Northern Mosaic

Vol. 1, No. 5 Read
Vol. 2, No. 1 Read

"The idea of a multicultural newspaper grew out of a recommendation to start a newsletter discussed at a TBCEO meeting in May 1974. The executive felt that even more useful than a newsletter would be a quality tabloid for the public at large. The task of exploring the idea was given to Frank Obljubek. Some preliminary research indicated that it could be done. This finding was confirmed by a more thorough investigation by Taina Hordy, who was hired as a researcher for the newspaper project in December 1974.

The decision to go ahead with the project and apply for a starting grant of $ 57,680 from the Federal Department of the Secretary of State and the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Recreation was made in January 1975. The Association got only a fraction of the amount it requested ($7,330), but still decided to proceed with the plan, even though it meant that the paper would have much less time to establish itself and become a financially self-sustaining program.

Work on the paper was making good progress. Taina Hordy continued on the project as researcher/co-ordinator, while Frank Obljubek was appointed editor. The paper was named Northern Mosaic. It was to include current issues, news briefs, sections devoted to articles and photographs contributed by ethnic groups, features, arts and crafts, book reviews and listing of films and resources. It was to be published bi-monthly. Graphic artist Miro Korsik was brought from Toronto to design the first issue.

The first issue appeared in August 1975. It was distributed free of charge to all the homes in Thunder Bay; hundreds of copies were also distributed across Canada.

The reaction was most encouraging. The Northern Mosaic was the first inter-ethnic English-language newspaper in Canada. Dozens of phone calls and letters congratulating the founders on the concept and the attractive design were received from such faraway places as Australia and New Zealand (these people were sent copies by their friends and relatives in Thunder Bay).

The Northern Mosaic continued to appear regularly the first 2 years of publication. However, the government's policy not to fund the multicultural press in Canada meant certain financial hardships for the paper. Between July 1978 and January 1979, only 2 issues were published, commencing with regular publication again in May 1980. At that time the Association was in a position to hire an assistant editor, Elaine Lynch. In August 1982, the editorial board made a decision to make the Northern Mosaic a quarterly publication."

T.B.M.A. 1972 - 82: A ten year history of the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association. (1982). Thunder Bay, ON: Thunder Bay Multicultural Association