Ottawa, April 13, 2008
Greetings to everyone celebrating the Southeast Asian New Year's ushering in of the Year of the Rat.
This New Year celebration provides people of Southeast Asian heritage with an opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and to look with hope toward the future. In Canada, it is also an occasion for people of the Southeast Asian community to share their rich culture and tradition with Canadians of all backgrounds.
This illustrates Prime Minister Stephen Harper's statement that "pluralism allows individuals to retain their cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage within a framework of shared citizenship."
As Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity), I want to take this opportunity to wish members of the Southeast Asian community Happy New Year. May the Year of the Rat bring health, wealth, and good fortune.
Alykhan Velshi
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Jason Kenney, PC, MP,
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)
alykhan.velshi@pch.gc.ca
