History
The Civic Association of Iranian Canadians was founded in 2010 by Keighobad Esmaeilpour, with the support of his wife Dr. Katayoun Bahadori, and their friends, Bahman Doustdar, Reza Houshmand, Dr. Ahmad Pishvaei, Dr. Yashar Khalighi, Nasrin Mobaraki, Dr. Saeed Ganjizadeh, and Touraj Farahmand. The Association was founded when Kei realized that his interest in Canadian politics was unmatched by his peers in the Iranian-Canadian diaspora. The Iranian community in Vancouver seemed to be uninterested and unaware of political happenings in Canada at every level of government.
Kei and his dedicated friends created the Association to cultivate civic culture and political awareness about Canadian politics in the Iranian community. They held events that engendered objective, honest and nonpartisan dialogue. The Civic Association of Iranian Canadians thus became a non-profit, non-religious, and non-partisan place for Iranian immigrants to learn, discuss and debate about the issues facing the Iranian-Canadian community.
The Association held several seminars, information sessions, and all-candidates debates for the 2011 and 2015 federal elections, the 2013 provincial election and the 2014 municipal elections, as well as the 2018 municipal elections and the 2019 federal elections. To ensure objectivity and nonpartisanship, the Association has always invited political candidates and representatives from all political parties. In addition to its status as a registered nonprofit, the Association also did not solicit or accept sponsorship or any other form of support from any political party or partisan groups.
Disclaimer
Individual members of the Association privately hold partisan political beliefs and support various political parties. Their political beliefs are personal and do not represent the views of the Association.
The Association is not interested in domestic Iranian politics and does not hold events or partner with groups that focus exclusively on Iran. The Association is only interested in Iran insofar as it affects the Iranian-Canadian community.