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From the Publishers

„Biogram Publishing” has undertaken the publication of the third edition of a pioneering "Who is Who" publication devoted to Polish Canadians. Unlike the first two editions, the third will present biograms of Polish Canadians living and active in all the provinces of Canada. First of all, we intend to present brief biographies of people noted for their community or professional standing, as well as people whose names appeared in the spotlight for their activity that generated interest and were noted by Polish Canadian or Canadian media.

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The project is being implemented by two journalists listed below, who have been documenting the achievements of Polish Canadians for the last two decades.

Our goal is to satisfy the market demand and community need for information; we hope to provide useful information to all those who for professional or personal reasons are interested in the affairs of Polish Canadians. The volume is at the same time a document of the achievements of Polish people in Canada, and a compendium of data based on individual lives and careers. We would like to stress that the publication of a biogram in our volume is in no way an attempt at aggrandizement; its aim is to fulfill the need for information and to facilitate interpersonal relations, as well as to become a document of our era. We are basing our work on the editorial standards accepted by similar publications all over the world. Selection of persons presented in the volume is based on three major criteria:

1. Polish origin, or the person's declared will to be considered as part of the Polish Canadian community, regardless of citizenship;

2. Canadian citizenship or permanent residence in Canada;

3. Documented achievements in various fields: in business, community affairs, politics (not restricted to the Polish Canadian environment), sciences, the arts, sports, religious life and others, both in Canada and formerly in Poland or other countries.

We dismiss such criteria as age, time spent in Canada, organizational or political affiliations.

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The starting point of our research was creating a database of names found in published encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries, registers and bulletins, address books or catalogues, as well as in Polish Canadian media sources from the last four years. First of all, however, we found the Internet an extremely useful source.

Through the mail, but first of all through the Internet, we present you with a survey, accompanied by a request to provide additional names from your circle of family, friends and professional and personal acquaintances. Completed surveys will allow us to publish a volume which, we hope, will become a lasting monument and a prized possession of every Pole in Canada.

We are aware that the volume will not contain all of the biograms that one may expect to find in it. We are overruled by the principle of individual decisions and will not publish anything contrary to the will of the interested person.
Unlike other publications of this type, we do not charge any fees for publishing a specific biogram. Financing the enterprise is based on pre-publication subscription and sponsorship. The publishers are not financed from any external source, therefore the number of pre-publication subscription orders will determine the final outcome of our work.
Each biogram is edited based on the results of the survey typical of this kind of publication. The editors will adapt the received information to editorial standards. The final version of each biogram will then be consulted with the author and its publication will take place only upon final approval of the person in question.

To attain the highest possible quality of editorial effort, we sought and received assistance of Zakład Kanady Instytutu Amerykanistyki i Studiów Polonijnych Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego in Kraków. Under the leadership of Dr. Anna Reczyńska, the scientists and students of the University will help in the scientific and linguistic editing of the biograms. We are confident that this will greatly contribute to the standard of the publication and will allow this Polish Canadian initiative to enrich the knowledge of professional historians, as well as chronicle the accomplishments of Poles in Canada.

We appeal to Polish Canadians for help in bringing this initiative to fruition. We ask that you complete the survey regardless of whether you have received our invitation to do so. We call for assistance in building the database of Poles living in Canada. It is our dream that the volume will become more than a biographical dictionary - a monument to our presence and our success in Canada.

As mentioned above, our success depends on the number of pre-publication subscriptions, because the number of such orders will determine the number of copies printed. The volume „Polacy w Kanadzie 2006” will be published and will appear in selected libraries in Canada and in Poland in early 2006. The publication in the Polish language will contain carefully edited biograms, photographs, and addresses of persons willing to be listed in the dictionary, as well as brief historical, sociological and demographic articles on Polish Canadians.

The authors

Jacek Kozak i Tomasz Piwowarek

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