I was really shocked to listen the expression of a school teacher to her students, " If you guys do not do your home work and be 'Canadian', go to the place where you are from". Imagine the weight and the rationality of this comment of an educated person to the students who are just enrolled to the new and probably their first school at the age of 12 or up?.
It is a fact that I got to listen not only from a student but number of them complaining towards their school teacher ( sorry, I am not revealing her name) and it was burst in the after school program held every evening in IRCOM building downtown. It reminded me the terrible reality that those innocent children and their families had to face in African and Arab nations and to tell them go back to their place is a debased expression and it is actually to go nowhere!
Immigrants and refugeeses have to face many problems after their arrival to Canada, a dream land(?). Cultural variation, language, education,, experience, etc. are some of the key factors contributing to lead their life towards poverty. Immigrants coming even through the " Skilled workers and professional category" have to suffer a lot in the name of finding a job related to their field. After the arrival, their whole knowledge and experience is 'nullified' and they have to start everything from zero! If so,what is the use of these categories in the Immigration Policy? There are many doctors, engineers, teachers working in the grocery store and construction where they are under paid and their family members have hard time to survive. The whole dream of life is collapsed and a deep frustration lingers all the time that they can neither go back nor live here happily.
Let's see the older immigrants and refugees. It is not quite easy to learn the English language "perfectly" to them and find a job as such. All they have to do is to stay at home doing nothing. Their "educated" sons and daughters are working in just the 'labour' and lower paid jobs and generation gap with their grandchildren is growing every day. They cannot talk in English but the younger generation is getting Englishized! The television programs are useless and the books are the garbage! They unwillingly develop anxiety, stress and mental and physical disorder.
There is still discrimination on the basis of sexism, ageism, and racism in the Canadian society, job market, groceries, restaurants, clubs and as a whole the mentality of the people. Immigrants and refugees are on the list of poverty in Canada simply because they are Immigrants no matter how much knowledge and expertise they have accomplished already.
Subas
Wow. The comment about being 'Canadian' surpised me, Canada is formed through various groups and immigrants; Canada is a multicultural nation. Recognizing what being a 'Canadian' is all about is something that many people clearly still need to be made aware of. Recognizing cultural difference as a good thing, is something that still needs to be reflected in teachings and policies.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Subas!
Kirsten
No matter how we look it at, the concept of being an immigrant stays with the person for years. It doesnt't matter how long a person has lived in Canada, they will always feel like an 'immigrant' in this country. Maybe it's the way they're being treated or maybe it's bacause their entire life in Canada is being shaped by some policy, it can be unclear. One thing is for sure, in order to feel "Canadian" a person has to, wheather they like it or not, seperate from their own culture. Good post.
ReplyDelete-Medina
The post that this teacher has made was unnaceptable. Canada prides itself on being a multicultural country, full of many different cultures. We're supposed to be accepting of immigrants because we claim to be multicultural, so why is there still this people saying things like this? Especially a teacher to their young students. This will have a tremendous impact on the children and make them feel unwanted.
ReplyDelete-Brigitte Tetrault
I agree with Medina's comment that the label immigrant stays with you for years. I think that immigrants are very susceptible to poverty not only because of having to find jobs with their label, but also because those who were educated in their home country do not have the opportunity to transfer their credits in Canada.
ReplyDeleteLeah
Being an Aboriginal person that grew up learning in school that my people were "savages," is the primary reason I was not surprised by the "be Canadian" comment. Many immigrants and refugees are discriminated against due to their lack of english as well as their race and culture. I feel as though not recognizing their education only furthers their oppression unnecessarily.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie M.