12th February 2009

Excerpts from Ambassador Massoud Maalouf's remarks
at the launching of the
"Canadian, Arab and Lebanese Business Directory, 2008-2009"

Your Worship Mayor Larry O'Brien,
Excellencies and Members of the
Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Friends,

We are gathered tonight in this beautiful building, the City Hall, as hosts of His Worship Mayor O'Brien, to participate in the launching of the: Canadian, Arab and Lebanese Business Directory, 2008-2009, published by Toufic Abou-Assaly.

This fifth edition of the Directory has two major additions to it: First it includes Arab businesses in the Capital Region, and second, it has a whole section on Tourism in Lebanon. That last section will help members of our community who have not been in their country of origin for a long time, and Canadians as well who wish to visit Lebanon to identify hotels, car rentals, restaurants, places to visit, and all relevant information that a tourist needs prior to visiting a country.

And the fact that this directory is launched under the auspices of His Worship the Mayor of Ottawa, and in City Hall per se, is indicative of the Mayor's interest in promoting business in Ottawa and his care for the Lebanese community in general. And I would not be surprised if the 6th edition of the directory will include businesses located at Gibran Khalil Gibran Street (in allusion to a decision made by the City Council to name a street in Ottawa after Gibran).

.Today's event coincides with the two hundredth birthday of Abraham Lincoln, also known as honest Abe, and we hope that this directory and its publisher will show the same honesty of Abraham Lincoln. It is also the two hundredth birthday of Charles Darwin, the author of "the Origin of Species" with its theory of natural selection, and it seems that nature has selected this directory among all others to be the best.

Congratulations, Toufic and thank you Mayor O'Brien from the bottom of our hearts for all the support you give to the Lebanese community in Ottawa.

City Hall, Ottawa