The Miss World Canada 2010 contest held Friday March 7th 2010 by new Vancouver-based franchise-holders, Upstage This! Productions should be ashamed for some of it's disrespectful practices. Six (6) semifinalists spots were guaranteed to be reserved for the category award winners: Talent, Top Promotions, Top Fundraising, Best International Costume, Swimsuit and People's Choice. Ziyah Karmali won People's Choice, yet due to what organizers called an "oversight," Ziyah was denied to stand among her peers, and another girl was called up instead. Immediately after the pageant, President and CEO, Katherine Grefner, privately recognized the oversight to Ziyah and her family but no public announcement has been made. When questioned, the auditor (a woman identifying herself only as Christine) refused to comment. Ron Wear, Mr. World Canada 2010 and judge for the competition, said he was "shocked" and described Ziyah as a "top contender." To add insult to injury, the plaque awarded to Ziyah for being the 'People's Choice' was misspelled to read 'Peopls Choice' and at a small ceremony conclusion ceremony organized afterward by Upstage This! Productions (to give the awards to the winners) the oversight was not disclosed by pageant organizers to those in attendance. INSTEAD this disrespect was brought to the audiences attention by the pageant host, Tanya Memme (who felt that this was an "injustice"), and Ziyah's supporters. Katherine Grefner apologized again after the ceremony, in private, for not recognizing the matter. No resolution or public announcement to the matter has yet been made and the organization has since tried to distance itself from Ziyah. -------------------------- A pageant of this caliber and size should not be allowed to sweep their wrong-doings 'under the rug.' Pageants are notorious for claims of rigging and scamming - when they try to hide the truth and act unjustly they show just how seedy they REALLY are. SIGN THIS PETITION TO SUPPORT ZIYAH AND DEMAND THAT A PUBLIC APOLOGY AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT BE MADE BY PAGEANT ORGANIZERS. Katherine Grefner [email protected] Media Liason: Hayley Johnson [email protected] Program Coordinator: Karl McPherson [email protected]