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4* WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1975, PAGE 17 ,,,JOHN-.PISANI Whitby is home to Maltese dipiomiat By Brian Winter Staff Witer Ottawa anld Toronto are iloi.ed centres iii Canada for diploma tic relationls, but it is Iont generally known Hait inuch of (Canada's diploniatic dealings withi the islands otf Malta arc carried oilt froîi a bioine in Xhitby. The home ai 60 Elizabethi Crescen t belongs to Johni Pisani, Maltese Trade Coni-' mnissioner and Hionorary Consul f'or Canada sînce May 1, 1972. Mr. Pisani describes himi- self as an envoy and a go- between for the goverrnents of Canada and Malta. His job includes promotion of Canadian industry in Malta, issuing of passports and tourisi information, payment of pensions to Maltese resi- dents in Canada, and socizl service work and counselling for Maltese immigrants. lie las an office at 3323 Dundas St. W. ini Toronto operated by, an assistant, wï'cl he visits-1.wice a week, but mosi of his business is carried on from his home in Whitby, conneeted wîth the the office by a direct teleplone lune. Prior 10 1972, Malta, a 1 roup of islands in tle Mediterranean Sea, 60 miles south of Sicily, lad no repre- sentative in Canada. The company was represe--ited by Jospel Attard Kingswell, a roving ambassador wlo opera- ted fromn Brusse1s in Belgium. Wlen Dom Mintoff be- came Prime Minister of Malta in 1971 le established dipli-- matie relations with countries ýthroughout tle world and lis initiative led 10 the establish- ment of a trade commission in Canada. Several eligible people fromn various Maltese clubs in kCanada applied for tle 'job and Mr. Pisani received tle position because of lis work in te Maltese community in tle Toronto-Wlitby area. Mr. Pisani's job is a hmany-sided one, covering everything high-level from business negotiations to pre- paring Maltese immigrants tor Canadian citizenshlip. Twice a year lic visits Malta, and on a trip last yea rl1e t onk -a couple ni' Canadfian indus- tîilisis from hie jland bank' iîîg field xitb h un hio sec the country. '"Thîe egot laIions are si ilI gong on and die Prospects l00k gond", lie says. Reccntly Mr. Pisani took a representa.t ive ni'an Amierican company ho Malta, wbiich ne- sulted in the cornpuny paying $3 million for nil drilling righits in tiie country. On another occasion lie was the niegotiator for Malta when the country purcbiased a lialf illfion dollars of tele- phone cables fron the Phillips Cable Co. in Brockville. Mr. Pisani lias assisted a Canadian banking concern whicbi wants to open a brandli in Malta, and is naking arrangements for a Maltese representative t10 ,corne 10 Canada 10 discuss tounism, a growing industry in that co1untry.- Besides assisting Canadian business interesîs in their deal- ings witbi Malta, Mr. Pisani lias taken part in a number of intîerniational conferenées as tle country's representa- tive. In 1973 lie took part in' conferences in Ottawa and Malta whidh resultied in the Canadian government grant- ing $ 1 million to Malta to seule a dispute over Nato military bases. The sanie year lie was a delegate at île Common- wealth leads of government conference in Ottawa. In 1974 Mr. Pisani represented Malta ai tle World Crafîs Council leld ai York University in Toronto, and delivered an address on lis country's craft industry. Later the sanie year hie was a delegate at tle Common- wealth finance ministers' con- ference in Ottawa, and in 1975 hiejoined lis ambassador as delegate 10 the Third-World Session of tle United Nations at New York. Alibougli lie is called upon 10 participate in John Pisani, Maltese Trade Commissioner and Honorary Consul for Canada, represents about 100,000 Maltese Canadians 'fromn his home in Whitby, and carrnes on diplomatic negotiations with Canadian industrialists interested in Malta. His work covers everything from representing Malta at government 'conferences in Canada and the United States, 10 acting as a social worker'and co-ansellor for Maltese immigrants who need assistance. He has been trade commrfissioner since 1972 and is thinking of seeking a fulI-timne career in the foreign service. -' Free.Press Photo these con! erenccs troni tiie to-rne, nmuch i his work is of' a more routine nature, -dIealing witli day-i o-dfay niai- ters inivl)vinlg Nal lese ('ana- dians across tile Coun try. On a typical workiîig day lie %vill go 1o bis Toronito oTice Io sigilipassports, and dictate corrcspoiicld'iîce, ined xithi Maltese inînigrunts Io solve personal probîcmns, hiave lunci conférences witli indus- trialists whio are intercsted in Malta, and fillow up leads in the arcas of industry and travel. On one occasion lic was asked to shiop for inachinery for a new dock yard in Malta, and on anotber 1wlelad 10 locate some dry plasma for, Maltcse bospitals. He lias weekly telepiorne conversations with embasies iii Washington, Malta and New York, and takes on a status simîlar to a foreign diplomnat. Mr. Pisani was born in Zebbug, Malta, and worked as a shipwriglit in a Maltese dockyard before emimigrating to Canada ini 195 1. Wbile in Malta lie was a union steward, secretary of the labor panty in his borne town and cam' paign nianager for his future amnbassador, Mr. Kingswell. Wlieî he canme 10 Canada, Mr. Pisani settled down in thc Toronto arca and worked as a carpenter for various contrac- tors including Saracinii Con- structioni, one of the largest building companies in the city. -In 1953 hie started bis own contractiflg cornpany. In 1960, Mr. Pisarîi moved to Whitby and worked for six years as manager of the build- ing department of Mill Work and Building Supplies in Osliawa. He went on Ao construct customn built homes in the Whitby-Oslawa area and do renovations to buildings, and in 1970 he purchased thie franchise for Hallmark fibre- g!ass pools. Since becnrning Maltese Trade Cominissioner for Canada, bis work bas becomne a family affair. witl i is wife Barbara acting as bis sccretary and prepýâring 200 pension cheques a mionli. Ifis children, Mary. Philip and Josepliine do typing and other work cnnnected witb bis job. Following dlIme general elections in Malta in 1976, Mr. Pisani says lie miglît niake the foreign service a fuilI-inie career. "I feel it lias been very rewarding to nie", be says. "I've met niany people froni alI walks of life. 1 feel it is gratifying, tlîc experience 1 bave rcceived in interniational politics". Mr. Pisani estirnates there -are well over 50,000 aduit Maltese in Canada and tlie figure would reacbi 100,000 witli cbildren included. Many emnigratcd to Canada afier the Second World War wbcn ibere was a sliortage of wnrk in Malta and industrial growth had corne to a stand still. The largest number of Maltese in one area is 25,000 in Toronto, and about 8,000 are concentrated around the 1touii(ers iand t reasureroni'the Malta' Social Club iini Wbitby, and holds the office of, hionora ry president. Tie cibb wais tounidcd iii 169 and bias abouit 85 ni enîbers. laisi S;aturdaIýy was a very 5pcCi îal dy lor tIhle MaIl tesc cninmunity iii Canadai,l'or it i arked tflic t'i rsh a--.-.iversary of' NI a1îas. becnnming a republie. "'This nreans il is a tntally independent nation free 10 run its onî affairs without outside intervention", says ,Mr. Pisani. For many years Malta, with a population of 300,000, was a Bnitish Col'--y before it received in- dependence in 1964. Thc firsl annivcrsary of 1the republie was celcbrated with a flagraising ceremony in Tonronto, and Mr. Pisani ap- peared on a cable television prograni to talk about Malta and rcad mnessages fronm Prime Minister Mintoff, Onitar- io Premnier Wii anm Davis and Toronto Mayor IDavid Croin- bic in bonor utf Maltese National Day.' Mr. Pisani says lie is pleased 10 bç of service 10 lis native country ini Cana-da, and devotes a considerable amount of time.to his work in helping Maltese Canadians with persona] difficulties. A close friend descrihes I ilrni as "an excfýU1ent citizen of' this cnrnmunity and a sort nf' a pillar , b the whlne Mal tese coilniui)ity in ( anr ada" THE CORNERSTONE GIFT SHOP BRONZE: Statues Jewellery 122 Brock St. N., - Whitby MON. to FRI, 10 -9 SAT. 10- 6 "Gifs for People who care'> iLAST MINUW-JIOLDAY 1V[ONEY $A4VER SIPECIALS LIMITED QUANTITY ON ALL ITEMS DECEMBER 17-24, 1975.