Canadian Colours Kingston Foundation

ABOUT CCKF

The history of our beautiful city, Kingston, is as diverse as the people that call it home. Originally a French trading post named “Cataraqui”, it only became known as Kingston when the British took over in the mid-eighteenth century. Back then there were just three distinct cultures that were the overwhelming majority, but the range and prevalence of our demographics grow exponentially every year. Now our old city, sitting between the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and the mouth of the Cataraqui River is been a leading example of what it means to be Canadian and the cultural diversity that makes our true north strong and free.

The Canadian Colours of Kingston Foundation aims to continue to foster and promote the diversity, inclusion and equity that has made Kingston such a harmonious city for all Canadians. We believe that the diverse cultures and religions that make up our great city should be a source of strength. Equity goes hand-in-hand with Canadian values and that, regardless of background, beliefs, and culture, we all have the right to feel welcome and at peace with our neighbours. We can always celebrate and appreciate the individual cultural differences of our fellow Canadians and doing so is the true Canadian way. We created the Canadian Colours of Kingston Foundation to bring our different cultures together and build a city of understanding and communication by changing the narrative and understanding of true diversity.

Image: CCKF at the Kingston Canada Day Parade 2018
Image: Head Table at CCKF's Diversity Dinner 2018
Image: Serving up at CCKF's Diversity Dinner 2018
Image: Diversity Dinner 2018
Image: Project Red Rose Pizzas in 2019

MISSION & VALUES

CCKF’s goal is to create a community that understands, embraces and celebrates everyone’s cultural, religious and/or ethnic backgrounds to pass down the Canadian value of multicultrualism to the generations after us. This can only be done together, by accepting and following the Canadian values, culture, etc. we all share in this country. This will result in a community that is truly diverse with a strong connection to Canadian spirit.

Image: Acceptance and Understanding

Acceptance & Understanding

Tolerance and appreciation of our ethnic, cultural, religious, and identity diversity start with a “Hello”. By establishing open and honest channels of communication we can create a productive and ongoing dialogue that helps all who engage build a greater understanding and compassion for their fellow Canadians.

The Kingston area has one of the most diverse populations in the country, with a place of worship for tens of religions, dozens of spoken languages by hundreds of different ethnic backgrounds, and thousands of individual stories or histories. 

While we may all be very different, we’re united in the belief that Canada offers the best opportunity for us and our families and we are all proud to be living in this country. When we open our hearts and minds to engaging with our fellow Kingstonians, we can all begin to see that in our Canadian pride, we are all the same. So the CCKF urges you to take the first step and say “Hello!” to someone new.

Learning & Growing With History

Just like ancient fables, the stories we can tell can teach us all. Everyone has their own history and customs, experiences that shape our beliefs and perspectives of what it means to be a Canadian. Many of us have a unique ethnic background with its own culture and we cannot be made to feel like it should be left behind or forgotten. Many others have a long history in Canada, with traditions that date back centuries, and those traditions should never be made to be forgotten.

Our traditions and beliefs are a valuable part of who we are, and our fellow Canadians can benefit from learning about our past and we can grow by learning about theirs. They present ways of thinking and solutions that you may never have considered before, enriching ideas that you never would have learned of otherwise. We all should learn from our fellow Canadians and work towards a greater country. 

Our mission is to facilitate this experience and encourage the various individuals in our community to come together and share their experiences. Accepting and learning about the various cultures that make up our community. When we create a space for everyone to learn from and share with each other, we create the best version of our city and nation that we can, little by little.

Image: Learning and Growing with History
Image: A Forum for Guidance

A Forum For Guidance

When you first arrive in a new country it can be a difficult transition – even in a country as open and tolerant as Canada. You may not be familiar with the customs, the language, or the different beliefs and backgrounds that you can see in the country and that is ok.

Our foundation recognizes the challenges that new Canadians are facing and we aim to help bridge that gap. We want to be a place of guidance that will help you learn about what it means to be a Canadian in a city like Kingston. To connect you with your new friends and neighbours and feel that you are where you belong from day one.

It’s our goal to show you how to truly integrate into Canadian society and adopt its values, by helping our city be as welcoming as it can be. The road that brought us here and made us part of the Canadian family is different for everyone, but it has reached the same destination every time and now that we’ve chosen Canada as our new home, we need to help share its values with each other. That way, we can all become true Canadians

The Path Forward

One of the greatest things about Canada is that we can practice our customs and traditions freely. Canada is a country dedicated to multiculturalism and diversity in everything it does. It was founded on a belief that all Canadians, new and old, bring with them something valuable to share with the country. We believe that the rich and diverse cultural past of our ancestors should be celebrated and remembered.

The Colours of Kingston Foundation believes strongly in the importance of every story, belief, background, and individual that makes up our community. There’s no reason we can’t celebrate the customs and traditions of our ancestry in our homes and share them with our community. Those traditions can and should be valued, as that is the Canadian way. 

Our country and city are a rich mosaic of cultural diversity that makes us stronger with each piece. We also have a strong Canadian value system which enables so many different cultures to live and together we create a brilliant and vibrant community to live in for generations.

Image: The Path Forward

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CCKF’s mission is to create a community that is inclusive of everyone’s cultural, religious and/or ethnic beliefs. and to learn about each other’s culture, history and identity to promote the diversity of our community with a strong connection to Canadian values.
Image: Jimmy Hassan, Founder of CCKF

Jimmy Hassan

Founder and President

Franchise Owner of Pizza Pizza at 705-277 Bath Road

Producer/Host Community Voices @YourTV (Cogeco)

Originally from Pakistan, Jimmy immigrated to California in 1994, moving to Canada in 1998. After living and working for several years in Montreal and Toronto, Jimmy and his wife settled in Kingston where he started a business, his family, and the Canadian Colours Kingston Foundation.

Cell: 613-888-6760 | Email: jimmyhassan@hotmail.com

Zermaan Khan

Organizer

Branch Sales Manager at Drake International 

Director at Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce

LinkedIn

Norman Musengimana

Organizer

Business Development Manager of Small Business & Entrepreneurship at Kingston Economic Development Corporation

Founder at BizSkills Academy Inc.

LinkedIn

Debbie Fitzerman

Organizer

President at Kingston Jewish Council 

Master Operations Manager at DFC International Computing Inc.

LinkedIn

Kirk Smallridge

Organizer

Operations & Communications Manager at Kingston Economic Development Corporation

Partner at bvk Solutions 

LinkedIn

OUR COMMUNITY

The Canadian Colours Kingston Community

CCKF’s membership represents a large portion of the Canadian community in the Kingston area. We share our beliefs with new Canadians, citizens who were born and raised, and the indigenous people who have occupied this land for generations before us. We want to continue to share these beliefs with our future generations of Kingstonians. Our strengths come from our differences and sharing these stories with one another will help us all grow and learn together while providing a path to empower and educate new and incoming Canadians. Canada is our home, and we share our experiences in order to further build out a strong, diverse community with strong connections to Canadian values. 

CCKF hosts regular events, fundraisers, and community-led programs. If you are interested in learning more, getting involved or showing your support, check our NEWS & GALLERY section for updates.