Child Find Manitoba say Cedar Publishing of Edmonton is hurting its reputation

A Manitoba organization that helps find missing children is receiving some blowback from the activities of an Alberta magazine publisher. According to a CBC News story, Child Find Manitoba, a non-profit group, fears it is being associated with Child Find Newsmagazine, published by Cedar Publishing Corp. of Edmonton.It now also publishes a magazine in Manitoba called Missing Kids Newsmagazine.

Advertisers contacted by CBC News say they were led to believe revenue from their ads would be going to help the Manitoba non-profit group.

Christy Dzikowicz, who is with Child Find Manitoba, said she has had many complaints from advertisers concerned not only with the content of the magazine, but its aggressive methods of collecting ad revenue.

Cedar Publishing Corporation has in the past been sued by the Edmonton fire department and the local Crime Stoppers organization for misleading the public and advertisers to believe that the advertising supports worthy local causes. 

For instance, Edmonton Firefighters Newsmagazine is being passed off as being an official organ of Edmonton Fire Rescue. In June 2008, Crime Stoppers filed a $750,000 claim (not yet resolved) against the company for using their logo without permission, thereby making it difficult to raise money. Crime Stoppers had terminated a publishing agreement with Cedar in 2007; in defending against the suit, Cedar said that Crime Stoppers had reneged on its agreement and appropriated advertisers for its own magazine Crime Stoppers and You.

Cedar Publishing is a for-profit company run by Mohamad Najmeddine and publishes or has published a variety of magazines, including Neighbourhood Watch Newsmagazine, Alberta Paramedics Newsmagazine, Food Bank Network Newsmagazine, Safe Parent Association Newsmagazine, Alberta Arab Directory and Alberta Seniors Directory.

On its website, Cedar claims to have donated $300,000 to a list of charities, part of its longer-term goal of donating $1 million.

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