E M P L O Y M E N T
3rd Issue December 2012
EQUITY COMMITTEE
CanJet‘s Cultural Diversity
COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
YHZ
Hollie Boutilier
– Chair
Janet Baker
Yolanda Greenlaw
YUL
Serguey Salnicov
Mariette Howey
Left to Right: Bottom row: Mona Sipahi, Bailey Kopp, Maria Villarosa
Middle row: Jenny Lee, Ana Weiss, Olivia Dalla Via (Instructor YYZ), Shruti Dhanji
Third row: Gawain Bramwell, Sarah Tucker, Irene Barsukevich
Top row: Tayler Lachlan (Instructor YVR), Joel Szostak
Season’s Greetings from your
Employment Equity Committee!
Welcome to the third edition of the
employment equity newsletter. The
holiday season is just around the
corner and your Employment Equity
committee would like to introduce new
and creative ways of promoting
diversity within your workplace.
During our last meeting, committee
members discussed ideas on how the
different countries from around the
world celebrate the holidays, as well
as how they greet one another to say
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year
and/or Happy Holidays in culturally
diverse languages.
A memo titled “Celebrating CanJet‘s
Cultural Diversity”, was distributed by
Kim Maguiness, Director of Human
Resources. This had encouraged CanJet
Employees to tell us how they celebrate
cultural festivals during the winter
months of November, December,
and January. This edition of the
Employment Equity newsletter will
feature a story from one of our very
own that will highlight the festivals
celebrated and a feature a food
recipe of their country during the
holiday season.
If you have any questions regarding
Employment Equity you can write in
to [email protected] or
contact any of the members who will
be happy to assist you.
Until Next Issue
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year!
Your Employment Equity Committee!
Melody Walters
YYZ
Maria Cristina Nañola
Marieka Weathered
YQB
Marlene Loiseau
YVR
Karolina Bulvova
Roya Yousefi
mcn/2012
CELEBRATING by Karolina Bulvova
Cultural Diversity
Karolina Bulvova, YVR Base
Supervisor, resides from the Czech
Republic. The Czech Republic is a
landlocked country, which means a
country that is entirely closed by land.
It is located in Central Europe. The
country is bordered by Poland to the
north, Germany to the west, Austria to
the south and Slovakia to the east. Its
capital and largest city, with 1.3
million inhabitants, is Prague
Karolina has shared some cultural
festivals that Czech Republic
celebrates as well as a traditional
Holiday recipe!
Czech Name Days—In the Czech
Republic, every day of the year is
someone’s name day. It is a reason to
celebrate, wish the person a Happy
Name Day, and buy a little present,
like flowers and a box of chocolates.
Remember: Never give anyone an
even number of flowers (2, 4, 6...).
Such bouquets are used at funerals.
The number should be odd (1, 3, 5...).
Please visit http://www.
myczechrepublic.com/czech_culture/
czech_name_days/ to see when your
name is celebrated!
December 5th Czech Republic
celebrates Saint Nicholas Day, a day
where a group of individuals would
dress up in costume, usually a group
of 3 people, one as an Angel which
represents Good, one as the Devil
(bad) and one as St. Nicholas (looks a
bit like Santa Clause). They would
approach children in the street and ask
the question if they have been good in
the past year. Most kids say yes and
sing a song or recite a short poem.
They are then rewarded with sweets,
candy or other treats, which are
handed out by the Angel. Children
who respond that they have been bad
would be put in the Devil’s sack, or
would only get a sack of potatoes or
coal instead of candy – of course it
does not really happen!
December 24th Christmas Eve – this is
Adam and Eve name day! Dinner is
served after sunset (traditionally, it
should not be served until after the
first star has come out) and consists of
carp and potato salad, sometimes
preceded by mushroom, sauerkraut or
fish soup. Czech Christmas dinner
(December 24) is connected with a
great number of different customs,
rules and superstitions. Very few of
them are still observed today, and for
good reason!
“
Remember: Never give
anyone an even number of
flowers (2, 4, 6...). Such
bouquets are used at funerals.
The number should be odd
(1, 3, 5...).
”
Here are a few of them:
• No lights should be lit in the house
before the first star comes out, after
it does dinner is served;
• The table should be set for an even
number of guests. An odd number
brings bad luck or death;
• The legs of the table can be tied
with a rope to protect the house
from thieves and burglars in the
coming year;
• No one should sit with their back to
the door;
• Christmas dinner should consist of
nine courses including the ones that
were mentioned above;
Vanocka – Christmas Bread
• No alcohol should be served on
Christmas eve;
• No one should ever get up from
the Christmas table before dinner is
finished. Doing so brings bad luck
and death in the family;
• Everyone should finish their dinner
and leave nothing on their plate;
• The first person to leave the table
will be the first person to die in the
coming year, this is why everyone
should get up from the table at the
same time;
• Any leftovers such as crumbs or
fish bones, should be buried
around the trees to ensure that they
will bear lots of fruit;
• All household animals should be
fed after dinner so no one goes
hungry on Christmas eve
by Karolina Bulvova
Instructions:
Ingredients:
6 cups of all-purpose flour
9 Tsp of sugar
4 oz of unsalted butter
1 Tbs of yeast
1 cup of milk
1 yolk
a pinch of salt
vanilla sugar
lemon rind
1 Tsp of nutmeg
3 Tbs of raisins
3 Tbs of sliced almonds
1 whipped egg for the icing
1. Crumble the yeast into the room-temperature milk
2. Add in 1 Tbs of sugar and sprinkle with a about 1 Tbs of flour. Leave it in a warm
place to rise.
3. Put in the rest of the flour, 8 Tbs of sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, lemon rind, nutmeg,
egg yolk and mix well.
4. Add in the softened butter and continue to mix well.
5. When the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl, stir in the raisins and
almonds.
6. Shape the dough in the bowl into a smooth loaf, dust it with flour, and leave it
covered in a warm place to rise.
7. When the dough has risen completely, divide it into 9 parts to make vanocka.
i. The first layer is weaved from 4 strands
ii. The second from 3 strands
iii. The third form 2 strands
8. Gradually lay the strands of vanocka on top of each other (4-strand layer on the
bottom, 2-strand layer on top) on a greased baking sheet. Leave it for a while on the
sheet to finish rising.
9. Before putting it in the oven, baste it with the whipped egg and sprinkle it with
chopped almonds
10. Finally, puncture the vanocka at both ends and in the middle with skewers to
prevent warping of the dough during baking.
11. Bake slowly (at about 350 degrees) for about 45 minutes.
C U LT U R A L C U I S I N E
The employment equity committee would like to encourage employees
to try some cultural cuisine over the holidays.
PLEASE SEE THE LIST BELOW FOR SOME RESTAURANT SUGGESTIONS:
HALIFAX
Caribbean Twist
Address: 1595 Barrington Street &
3081 Gottingen, Halifax NS
Cuisine: Jamaican
Taj Mahal
Address: 5175 South St, Halifax NS
Cuisine: Indian
Baan Thai Restaurant
Address: 5234 Blowers Street
Halifax, NS B3J 1J7
Cuisine: Thai
Sushi Nami Royale
Restaurant Chez Harry
Address: 1190 Boul. Louis-XIV,
Quebec City, Quebec G1H 6P2
Cuisine: Greek
MONTREAL
Le Nil Bleu
Address: 3706 St Denis,
Montreal, Quebec
Cuisine: African
Qing Hua Dumpling
Address: 1676 Avenue Lincoln,
Montreal, Quebec
Cuisine: Chinese
Guu Izakaya
Address: 398 Church street, Toronto
Cuisine: Japanese
Khao San Road
Address: 326 Adelaide Street West,
Toronto, ON M5V 1P7
Cuisine: Thai
Pho Linh
Address: 1156 College Street,
Toronto, ON M6H 1B5
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Vianense Restaurant
Address: 2411 St. Clair Avenue West
Cuisine: Portuguese
Address: 1535 Dresden Row, Halifax
OR 278 Lacewood Dr, Halifax OR
149 Hector Gate, Dartmouth
Cuisine: Japanese
Mythos
Turkish Delight
Le Tandoor
Banana Leaf Malaysian
Cuisine
Pipa Resturant
Rôtisserie Romados
Sanafir
QUEBEC CITY:
Casa Calzone
La Fontana Gelati Bar & Lounge
Las Margaritas
Senor Sombrero
TORONTO
Address: 5680 Spring Garden Rd.
Downtown Halifax
Cuisine: Turkish
Address: 685 Argyle St.,Halifax,
Nova Scotia Brazil and Portugal
Cuisine: Brazilian and Portuguese
Address: Grande Allee Ouest,
Quebec City, Quebec G1R 2K4
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 732 Avenue Royale,
Quebec City, Quebec QC G1E 1Z4
Cuisine: Mexican
La petite Boite Vietnamienne
Address: 281, de la Couronne,
Quebec City, Quebec
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Address: 5318 Ave Du Parc,
Montreal, Quebec,
Cuisine: Greek
Address: 1555 Boulevard
Provencher Brossard, QC J4W
Cuisine: Indian
Address: Rue Rachel Est Montreal,
QC H2W 1C8
Cuisine: Portuguese
Address: Suite 230 6000 Boulevard
Rome, Brossard, QC J4Y 0B6
Cuisine: Italian
Sultan Tent
Address: 49 Front Street East, Toronto
Cuisine: Moroccan
Little India Restaurant
Address: 255 Queen St. West
Cuisine: Indian
VANCOUVER
Address: 820 West Broadway,
Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1J8
Cuisine: Malaysian
Address: 1026 Granville St | Cross
Street Nelson and Helmcken,
Vancouver, British Columbia V6Z 1L5
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 1999 W. Fourth Ave.,
Vancouver, British Columbia V6J 1M7
Cuisine: Mexican
Maenam
Address: 1938 West 4th Ave,
Vancouver, British Columbia
Cuisine: Thai
East is East
Address: 3243 West Broadway,
Vancouver, British Columbia
Cuisine: Middle Eastren
QUICK LITTLE RECIPE
NAME YOUR EMPLOYMENT EQUITY
COMMITTEE COMPETITION
Grandma’s Shortbread
Hello all! It’s time to get creative!
by Shane Lanoway
Flight Attendant YVR Base
Your employment equity committee needs a good name. We would
love to hear your ideas on what it should be. The Committee will
gather the ideas and discuss them during the committee meeting,
in the New Year. The name that the committee selects as their own,
that individual will be awarded a prize for creating the Employment
Equity name. The winner will be mentioned in the next edition of
the newsletter and the name will be revealed.
Instructions:
Please submit all ideas to [email protected] by
January 31, 2013.
Ingredients:
Thanks
1 cup soft butter
Your Employment Equity Committee!
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup fruit sugar
HOLIDAYS CELEBRATED
IN DECEMBER!
Bodhi Day – Buddhist
Date: December 8th
In the Northern tradition, this day
celebrates the Buddha’s attainment
of Enlightenment.
Cream butter until soft and fluffy. Add
sugar gradually and work until light.
Add 1 3/4 cup flour, reserving 1/4 cup for
breadboard. Turn out dough and gradually
knead in remaining flour if necessary.
When dough cracks, no more flour
is needed.
Bake at 300 for 30-35 minutes, or 325 for
15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.
SEASON’S GREETINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
There are many ways to say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or Happy New Year
from various countries and in many languages around the world, just to name a few:
CHINA
RUSSIA
shèng dàn kuài lè
S RAH-ZH-DEE-ST-VOHM
Merry Christmas-Chinese Mandarin
Merry Christmas
Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
Schastlivyh Prazdnikov
Merry Christmas – Chinese Cantonese
Happy Holidays
Date: December 9-16
(sundown to sundown)
The festival of Lights marks the victory
of the Maccabees and rededication of
the Temple. It is a celebration of religious
freedom and an affirmation of God’s
saving power.
Sun nien fai lok
S PA I N , C O L U M B I A , P E R U ,
VENEZUELA, MEXICO, COSTA
RICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
ARGENTINA, CUBA
Winter Solstice-Neo-Pagan/Wiccan
Merry Christmas!
Date: December 21
The shortest day of the year symbolizes
the natural cycle of life and death and
the coming of light into the world again.
Hezké svátky!
Hanukkah – Jewish
Christmas Holy Nativity –
Christian/Orthodox Christian
Date: December 25
The celebration of the birth of Jesus
in Bethlehem
Kwanzaa-African-American
Date: December 26 – January 1
An African-American celebration
honoring African community values
and beliefs
Happy new year – Chinese Cantonese
Xin nian yu kuai
Happy New Year – Chinese Mandarin
CZECH REPUBLIC
Veselé Vánoce!
Happy Holidays!
Šťastný nový rok!
Happy New Year!
Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok!
Felices Fiestas!
Happy Holidays
Feliz Navidad
Merry Christmas
Feliz Año Nuevo
Happy New Year
PHILIPPINES
Maligayang Pasko
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
N A T I V E ( Merry Christmas and
Happy Holidays)
J A PA N
CHEROKEE:
Meri Kurisumasu
Danistayohihv & Aliheli’sdi Itse
Udetiyvasadisv
Merry Christmas
Akemashite omedetou
Happy New Year
Tanoshii kurisumasu wo!
Have a happy Christmas
BLACKFOOT:
I’Taamomohkatoyiiksistsikomi
CREE: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
METIS/MICHIF:
Gayayr Nwel
mcn/2012