Our Country's Great Sorrow

It can't be! Dan Iannuzzi dead! The giant of multiculturalism, a beacon of intense affection for the Italian community in Canada, a communicator par excellence, a peerless Canadian nationalist, a strong and resolute voice amidst mediocrity. This, and more, can be said of Dan Iannuzzi.
To me, like to many others, he is, he was a friend. As soon as I was elected to chair the National Congress of Italian Canadians, Dan Iannuzzi was among the first to welcome me with immediate warmth, despite our differences: I was a mint-new lawyer, he a veritable colossus of our community. Dan, however, was like this: a man who did not discriminate. One's ideas and commitment to them were what counted for him.
This is the example he set for a whole generation of activists. How many battles we fought together, beginning from our very first when we clashed with the Toronto Sun. A so-called journalist working for them wrote some intentionally offensive remarks targeting our community. Dan was immediately available with every resource he could muster, and eventually that 'journalist' disappeared from the pages of the Toronto Sun.
And then, his constant activities in favour of multiculturalism. We owe a lot to Dan in this field. Even before Pierre Trudeau launched multiculturalism as an official policy, Dan was at the helm of Corriere Canadese, giving voice not just to Italian culture, but to Italian culture as an important element of Canada. Thus, the newspaper's motto is "fiercely Canadian, proudly Italian". Afterwards, with his contacts with the Conservative Party, he advised Brian Mulroney's cabinet to pass Bill C-93, which became the current law on multiculturalism. That law, unanimously passed in 1988, turned Canada into the world's first nation to proclaim, in a national law, multiculturalism as a fundamental value of its society.
More recently, I recall our activities for the creation of an Italian House at the University of Toronto, ensuring that Italian language and culture keep their importance in Canada's most important university establishment.
Possibly, one of the most significant battles was that of getting the Canadian Government to admit to the mistreatment of citizens of Italian origin during World War II.
Hard-working people, whose only 'guilt' consisted in bearing an Italian last name, were prosecuted, arrested, interned, humiliated in their own country. Our community was the target of a cruel campaign intentionally launched by the Canadian Government. Families were divided, businesses and industries expropriated without compensation, properties were sold without benefit to the owners, many futures were destroyed.
The Italian community in Canada, which had been around since before Confederation, lost its infrastructure, so much so that it was rebuilt almost from scratch by new immigrants who came after the war.
Dan Iannuzzi, son of an internee, was at the forefront of that battle, and he still was when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney admitted that an injustice had been made against Italian-Canadian people, and offered official apologies to our community.
For me and many others that was a victory after much effort, but for Dan it was even more than that, due to his personal involvement in restoring the repute of a community and of his own father.
Always generous, always ready to help with his person, his time and his immense talent. This was Dan Iannuzzi. He never asked for thanks, because all he did for the community came out of his heart.
Recognition, however, did not lack. In fact, Canada presented him with its highest honours: the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, the City of Toronto Achievement Award, the Ontario Bicentennial Medal, among many others.
And that was only fair, because Dan Iannuzzi embodied the best of the essence of Canada. Born in Quebec in an Italian family that immigrated in the 1800s, trilingual, founder of several media, he firmly believed in the values of our community, culture, family; and shaped a new vision of Canada with almost ferocious determination. That is a Canada that resembles him: generous, tolerant, hard-working, multicultural, with a bright smile towards the future.
We owe much to Dan Iannuzzi. He did not only open, but beat down numerous gates for those who would come after him. He changed our society forever.
To me, like to many other people, Dan's death is a personal loss. He was a friend in every sense of this word. But for Canada, the loss is huge. We've lost one of our modern heroes, and with him a large part of our national conscience.
Heartfelt condolences to Elena Caprile and to the rest of the Iannuzzi family.


This country will miss Dan Iannuzzi

by Maria Minna

During the more than 20 years that I have known him, Dan Iannuzzi always struck me as one of the few people in this country who sees, and dreams about, the full potential of Canada and its people.
And, first and foremost in that dream, in that vision, is the importance of welcoming immigrants and ensuring that they are able to participate fully in the building of a truly just Canadian society.
Dan made Canada a better place, for all Canadians. He built a media conglomerate that enabled us to see ourselves in the mirror of Canadian society.
CFMT-TV, the multicultural television station known to many as Channel 47, was a major vehicle for integration. It provided cultural programmes, news reports and community information to thousands of Canadians of immigrant background in their own language.
Programmes, such as Tabu, were interactive allowing for debate regarding issues that the community may not have been ready for yet such as domestic violence, equal pay for work of equal value, etc.
I can still remember, back in the mid-1980s, when one of my sisters called to tell me how upset her neighbours' husbands were about "that feminist stuff" I had uttered on Tabu with Angelo Persichilli.

Without Dan Iannuzzi, there would have been no Tabu, no Channel 47 and no Corriere Canadese through which we could express our opinions and help make Canada a better place in which to live.
Dan and I agreed that multiculturalism is not just a recognition that Canada has many different cultures in addition to English and French. But, rather, that multiculturalism is all-encompassing and includes the English and French and Aboriginals. (Dan never forgot the importance of the native peoples of Canada).
It is a circle and in that circle we are all equal and we are all ethnic as we all have an ethnocultural background. We are all part of the Canadian Mosaic. It is an inclusive vision rather than an "us and them" one.
Dan once told me, when he was trying to illustrate his thinking, that the Globe and Mail was the largest ethnic paper in Canada.
I remember commiserating with Dan late one night, about two years ago, after I had made a presentation to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

In my presentation, I took exception to the fact that the CRTC had defined the word ethnic to mean anyone whose background is neither English nor French.

How, I asked, in a country that celebrates its diversity, that prides itself on being a model of multiculturalism, can it be the official policy of the CRTC that an ethnic is anyone who can't trace their origins back to Britain or France?
And yet, that's the way it is in Canada. Despite the fact that Dan was a third-generation Canadian of Italian origin, he was usually on the outside looking in. That is probably one of the reasons why he championed what he referred to as the "Third Force", the significant portion of the Canadian population that was neither English nor French.
If we could pull together - all of us "ethnics" - we could exert a significant influence on how our country was run. I supported that concept 100 percent.
We both lobbied hard for the new multilingual World Television Network, a cross-Canada multicultural television station, Dan was still working on at the time of his death.
The concept was to provide multicultural programming but with English subtitles so that we could all learn about each other. The CRTC did not understand the vision or the value of bringing us all closer.
Dan believed, as I do, that we have to be talking across cultures, be exposed to each other's cultures and values, because, at the end of the day, our deepest values are not that different and we are building a country together. Communication is crucial for us to go from strength to strength.
When I pressed a senior cabinet minister to explain why Dan was being denied a license, the cabinet minister said: "But, we've already done something for the Italians."
He was referring to a license Johnny Lombardi got for a radio station in Ottawa.
What, you might ask, had that got to do with the imaginative, multilingual, programming Dan wanted to broadcast across Canada and around the world?
Despite such setbacks, Dan Iannuzzi remained, to the end, "Fiercely Canadian and proudly Italian."
This country will be diminished without him.


Farewell, Dan
by Gaetano Bafile
Editor in Chief of La Voce d'Italia, daily newspaper published in Caracas

Dan Iannuzzi's big heart stopped beating Saturday night. With that, the Italian world in the Americas lost a vigorous leader, and our media lost a giant, who left us the huge legacy of his enlightened journalistic background and his example of a life of ideals, defended with loyalty and courage. This is abundantly confirmed by the declarations that honoured Dan one last time, from Rome to Toronto.
For Italy's Ambassador to Canada Marco Colombo, "A great protagonist of the Italian-Canadian community" passed away; for Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Iannuzzi left "a legacy of pride, purpose and tremendous public service."
Dan's mind was multifaceted; he encompassed several different fields with equal fantasy, vigour and success. In short, Dan was a real pioneer, a true Italian abroad.
Dan Iannuzzi was very close to us - we remember this with deep emotion - in the years when we assumed the chair of the Federazione Mondiale della Stampa Italiana all'Estero. We met at all the meetings and conferences all over the world, where we discussed issues and promoted initiatives that influenced and oriented the life of "Italy Outside Italy".
From this page we renew our sincere condolences to Dan's family, and particularly his wife Elena, and to the colleagues of Corriere Canadese. Today, dear Dan, is not just farewell, because we will have you beside us, with your generous wisdom, in our moments of doubt.


Jack Layton
Leader - New Democratic Party of Canada

It is with deep sorrow to learn of the recent passing of Daniel Iannuzzi, the consummate "Fiercely Canadian and Proudly Italian" who suddenly passed away in Rome at the age of 70.
Mr. Iannuzzi made a profound contribution to multiculturalism in Canada. He dedicated his life to the enrichment of our multi-ethnic heritage throughout his career. Not only was he a pioneer in international and multicultural media, he founded the world's first multilingual broadcasting station as well as Corriere Canadese, the extremely popular Italian-Canadian newspaper.
While it is impossible to properly sum up all that Mr. Iannuzzi accomplished, the many awards and citations he has received over the years reflect our great admiration. The best way we can pay respect to Mr. Iannuzzi's achievements is to continue building on his successes.
On behalf of Canada's New Democratic Party, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family.


Hon. Sergio Marchi

Please accept my belated and sincerest condolences on Dan's untimely passing. I was very sorry to learn of his death on this side of the Atlantic.
He will be sorely missed for so many different reasons; some very personal, while others are shared by an appreciative public at large. Dan was a very successful Canadian story, but the script was always a passionate Italian one. He was a strong and unwavering pillar of our Italian-Canadian community. Dan was both a leader and a pioneer, and was never afraid to speak his mind, nor take a risk. It was this can-do spirit that I admired most.
During my public life in Canada, Dan was supportive of many causes and was always ready to offer advise and encouragement. He also wasn't afraid to sometimes light a fire under the seats of a few of us politicians, urging us to rattle the cage and push the reluctant system harder. I will always remain grateful for his friendship, his wisdom and his good humour.
Dan's life touched many people. His many projects had a national and international reach and in his own way and style, he improved our collective lot in life. We can be proud of his works and numerous accomplishments. We can also be reassured that what he built will continue to sustain us for a long time to come.
Thanks Dan.


Alex Bottausci
President - CPC Pierrefonds-Dollard

On behalf of the Pierrefonds-Dollard Conservative Association, and Andrea Paine, former candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada, we send our most sincere condolences on the death of Daniel Andrew Iannuzzi.
Mr. Iannuzzi's achievements and entrepreneurial spirit will be well remembered by all Canadians, and especially by those who came from abroad to make Canada their new home. This was a man with a vision, and a true sense of community building.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Mike Duffy
CTV Reporter

When it comes to building a great country, you need creative visionary people. Dan was such a person. He saw entrepreneurial opportunities where others did not, he had the courage to follow his dreams, and make them come true. It wasn't ever easy, but then nothing worthwhile comes without hard work. He will be sorely missed.

Edward Ginglo C.R.M.
AM740 Radio

I'm so very sorry over your loss. Peace be with you and your family. I've known and respected Dan for over 30-years. He was my pal. God Bless his soul

Oleh Romaniw
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council

The Canadian Ethnocultural Council (CEC) extends deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dan Iannuzzi.
"On behalf of the Council, I would like to express our deepest sympathy for the loss of an outstanding Canadian who was very much in touch with his Italian heritage and saw this as integral part of his own Canadian sense of being. He knew the value of living multicultural Canada with all the richness that Canada's cultural diversity had to offer," said Oleh Romaniw, President of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council.
"Mr. Iannuzzi had a remarkable ability to see well beyond our time, and the creation of CFMT-TV in the 1970s for example, was a testament to this creative and inspiring legacy. He saw Canada's many cultural communities a rich and unifying resource which defined us as a unique Multicultural nation", concluded Mr. Romaniw.

Nino Colavecchio
President
National Congress of Italian-Canadians

The National Congress of Italian Canadians extends its sincerest condolences your family on the passing away of Dan Iannuzzi, in Italy on November 20.
A true force in our community, through his publications, he strengthened our ability to communicate in the Italian language and our capacity to participate in Canadian society. At the National Congress of Italian Canadians amongst his contributions, we will remember most is his strength in presenting the story of his father, Andrew's, internment in Canada during World War II and the leadership he gave to the Redress Committee of the Congress. Having suffered through those dismal times in the history of our community, when our sense of community was shattered, Dan helped to rebuild it.
The National Congress of Italian Canadians will continue to keep alive the memory of the internment of Italian Canadians. We are thankful that Dan shared his experiences. A contribution in Dan Iannuzzi's name is being made to the Children's Wish Foundation.

Jan George Frajkor
President
Canadian Slovak League

Please accept on my personal behalf our condolences on the death of Dan Iannuzzi. As national president of the Canadian Slovak League, may I extend to the family also our regrets that so staunch a defender of multiculturalism, and a fellow-worker with the Canadian Ethnocultural council, has been lost to us.
May God give him rest.

Manlio d'Ambrosio
President
Canadian Italian Development Association

A great loss for our community the passing of our dear friend Dan.

Gino & Gigliola Russignan (Barzula)

We wish to express our deepest heartfelt condolences to the entire Iannuzzi family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult period of sorrow and grief.
Our deepest condolences.

Tony Spataro
Tag Dairy

On behalf of all of us at Tag Dairy we would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest sympathy and condolence on the passing of Mr. Dan Iannuzzi.

Rick Miller
Former CFMT employee

I offer my condolences to you, the Iannuzzi family.
I met Dan in 1973 when I was employed as the Controller of CityTV. and I had a very warm feeling for him.
In 1978 Dan offered me the position of VP Finance for CFMT, the license that he had just acquired. Dan and myself worked very well together for about 2 years in getting CFMT launched. I left the position to take up a position in Jamaica. When I returned I was in contact with Dan who offered me lots of advice.
I have tremendous respect and love for Dan as a human being and a caring person. I feel guilty in not attending to his visitation but I am not very well and could not emotionally handle it.
I am sorry for your loss and pray that Dan enjoys the status in heaven that he so deserves.
He touched my life and I will not forget him.
God bless you and I hope that you recover from the pain as soon as possible.

Miriam Olivieri
President
National Congress of Italian Canadians-Hamilton District

On behalf of the Italian-Canadian Community of Hamilton, Ontario, I pay tribute to Daniel Iannuzzi, and express sincere sympathy to his family.
Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Our condolences to the Corriere Canadese Family.

Francesca Schembri
CanaTheatre Foundation

In this moment of sorrow, I would like to express my sincere sympathy to both Iannuzzi's family and to the family of Corriere Canadese for the loss of a great spirit. Be comforted, however, by the fact that his legacy will live on.
My sympathy goes to all of you who had the fortune of appreciating him and his vision.

M. Maccarone
President
Circolo dell'Anziano "Le Caravelle"

To the family of Mr. D. Iannuzzi and the staff of Corriere Canadese, on behalf of the Circolo dell'Anziano "Le Caravelle" of Toronto we would like to express our sincerest condolences on the passing away of a great person, a friend of all communities, such as Dan Iannuzzi.

Bruno M. Suppa
President
COSTI

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of COSTI Immigrant Services, it is with deep sympathy that I extend my condolences to you and the Iannuzzi family, on the recent loss of Daniele Iannuzzi, who passed away on November 20, 2004.
Over the past 50 years, Daniele Iannuzzi has provided the community with many important services and enriched countless lives. As founder of Toronto's first Italian newspaper and multicultural television station, Daniele worked tirelessly in promoting a greater understanding of the unique character of the immigrant community, and as a result, encouraging our society to grow and flourish.
Leaving one's home and traveling to a new country is a brave step. While some leave to pursue a dream and others to escape a nightmare, the challenges that all newcomers face upon arrival are challenging. Through the diversity of its many publications and programming, the Multimedia Nova family has provided newcomers with the opportunity to receive meaningful information for their intellectual needs, as well as entertainment for their recreational needs.
Without Daniele's vision and initiative, many immigrant communities, particularly the Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish speaking communities, would have remained isolated and insular from a society they did not understand. Daniele Iannuzzi's accomplishments and his contribution to the building of this great country are to be commended.

Publication Date: 2004-12-05
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4683