Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2003 10:26
PM
Subject: Public Notice CRTC
2003-36
Arab Canadian Association of the Atlantic Provinces,
P.O.Box 1024,
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 2X1
July 19,2003
The Chairperson,
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications
Commission,
Dear Sir/Madam:
Ref: Public Notice CRTC 2003-36 {Al-Jazeera
Broadcast}
We are writing to express our support for the opportunity to allow
members of the Arab-Canadian community to view and listen to broadcasts by
Al-Jazeera network. We believe that having access to Al-Jazeera will broaden the
interest and public debate in our country, Canada, related to issues concerning
the Arab world and promote varied perspectives to Canadians, in this country,
which prides itself on multiculturalism and freedom of expression.
Al-Jazeera is a well-recognised independent broadcasting facility,
noted for its investigative courageous free expression and defiance of
censorship. For these qualities, it has been awarded a number of international
awards.
We strongly believe that the Canadian public and responsible bodies,
like CRTC, must be allowed to judge Al-Jazeera's performance and compliance with
our laws on the basis of its broadcasts as viewed in Canada, and not on the
basis of baseless biased views, that, in essence, would preach censorship and
denial of free expression .
Yours sincerely,
Ismail Zayid, M.D.
President, Arab Canadian Association of the Atlantic
Provinces.