and the Consulate was serving the people and it had deprived the innocent Sri Lankans who had come their for services. But, the LTTE cubs had answered the elderly Sri Lankan Tamil gentleman in their customary threats, growls.

 This is what the LTTE is used to- Terror, Terror and Terror. The Sri Lankan Consulate in Toronto  offers services such as issuance and renewal of  passports, visas, police clearance, certifying driving license, birth, marriage certificates, processing of dual citizenship applications and payment of pensions in  dollars, trade and other services.

All what the Tamil Tigers and their sympathizers want to do is deprive even that to Sri Lankans, mainly Sri Lankan Tamils and make them live under their jackboot even in Toronto, Canada a peaceful and a free country.

Recently another elderly Sri Lankan Tamil gentleman who had come to collect his pensions had been questioned as to why he went to the Consulate.  That is how the LTTE Incorporated in Toronto   is keeping an eye on innocent Sri Lankans living here, in the face of their defeat in Sri Lanka.

 LTTE Terrorists don’t want the Tamils to know the truth. They want them to listen only to their misinformation campaign.

 They do not want them to integrate with others in Canada. The truth is already out. The truth will be told. Our innocent Tamil fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters must not only be liberated in Sri Lanka. They must be liberated in Scarborough and in Toronto too.
 
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