LNAK goals
1
To represent, support and serve those of Latvian descent or affiliation, and to promote active co-operation and dialogue between Latvia and Canada
2
To support and promote the wellbeing of the Republic of Latvia in accordance and with universal democratic principles
3
To promote the dissemination of accurate and relevant information about Latvia, its people and culture
4
To provide financial support for promoting Latvian culture in Canada directly and through like minded organizations
5
To promote the spiritual, societal, material and cultural well-being of those of Latvian descent or affiliation in Canada
6
To support and promote co-operation among Latvian organiations in Canada and other countries.
LNAK Leadership
LNAK Executive Committee
President
Dr. rev. Fritz Traugott-Kristbergs
Vice-president
Ingrīda Mukāne-Zemīte
Treasurer
Māra Leja
Public Affairs
Jānis Lielāmers
Education
Agra Asmus-Vāgnere
Communications
Dace Veinberga
Committee members
Rev. Ilze Kuplēns-Ewart (ex officio), Gunta Reynolds
Board leadership
President
Vice-chairpersons
Vice-chairpersons
Rev. Ilze Kuplēna-Ewart
Roberts Klaiše
Baiba Bredovska
Secretaries
Secretaries
Gundega Auziņa
Līva Zemīte
LNAK Board of Directors
Iveta Bertovska
Krišs Brauns
Baiba Bredovska
Ēriks Bredovskis
Rinalds Eglītis
Alīde Forstmanis
Normunds Goba
Roberts Klaiše
Dr. rev. Fritz Traugott-Kristbergs
Linda Kronbergs
Gunta Krūmiņš
Ilze Kuplēns-Ewart
Andre Kūlnieks
Viktors Kūlnieks
Juris Ķeniņš
Andris Ķesteris
Jānis Lielāmers
Arnis Markitants
Elita Pētersone
Imants Purvs
Gunta Reynolds
Patriks Rundāns
Aleksandrs Sausiņš
Mārtiņš Sausiņš
Astrīde Sīlis
Alberts Upeslācis
Agra Asmus-Vāgnere
Ingrīda Zemīte
Līva Zemīte
Andra Zommers
Representatives to the World Federation of Free Latvians (PBLA)
LNAK representatives on the PBLA executive committee
Dr. Rev. Fritz Traugott-Kristbergs (LNAK President)
Agra Asmus-Vāgnere
Ingrīda Mukāne-Zemīte
PBLA
Cultural Fund
President – Juris Ķeniņš
PBLA Cultural Fund Canadian representative
PBLA Education representative
Elizabete Pētersone
Elizabete Pētersone
Local Representatives
Edmonton
Ena Rudovics
Guelph
Arnis Miķelsons
Halifax
Ingrīda Šķetris
Hamilton
HALO committee
Quebec
Andrejs Vītols
Manitoba
Elmars Dīriķis
Okanagan
Liene Sestule
Ottawa
Sarma Merdian
LNAK Divisions
Education
Agra Asmus-Vāgnere
Jānis Lielāmers
Representative in Ottawa: Aija Auziņa
Members: Dace Veinberga, Ingrīda Mukāne-Zemīte
Audit Committee
Gunta Krūmiņa
Arnis Markitants
Alberts Upeslācis
Mandate Committee
Jānis Lielāmers
Patriks Rundāns
Astrīde Sīls
LNAK representatives to other Canadian organizations
Latvian Song Festival Board
The board consists of community leaders, whose purpose is to meet every five years to determine the date, place and organizers of the next Latvian Song Festival in Canada.
The LNAK representatives are:
Dr. Rev. Fritz Traugott-Kristbergs
Iveta Bertovska
Canadian Latvian Cultural Centre
The LNAK representative is Ingrīda Mukāne-Zemīte.
Central and Eastern European Council (CEEC)
The LNAK representative is Fritz Kristbergs.
Kristus Dārzs Retirement Home
Kristus Dārzs Retirement Home is a non-profit longterm nursing home in Woodbridge, Ontario.
The LNAK representative is Ingrīda Mukāne-Zemīte.
Baltic Federation in Canada
The Baltic Federation in Canada, established in 1949, is the umbrella organization for the Baltic community in Canada, bringing together:
- The Estonian Central Council in Canada
- The Latvian National Federation in Canada
- The Lithuanian-Canadian Community
The LNAK representative is Fritz Kristbergs.
LNAK Structure
LNAK is the central organization representing Latvian Canadians. LNAK initiatives are determined by LNAK members who have paid their annual dues. Members meetings are held at least once a year. Members vote on resolutions, that direct the work of LNAK.
LNAK leadership consists of the Board, the Executive Committee, and the Audit Committee.
Every four years members in good standing elect the LNAK Board, consisting of three to thirty members. The last board elections took place in March, 2022. The Board meets at least once per year, usually at the beginning of April. The Board reviews reports from the previous year, and adopts resolutions to determine the next year’s plan of action.
The LNAK Board elects an eleven member executive committee that serves for two years. The last Executive Committee elections took place in April, 2022. The Chairman of the Board serves as a member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee President and Vice-President must be members of the LNAK Board. The Treasurer and remaining Executive Committee members do not have to be members of the Board. The Executive Committee operates according to LNAK’s statutes, to further the goals of LNAK and to fulfil the resolutions accepted by the members and the Board.
The History of LNAK
After the Latvian immigrants settled in the centres of the major Canadian provinces and after the establishment of local associations and congregations, the central Latvian organisations began to emerge, one of the first of which was the Latvian National Federation in Canada. Two of the founders were Konrāds Dobelis in Edmonton and Mariss Vētra in Halifax.
Dobelis had already arrived in Canada in 1927, and as soon as Latvian refugees started to arrive in Canada after the Second World War, he worked to help them with legal matters and accomodations. In 1947 he founded the Edmonton Latvian Society “IMANTA”.
1947./1948. Local Latvian organizations were also established in Toronto, Montreal, London, Hamilton and Winnipeg.
Latvia’s National Opera’s soloist Vētra arrived in Halifax in 1947, where he also tried to help new Latvian immigrants to deal with the practicalities of their new life in Canada.
On the initiative of Dobelis, on September 25, 1948, the local Latvian organizations came together in Toronto. The twelve delegates founded the Canadian Latvian National Association with Konrāds Dobelis as its president. The purpose of the organization was twofold, to help the Latvian refugees who had come to Canada, and to fight for Latvia to regain its freedom. In order to prevent parallelism in the work of relief, the Canadian Latvian National Association and the Latvian Relief Association leadership, on May 6, 1950, the Latvian Relief Association of Canada (LRAC) convened delegates to a joint meeting at which they agreed to establish a joint Latvian central organization called the Latvian National Federation in Canada (LNAK). J. Preisbergs was elected as the first president.
At the time, the statutes of the organization stated that the membership consisted of all Latvians living in Canada.
