30 years of ups and downs


1990s: High hopes, hard times

In 1992, the Society celebrated its 20th anniversary with high expectations for the future. It had gained new territory as local branches were established, first in Jyväskylä and soon after in Tampere. This development was to ensure a stronger foothold for the society outside the national capital region. Unexpectedly high funding from the Ministry of Education that year further reinforced this potential.

The following year our newsletter was re-christened: Vaahteranlehti (an "n" was added before "lehti"; the hyphen had been dropped quietly in 1988).

Activities went on as before but the bad news was just around the corner. In 1994, the big axe fell and it came down hard: the Finnish government, struggling with recession, cut all funding to small friendship societies. In the case of the Finnish-Canadian Society it meant that no newsletters could be published that year.

New beginnings

At the Annual Meeting, the sitting Board was ready to "pack it in", according to Tero Mikkola, chairman of the Tampere branch. But he and Henry Niskanen, a long time member from Hyvinkää, wanted to carry on.

In the ensuing turn of events, the Tampere branch took over the entire Society. Chaired by Mikkola, nearly all of the 12 member Board was new and included more Canadians than ever before. The old membership list was checked for unpaid dues that resulted in a dramatic drop from 3000 names down to 200.

The popular information phone service started in 1986, which received up to 800 inquiries about the society and Canada yearly, also fell victim to the cutbacks and was closed in 1994. Vaahteranlehti would come out twice a year from 1995 on, with the next two issues cut back in size and format to black and white A4 pages stapled together.

The new team of actives in Tampere started with enthusiasm and vigour. An effort for geographic equality among the membership was made. The announcement that travel expenses would be reimbursed to those coming to the Annual and Board meetings from outside the Tampere region levelled the field.

In November of 1995, the society hosted a seminar on Quebec separatism and its impact on the future of Canada. The Finnish educational system was approached by announcing an essay contest for sixth-graders called "Canada as I picture it / Le Canada tel que je me l'imagine". Entries came from all parts of the country, the winners were awarded and their essays published in Vaahteranlehti.

In 1997, the society was ushered into the information age. After some time of experimental existence, the Society's own Web site by Robert Piché was launched. Another Internet service, CLIF or Canadians Living In Finland, was also started that in that year. This unmoderated mailing list is still popular among our Canadian members, although not officially associated with the society.

Focus on friendship

In 1997, a small group celebrated the Society's 25th birthday without great fanfare in Hämeenlinna. No official speeches were given, but coffee and birthday cake were followed by a musical piece at the City Theatre. The informal evening continued at a dinner in a nearby restaurant.

The new chair, Ritva Koivisto, voiced her concern in the next newsletter over lowered participation and invited suggestions for future activities. The level of activity picked up again for a brief period, but at the end of the 90's, participation faded, and events were cancelled due to lack of interest.

By the year 2000, the Finnish-Canadian Society returned to Helsinki. With a new team of Board members, the focus is on revitalizing interest in the society. Activities are largely in the capital region, but the Internet and twice yearly publication of the Vaahteranlehti ensure that the Society has a wide geographic audience.

André Noël Chaker became our first Canadian Chairman. The 2001 Board, chaired by Dwayne Weleschuk, included even more Canadian members.

The Finnish-Canadian Society was founded in a different time, in a different Finland but the goal remains the same: to promote closer ties between the two countries and their citizens. In the early years charter flights played an important role when Finns visited Canada. Today there are more Canadians living and visiting here and the emphasis is on the interaction between Canadians and Finns here in Finland.

Information for the above was compiled from the past newsletters and recent notes from Ritva Koivisto and Tero Mikkola. Along with the annual events and activities, Vaahteranlehti is still the single most important forum for our membership as a whole.

By Heikki Kokkonen