Young Professionals and Political Leaders united for ACTION
MONTREAL– On May 12, political leaders including Premier Jean Charest, Minister John Baird, and Deputy Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair joined hundreds of Jewish Young Professionals at the 3rd annual Montreal ACTION Party. Organized by the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC), attendees had a unique opportunity to engage with dozens of politicians from every level of government and across the political spectrum.
“When our guests interact with politicians in an exciting and comfortable environment they understand that politics can be accessible and that they can have a real impact.” said Jonathan Abecassis, one of this year’s co-chairs. “For many of the attendees, the authentic nature of their experience at ACTION helped them see that getting politically engaged is critical for our community.”
This year’s party was held at the Complexe Dompark – a renovated textile factory – and attracted guests from as far away as Ottawa and Toronto. Entertainment included a surprise acrobatic show to complement the varied music which kept the room energized. Even exhaustion from the recent federal election couldn’t keep politicians away, with many joining over the course of the evening as the party went late into the night.
“CJPAC is honoured to be able to play this vital role for our community. If we want our communities’ voice to be heard on the issues that are close to our hearts, each of us needs to build relationships and get involved in the political process,” said Mark Waldman, Executive Director of CJPAC. “It was a thrill to see the next generation of Jewish leadership stepping up and leading our community on the political scene.”
Photos from the night can be viewed on CJPAC’s facebook page (facebook.com/cjpac).
CJPAC would like to thank the following elected officials, for joining us (in order of precedence, as prescribed by protocol):
Federal
Hon. John Baird, Minister
Hon Christian Paradis, Minister
Hon. Irwin Cotler, MP
Franҫoise Boivin, MP
Bob Dechert, MP
Rick Dykstra, MP
Marc Garneau, MP
Thomas Mulcair, MP
Glenn Thibeault, MP
Justin Trudeau, MP
Provincial
Hon. Jean Charest, Premier
Gérard Deltell, Party Leader
Pierre Arcand, Minister
Clément Gignac, Minister
Alain Paquet, Minister
Kathleen Weil, Minister
Lawrence S. Bergman, MNA
Pascal Bérubé, MNA
Gerry Sklavounos, MNA
Municipal
Mayor Gérald Tremblay
Mayor Michael Applebaum
Mayor Anthony Housefather
Mayor William Steinberg
Frantz Benjamin, Councillor
Dida Berku, Councillor
Harout Chitilian, Councillor
Susan Clark, Councillor
Mary Deros, Councillor
Bonnie Feigenbaum, Councillor
Michael Goldwax, Councillor
Peter McQueen, Councillor
Glenn J. Nashen, Councillor
Lionel Perez, Councillor
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