By Harrish Thirukumaran
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic was officially recognized in March 2020,the Canadian Tamil community and other communities have been living with a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty as to their social, economic and health prospects. It has become critical for everyone to have a sense of hope and to provide support to each other as we work together to overcome this public health situation by abiding by current public health guidelines. From there, we can emerge stronger and more resilient. This is something that the Tamil Charities and Not-for-Profits seminar hosted by Mills and Mills LLP, a Toronto law firm aims to cultivate for the Canadian Tamil community. Mills & Mills LLP is excitedto host the first ever Tamil Charities and Not-for-Profits seminar on Thursday, April 8th, 2021 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
This seminar will provide an opportunity for various professionals, directors, and volunteers from various different types of organizations to come together to learn from the firm’slawyers and from each other as well. Due to COVID, this year’s event will befully virtual and will include learning opportunities as well as a chance to network and connect with other charities and organizations in breakout rooms.
The event will be moderated by Nathaniel Balakumaran, anArticling Student at Mills & Mills LLP. As a member of the Mills & Mills LLP’s Diversity and Inclusion committee, he consistently engages in promoting initiatives towards fulfilling this cause. During his LLM studies, he volunteered with a national non-profit organization, JusticeNet, where he recruited and persuaded practicing lawyers to join the organization’s services to help provide equitable opportunities that promote economic inclusion to legal services. In his LLB studies,Nathaniel was appointed by the law school as a Student Support Community Officer. He led a team in organizing student events such as the Festival of Diversity, aimed at increasing student engagement and reinforcing a diverse learning community. His contributions earned him the Flare Ignite Enterprising Award for demonstrating excellent innovative and entrepreneurial qualities. Nathaniel believes in the strength of diversity for the community.
One of the speakers on the event panels is ReshmaKishnani, who is a Senior Litigation Associate at Mills & Mills LLP. She will be speaking about “Employment Law during COVID”. With valuable trial and mediation experience from her litigator role, Reshma has represented a diverse range of clients before various levels of court, including administrative tribunals. She has counselled both employers and employees in contract negotiations, termination conduct, wrongful dismissal matters (including pregnancy and parental leave related terminations), and other employment-related matters governed by the Ontario Employment Standards Act, the Canada Labour Code, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and the Canadian Human Rights Act. At Mills & Mills LLP, Reshma continues to build upon her knowledge and experience in employment law, estates litigation, as well as commercial and contractual disputes with a view to expanding her practice in these areas. Reshma believes that the backbone of any community’s charities and not-for-profits are their volunteers and employees.
Our final panel speaker is TarasKulish, a Senior Charities Associate at Mills & Mills LLPwho will be speaking about “Good Governance in Bad Times”. In the Charity sector, Taras has extensive hands-on experience as a director, president, Country Director and now International Relations Volunteer for the Canadian affiliate of an international NGO, which gives him insider knowledge about the challenges facing not-for-profit organizations in today’s complex world. He represents numerous churches, mosques, synagogues and other faith-based groups as well as many other foundations and service organizations in the not-for-profit sector in Ontario.Taras is co-chair of the organizing committee and spearheads the annual Churches, Charities, Not-for-profit Knowledge Hub for Ukrainian Canadian Social Services – Toronto, Ukrainian Canadian Bar Association, and the Ukrainian Canadian Professional Business Association. He also brings over 20 years-experience to the Business Law Group at Mills & Mills LLP.Taras believes in the power of community.
The featured organization of this seminar is theEekai Foundation, which represents and serves the Tamil community. The special guest will be Dr. V. Santhakumar, who is the Chairman of Eekai organization, a Canadian non-profit organization founded witha desire to unite those who believe in humanitarian efforts. It is a non-political, non-religious organization with a vision of openness, collaboration and complete transparency. Its objective is to become a hub for the numerous Canadian Tamil organizations and individuals who provide assistance to northern and eastern Sri Lanka as well as to empower Canadian Tamil youth.
EekaiFoundation believes“to give to the destitute is true charity.All other gifts have the nature ofa measured return.” According to Thiruvalluvar, a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher in the Thirukkural, a classic Tamil language text.
This holds even greater relevance today for the many Tamil charities and Not-for-Profits assisting the Tamil community during this pandemic.The seminar organizers anticipate there to be a great representation of various charities and organizations in attendance.The organizers are excited to confirm that the Chief of Peel Regional Police,NishanDuraiappah will be attending the seminar.
You can register to attend this first ever Tamil Charities and Not-for-profits seminar via Zoom at this link:https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/tamil-charities-and-not-for-profits-navigating-the-covid-times-tickets-140083111357
(This article appears in the print and web – March 2021 issue of Monsoon Journal)
