Danny B

And so they should.

Us bloody immigrants coming over here on work visas taking their jobs. Next thing you know we will be criticizing Canada for having crap TV and no Walkers crisps. Send em all back home to Blighty.

scilly

Are you looking for it, and so finding it even if it is not happening?

I will not deny that there are racist elements in Canada. It's better than it was when we first came here over 50 years ago, when interracial marriages were still frowned upon ............

as they were in the UK at that time. My m-i-l, not always a nice person as I found to my cost, was well known for tutting tutting about an interracial couple, saying "but think of the children"

To be blunt ........ I found more racism in Britain back then, and against me and my OH.

We were from the North you see, white as white could be, can both trace our families back to the 16th and 17th centuries, which is basically when records are hard to find even for yeoman farmers let alone the much more common "ag lab" and lace maker or silk weaver.

We didn't have the "right accent", so there were jobs that were somehow unavailable for us on interview ........... even though we have 5 university degrees between us.

Sounds so much like the person of colour, doesn't it??

But that was very common in Britain in the 50s and 60s.

It was so refreshing to come over here, and be accepted on our own qualities, not on our accents, to be able to really make our way in life.

We quite honestly probably would have had nowhere near the satisfaction in work or private life if we had stayed over there.

Have I met racists?

Yes, the good old red-neck boyo talking about the First Nations people ......... and the First Nations people talking about the "white man".

But what about what the Brits have said about the various immigrants to their country, let alone natives ........... dating back to before the 12th century when Jewish people were tolerated only because of their expertise in moving money from England to the continent and back, thus enriching those who scorned them, and who killed them if it was expedient.


As for the difference between the US and Canada, I only ever met insincere people below the line, those who expressed the greatest desire to be friends and for you to maintain contact, then when you called them said "Who are you?", and hung up.

scrubbedexpat091

I was working in a hotel in Edmonton when I first came to Canada, was still on a work permit, a guest asked where I was from, I said California, then went on to berate me about taking jobs from Canadian's. Mind you this was during the boom times in Alberta where employers couldn't even find workers, and fast food places were offering $20/hr and still not able to find the staff they needed, but apparently I stole the job from a Canadian.

I have a friend who immigrated from China around the same time I came from the US, he still gets a lot of racist comments directed his way, and was heavily discriminated against when working from one of the biggest telecoms in Canada, it was amazing the BS he had to put up with in the workplace.

scilly

I'm not denying that racism exists, after all, we all know that it does ........... for heaven's sake, I got it in my home country, England, because my flippin' accent was wrong.

But I do not think it is ALL Canadians.

It is unfair to say that Canada is racist, just as it is unfair to say that all Brits are racist, although I certainly heard far more racist comments to and about other nationalities in England.

They were racist about the French, who were racist back .............. the English called them frog's legs, the French said rosbif or roti de boeuf back

They were racist about the Germans, the people from the Caribbean who came in the 50s, the people who came form Pakistan, the "Ugandan Asians" in the 70s, and on and on.

The usual racist comments about people of colour was "they're taking our jobs", except those jobs were available because the Brits didn't want them .......... it was too demeaning to clean toilets, be a maid in a hotel, work in the mills, etc

Yes, the same or similar comments can be heard here about people from other lands.

But I still maintain it is individuals that behave like that.

Siouxie

That's doesn't sound like discrimination nor racism though really...... I have met superficial people all over the world - including the UK and Asia.. and yes I'm sure I have made the odd comment about an eejit after they have left the room... nothing to do with where they come from or the colour of their skin - only to do with them being an Eeejit!

In what way do you believe you were discriminated against when you were on a TWP? The work culture in Canada is very different to the UK and perhaps the issues you perceive were down to your expectations versus reality rather than being discriminated against.

Perhaps bare in mind that most people you meet have probably got their established circle of friends already. they don't want to be rude to you and say to you 'sorry, I have no interest in being friends with you, I already have a life' - and so smile and say 'yes, we'll get together some time, for sure'. When you don't hear from them it's not because they are discriminating against you but because they already have enough stuff going on.. that doesn't mean they are insincere, perhaps they just don't want to hurt your feelings!

Think of it the other way around, reverse the situation ....... you live in the UK, have known most of your friends from when you were at school or Uni together, you have friends that you have worked with for the last 10 years........ and then some stranger comes to work at the company, they are only a temp work contract so there's not much point in getting too friendly, who knows how long they will be working with you..... or a newcomer moves into the neighborhood - your circle of friends is extensive, you go out and about all the time - and this new person says "hey perhaps we could go for coffee sometimes" - what are you going say?? "Nah mate, on yer bike, I've enough mates already" or are you going to say "errrrr yeah, sure," and hope that you don't bump into them too frequently - but give them a smile, a wave and a 'hello' when you do.

It takes time to build friendships..... take baby steps and reduce your expectations, if possible... it's hard to break into new circles at the best of times - and let's face it, this isn't the best of times!

Have you read our brilliant Wiki article on culture shock? https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Culture_Shock-Canada
Edited to add these links that may be of use..
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...ada_Challenges
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Workp...ptation-Canada

dbd33

Pardon my asking but how is this racism? I accept that racism is characteristic of Canadian society, York university, for example, is routinely closed due to outbreaks of racist squabbling, but I don't see how it pertains in this case. What race do you think people identify you as belonging to and what race is discriminating against you?

scilly

I would also add that it is not a Canadian characteristic to make close friends at work.

I worked with people for many years, we were friendly at work but only met a very few outside work.

A large part of that is, I think, due to the fact that people often go to work at a great distance from home ............ some of the people I worked with drove for over an hour each way.

that puts quite barrier on socialising after work!

The ones who did live close to each other at that distance (I think there were 4 or 5 at one time) sometimes did socialise at weekends, one or other holding a bbq for every one including wives and children.

scrubbedexpat091

One thing that bothers me working in Canada is lack of socialization with co-workers, makes for a long, lonely day, when spending most of your waking hours at work, just seems odd not to be friends and socialize, opposite in California where everyone was pretty much friends, doing a variety of things outside the workplace, and such, the commute thing is really not valid reason in my view because people commute in California just as long as still socialize after work and days off and such.

But then there are lots of posts on Vancouver area groups asking how to make friends, or how difficult it is to make friends, so make the reputation of this area being hard to make friends has some truth to it.

CanadaJimmy

I used to think this myself but now I actually think its just because Vancouver is one of the fastest growing cities in North America and attracts people from all over the world. That means a lot of people trying to find friends and fit in. Its one thing if maybe a few hundred people move to a town in a year, they will not have to “compete” for friendships, but its hard for any community to keep up with the volume of newcomers that Vancouver receives.

scrubbedexpat091

Could play a role. I stopped trying to meet people and make friends here as I was having such a hard time, anywhere else I lived friends always happened through work, but not here...

Of course doesn't help by 40, a lot of people have kids, and some even grand-kids so not looking for friends and we don't have kids, so pretty limited I think after 40 but under 60 to make friends, its that weird time where your not old enough for seniors groups but too old for clubs...

The1Anton

Really? IME the UK is rife with rudeness behind uour back. Literally see it every day here.

Piff Poff

Racism us alive and kicking in Red Deer, my hubby called a coworker out when the coworker said he was dealing with a nignog. The coworker thought there was nothing wrong with this. One of the many reasons we want to move. Just had enough of this blatant red neckism.

scot47

No - make them go and live in Alabama - on the wrong side of the tracks.