CPACT Appreciation Luncheon celebrates diversity in Montreal’s West Island

The Canada Pakistan Affiliated Chamber of Trade (CPACT) celebrated their annual general assembly with an appreciation luncheon held at Chateau Kabob restaurant in the West Island of Montreal.

The event was attended by over 100 members of diverse communities, stakeholders, elected officials and CPACT team members from the Toronto chapter.

“Diversity and inclusion is our main objective always. And when we do events, we have sponsors, we have vendors, we have our supporters who always assist us. So this is our way of thanking them for always being there for us,” said Sadia Sajid, vice-chair of CPACT.

The organization used the event as an opportunity to further their mission of cultural cohesion and recognizing the efforts of local individuals making a difference for cultural communities.

“We’re bringing the communities together and this particular function is one of the main reasons that we’re doing it to all different communities, be it Bangladesh, be it Sri Lanka, Afghani, Pakistan, India. We’re all getting together under one umbrella,” said Hayee Bokhari, founder and co-chair of CPACT

Added Sajid: “Affiliations are the most important thing for any organization. And for that reason, we have initiated our ambassadorship program and today we will be announcing our two ambassadors which will be for two different communities. And our first ambassador came to the Bangladesh community, Mr. Tanvir Ahmed. The second ambassador is going to be catering to the Afghani community and we are very thankful to Ms. Fahima Sultani.”

Sultani was grateful for the award and emphasized the importance of diversity being a source of strength to us all.

CPACT has a membership of 40,000 in Canada, in addition to numerous supporters in Pakistan, making it an important player in the Canadian cultural landscape.

Yasir Raza, the secretary-general of CPACT and the event’s MC, was proud of the work CPACT has been doing and the opportunity to build bridges between communities.

“It brings people from all backgrounds who are trying to start something new and something fresh and CPACT gives them the opportunity to network not just between the Pakistani community but people from other ethnicities who CPACT has connections with and brings them together in events like this,” said Raza.

Alan DeSousa is the borough mayor of Saint-Laurent, and the former chairman of the Montreal Executive Committee. He is currently vice-chairman in charge of sustainable development, the environment, parks and green spaces. He was born in Pakistan to a Roman Catholic family. His family immigrated to Canada when he was a teenager.

DeSousa commented that it’s often good food that brings people together — a nod to the cuisine at Chateau Kabob restaurant. He then switched to a more serious note: “Recognize that the role you play on trade is going to be important and that’s something that by building a network across the country it’s going to be important to be able to reach out across the country and find that commonality because foreign trade is the best type of foreign aid and if you can foster those relationships between people it lives many boats, transfer of knowledge, technology, relationship building, transactions that work, stuff that helps Pakistan as well, Canadian businesses and Canadian and so it goes both ways. So in that respect I commend you. I hope on that front it will succeed way beyond expectations.”

City councilor for Montreal’s Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough Mary Deros shared some important words: “We have organizations such as yours helping others, being the best they can, bringing out their capacity to excel is wonderful. Sometimes you just need somebody to come grab you and teach you how things are done elsewhere and you do it with success.”