Ghanaian News TV Channel

Armand La Barge, Chief of York Regional Police and his team of officers were praised highly by memb ers of the African Canadian community last Saturday during the launch of Black History Month at Safety Village in Markham.

It was an event that involved the launching of 2008 Legacy poster profiling five prominent African Canadians — Jay Hope, deputy minister in the government of Ontario; Dr. Doug Salmon, a pioneer surgeon who passed on; Percy Parris, a Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly; Maestro Fres West, award winning rapper and Dwayne Morgan, award winning spoken word artist. There were also some outstanding performances by young people like Simone Soman, and Rahiem Hurlock soloists and the Twaambo duo with poetic lyrics.

Dr. Avis Glaze, Chief Student Achievement Officer and CEO of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat in the Ministry of Education urged parents to let their children know of the contributions people of Africanm heritage have made to the country. she also advised that it is important to have empathy across cultures.

La Barge, Veerappan and members of the organizing team paid tribute to the work of Constable Davis Ahlawalia who lose his life in an accident a year ago. He piloted an effort that involved the York Regional Police sponsoring an orphanage in Jamaica.

The chief called for celebrate the achievements of people of African heritage and pay tribute to their contributions to the social, economic, cultural and political life of this country. He also called for the acknowledgement and celebration of the contributions of Black officers and civilians to York Regional Police and the policing profession.

Dr. Jean Augustine, Fairness Commissioner for the Government of Ontario made a plug for the Black Focussed School approved by trustees of the Toronto District School Board recently. She recalled during her 30 years as an educator when she and others took risk by inserting material related to the history of people of African heritage.