A man explains the reasons why he considered important the participation of Greek male and female immigrants in Canadian politics.
Μ.Κ.: But back then the Greek parties had organizations here. Therefore, I participated, being into the antidictatorial struggle, let’s say, I participated in the then organization of ‘Rigas Feraios’ which was the youth organization of the internal KKE. So, and afterwards I was actually in the organization of internal KKE abroad. And I’m telling you this because they had actually put me in charge of the organization as well and at a point though I told them “Guys, there’s no point of existence for such organizations here. Because we’re citizens here in Montreal, in Canada, in Quebec in Canada”. And what I was witnessing completely… how to say… it was absurd for these people to monitor with such… let’s say… power to monitor what is going on in Greece and not to know at all what’s going on here, in the place where we live, in the place where we are active citizens. Meaning not knowing anything about what’s going on in the municipal level, in the municipality of Montreal, not knowing anything about what’s going on in the provincial level, because I don’t know that you’re aware, here, let’s say, there’s a parliament and government in each province and there’s also the parliament and government, let’s say, in the federal level of Canada. So, themselves not being involved at all, in none of these things and wishing to participate, for example, in the party convention in Greece. I considered it completely absurd and I communicated this at the time, being in charge of the organization here, to… to the leading members down there and at a certain point I say to them “Guys, I’m stopping, because this thing doesn’t express me. That is, being more involved in Greek stuff, rather than… and not being involved at all here, where we are active citizens”. Because you don’t… in any case in Greece you don’t vote for anything, you don’t… while here you’re a citizen and normally you should have… been involved in the municipal stuff and with the provincial and with the federal. Therefore, I say to them “Guys, I’m not particip… I stop participating for this reason”. And in fact, I told them clearly, I explained it to everybody, because not only for the party I participated in… for all parties I consider it utterly absurd.
