Originally Posted by helcat12 (Post 9999538)

I have come across a lot of what might be viewed as racist comments on the Lower Mainland.

These have arisen when Canadians have asked about my status here (until recently I was only a Temporary Worker and was waiting for my PR for 17 months) and all of them were along the lines of, "You are the wrong colour".
Virtually everyone who asked about how long it was taking me to get PR made such a comment and many went further and said if I had just washed up at Vancouver in a leaky boat and claimed refugee status I would have been better off than doing it the legal and proper way.

This is in the context of local people seeing large numbers of mainly East Indian immigrants flooding nearby areas, many of them consisting of one applicant bringing a huge family and extended family following along later, many of them unable to speak English to any reasonable standard (except the Principal applicant).

Whether these comments could be considered to be racist or actually just a layman's view of the on-the-ground situation caused by the much faster processing times at VOs like New Delhi and also Pakistan applicants at London, is debatable.

I haven't seen overt racism directed at anyone here at all but there certainly are undercurrents of bad feeling along racial lines.
There seem to be feelings that immigrants from certain countries create their own ghettos and don't make any attempt to integrate with Canadians.

I have also heard from some teachers here that the recent huge increase in the numbers of non-English speaking children in schools now in some areas on the Lower Mainland (because their mothers generally don't speak English, only their fathers and so it isn't spoken at home) is causing a strain on resources and is leading to racial tension in school.

I haven't seen or heard any racist comments about First Nations at all, though.

Originally Posted by ann m (Post 9999300)

Well done ;) I was waiting for it ...

I have been aware of the odd casual racist/homophobic/generally un-PC comments - not at work though - just in casual conversation with people. My experience is that it comes more from older generations than younger, and perhaps more from people who have been here a long time and have seen so much change. Seems par for the course really. And I'm not tarring the older generations with any brush either. :p

Originally Posted by cheeky_monkey (Post 10000203)

Dont forget racism works both ways

Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian (Post 10000337)

Racism has always been around and unfortunately will be around for a number of years to come. It has many forms not just based on skin colour.
The reasons for racism also change as well or why the majority of the populace think that multiculturism is both good and bad.
Canada as we know was mainly built and founded on Immigration or emigrants moving here from all countries.
You will always have the locals complaining or stating that they are coming over here (insert any countries name) and taking our jobs and trying to impose their beliefs and way of life on us.
Many of us work in diverse work places where immigrants work side by side and for the norm there are not too many problems.
A lot of Immigrants chose cities and towns where there are people of their culture, race etc as a comfort mechanism where they believe they will fit in.
Believe it or not towns like Inuvik, Yellowknife and Iqaluit have Muslims, Somalians and a host of others living in those communities.
Many here perceive the Aboriginal/Native members as a bit of a drain on Canada as they tar them as all welfare bums and solvent sniffers. well we know its not true but you will always hear those comments.
Some will say the UK is being overun by the Eastern Europeans Poles/Romanians/Hungary etc hence the racist comments from UK citizens.
Education and understanding is a key but some people will say its being forced on them and if they the Immigrants dont like it here then they can go back to wherever.
Its a vicious circle that has no end at the moment.

Originally Posted by JamesM (Post 10000353)

I believe a better turn of phrase is prejudice and the world will never get rid of it. People simply don't like people who are different as change makes them uncomfortable.

Lastly I don't live in Calgary but I'm sure I read some where that their Mayor is Muslim. Strangely odd for a place described as rightwing up thread.

Originally Posted by el_richo (Post 10000336)

The main difference i find in Canada to the UK is that the UK media isnt averse to having detrimental hyperbole splashed across the main pages of the media so the idiots believe it.

Originally Posted by castra (Post 10000450)

Most UK tabloids pander to their core target readers prejudices. Sadly many fools believe all the sensational headlines, taking it as gospel.

When you have The Daily Tits spouting headlines along the line of "Immigrants lowering the house prices of hard working families" & the like, it does nobody any favours & gives more ammunition to the gullible.

Originally Posted by scribe123 (Post 9999668)

Strange opinion.

Yes I'm moving to Canada (if permitted) for a reason, BUT I've lived in or around Bradford for about 18 years now, and Mosques do 'spring' (as you put it) up in quite a lot of places, HOWEVER that is not the reason I'm moving.

The reason I'm moving has nothing to do with the influx of foreign cultures into the UK.

In fact, if I were moving to Canada because of that I think that would be a little hypocritical (for want of a better word).

If you do move over for those reasons and then whine about the crap cheese and poor chocolate, cry out for BBC TV and M&S underwear, and then state how much better the UK is for XYZ...... well you deserve to be the butt of racist jokes.

Originally Posted by flat to the mat (Post 10001406)

Nothing wrong with foreign cultures at all,when in Rome etc,but Britain failed big time on that one.The British have to bow to the minorities just in case one of the poor darlings gets offended by Christmas,Easter or Valentines Day FFS.

Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian (Post 10001425)

In the same aspect I guess my plans for opening up a strip club in Saudi has been dashed after reading this :lol:

Saudi Arabia completely bans the production, importation or consumption of alcohol and imposes strict penalties on those violating the ban, including weeks to months of imprisonment including, or instead of, lashes (see hudud). Similarly, Kuwait also bans the importation or consumption of alcohol, but does not impose corporal punishment for violations. During the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the Coalition, to show respect for local beliefs, banned its troops in Saudi Arabia from drinking alcohol.

I realise its not racism but some will see that as a how come they get to do this in this country but I cant go to theirs and do the same i.e open a strip club. Yes I know its against their religion but those that argue the point well they get to do this in our country progress to making racist remarks about Muslims.
So how do we feel about Shariah Law being introduced into Canada?
This article about shariah Law in Canada explains it
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/is...ariah-law.html

So if I was in Saudi Arabia and committed a crime would I be tried and convicted under their laws or could I request that I be dealt with under the Criminal Code of Canada?

As others have said sometimes we seem to be bowing down to the minorities and that helps fuel racism.