TORONTO — The booze was flowing, the music was blaring and the guests were shmoozing with Canadian politicians from all levels of government at the third annual Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC) Action party. (video)
From left, Liberal MP Ken Dryden, Liberal MPP Helena Jaczek and Action Party co-chair Jessica Fenton.
The event – held at Andrew Richard Designs in downtown Toronto and co-chaired by Jessica Fenton, Jonathan Goldman, Hartley Lefton and Lauren Levy – attracted about 650 young professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 and about 30 cabinet ministers, MPs, MPPs and Toronto city councillors.
From left, Conservative MPP Peter Shurman, Jamie Panet, NDP MPP Paul Miller, Stephen Arbib and Hayley Panet.
Among those who attended were Canada’s minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, Conservative MP Peter Kent, Liberal MP Ken Dryden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Pierre Poilievre, NDP MP Olivia Chow, and Conservative MPP Peter Shurman.
The April 23 party featured live music, a DJ, open bar, appetizers, desserts and an opportunity to network with some of the most influential people in the country, said Josh Cooper, executive director of CJPAC, a national, independent, non-partisan organization that has been working to engage the Jewish community in the political process since 2005.
“We had the largest turnout of elected officials and the widest range of elected officials [than ever before],” Cooper said.
This year, for the first time, an Action party was also held in Montreal a month earlier, attracting about 300 members of the Jewish community, as well as 23 politicians.
Jason Kenney, minister of citizenship, immigration and
multiculturalism, centre, takes a moment to schmooze with CJPAC members
Tyler Golden, left, and Marlee Mozeson at the third annual Action
Party.[Adrian Holmes photo]
Cooper said he hopes the young professionals who are new to CJPAC and the Action party will become more politically active and engaged in advocacy that will benefit Canada-Israel relations.
“If they see something they like, and they want to thank a member of Parliament, our job is to provide them with the tools to be able say, ‘Thank you,’ and to speak out when they see something they don’t agree with,” Cooper said.
Some CJPAC members have even maintained friendly relationships with elected officials they met at the Action parties, he said.
“We now have 650 new or renewed activists who will be actively involved with CJPAC,” he said, adding that the $80 ticket included a $25 membership fee to CJPAC.
