CalgaryAMC

Like most people, Canadians appreciate immigrants that attempt to assimilate. For obvious language/cultuire reasons, assimilation is easier for people from some countries than from others. I don't think Canadians are any more racist than Britons.

LadyTyger

Interesting thread!

I must say as a Brit with Nigerian heritage (I along with my brothers were born and raised in London, Eng) when I first came here I most definitely felt and sensed the 'never left this town' mentality.

People would stare at me when I first arrived here. Being in a town where I am the only Black (3 in total) female coupled with an 'accent', the initial response from a lot of people was stares and whispers.

Having been brought up in a mulitcultural neighbourhood it didn't bother me. (Used to getting these stares whenever I travelled overseas to Europe, more so than in the States -shrugs-) The only thing that I know and bothers me is that (currently I volunteer in a craft store where I paint ceramic pieces) there are times when some people will come into the store and walk out AFTER seeing me -lol- I just think it's their problem not mine

Funny though as soon as I open my mouth people want to be around me to hear my 'accent'

Let's see what will happen when I get Residency and apply for work!


LT


----Never fall for a tennis player, love means nothing to them----

prodigyking

I was 16 years old with a thick eastern-european accent when I settled in Southern Kentucky, USA. Man, could you ever chose a worst place to settle - one would think. The confederate flag waving, KKK mingling crowds would have had me for breakfast.

NOT TRUE at all.

I love it there. I went through high school, college, graduated worked, got integrated in the society. Yeah sure there were a few bigot people, but who cares. They didn't hurt my feelings. Actually they are usually the ignorant, has control over nothing group of people. Most intelectual people were very supportive and welcomed me to their community.

Now, having said that. I realize that most first generation immigrants took a lot of abuse coming in to North America through centuries. Remmber the Irish, the Italians, the Jews, the Polish.. etc etc.... That is OK. When you think of the dumps that you leave behind that abuse is nothing. I am getting ready to settle in Montreal, and I am not worried about any of this prejudice crap... BRING 'EM ON WILLY!

oceanMDX

Why would international news be included with local or national news? Think about it long and hard.

We watch international coverage on channels such as NewsWorld! Duh.

supernav

Ah, the myth and fantasy some of you folks live in! Canada loves immigrants. All is well. Every immigrant comes in and gets wonderful beautiful jobs and everyone holds hands.

Reality IS different:

if you live in a city with mainly immigrants (especially south asian) -- the "native born" Canadians despise them and curse them.

Don't believe me?

Ask any indian in Brampton, just off the plane, who's walked into a factory there and handed his application over to the white supervisor. He's treated with a sneer, rolled eyes, and an application in the garbage can 20 minutes later.

But canadian cities with low number of immigrants -- well, they love 'em!

I always find it hillarious how immigrants despise other immigrants. Especially when immigrants when into *their* neighbourhoods. I couldn't believe how racist the Jewish neighbourhood was when a bunch of jamaicans started buying houses in "their" neighbourhood a few years back in Toronto. All kinds of harassment started. But you won't hear about it in the news, cuz it's not "politically correct" to talk about immigrants harassing other immigrants.

btw: What *is* Canadian? If you say hockey, maple syrup and curling -- you obviously are still stuck in the 1920's White version of Canada.

-= nav =-

Glaswegian

I thought it was brand of beer??

simonhouse

You call that beer

dingbat

International news was included in most news sources I ever watched or read in the UK. Painful though the relevation surely is, the rest of the world (i.e outside North America) does exist and the events there do have an impact on national and therefore ultimately local events.....but as always you are entitled to your opinion.

Covenant

Nav, you may be right, but you cannot tar the entire Canadian nation with the racist label.

As you said, Its Immigrants, Black, White, Brown etc etc who also carry prejudice and mistrust of other communities, and racism is not just a white issue.

I have encountered the worst forms of bigotary ( I was atacked every week at secondary school in the East End of London), I have met racist attitudes from people from every ethnic origin, but I cannot dwell on these idiots, as I would be permanently scarred. I remember the many good people who have shown the utmost hospitality to a stranger in their midst.


Move on.

shriver9

In your own opinion, why do you think its the South Asians that, in general, are disliked? ( and not other asian ( chinese, japanese, korean) / west indian / south american communities )

Surely it cannot be due to the spicey odours emanating from their kitchens!!

Cheers.

Dr. Who

Hitler said he did not like Jews because they were sub-human, you suggest South Asian are not liked because of the smell of their cooking - so I guess this shows that any excuse for bigotry will do in a crunch mate! And therein is your answer.

The Doc

CalgaryAMC

I think you have misinterpreted shriver's post.

Unsurprising to see supernav, a known fool who is best ignored, involved in this controversy.

Racism exists in Canada as it exists in many countries, including the UK. The racism found in Canada does not, to my knowledge, have anything particularly unique about it.

Covenant

Agreed Calgary put any two tribes together whether its race, country, or socal class, and one will find things to dislike about the other. Its human nature.

Nav should read the 'Naked Ape'.

You can either bleet about how unjust the world is,( which damn it, it is!!!! ) or learn to accept that this is a part of human nature that no amout of legislation can change.

Bleech

WTF? Comparing somebody to Hitler just because they say something about someone's cooking???? Think on.

Glaswegian

That's where it starts ..... for some people seeing any sort of difference is enough to dislike someone.

Hitler used that basic aspect of human nature to do some social engineering in a country that was on its knees at the time.

Look at eastern europe, how could one half of a village wipe out the other half? Same thing in Africa with the Hutus and Tutsis - kill your neighbour and take thier property.

Canada is a very comformist society and there's a lot of very anal people around here and there are some very uncomfortable undercurrents.

I used to read the local rag until we got thoroughly PO'd with the continual whining and ranting about immigrants. There's lots of complaints about immigrants taking Canadians jobs, driving up the cost of housing, turning nice neighbourhoods into immigrant ghettoes, etc, etc. When someone commited a crime, the most important issue was to tell the reader that the criminal was an immigrant, where they had come from and how long they had been here.

Immigrants shouldn't get nice houses, shouldn't get good jobs and shouldn't have the freedom to roam around Canada - they should stay where they're put and stop complaining!!

I'm not joking, there was really a discussion about how the government should be allowed to tell you where you can live.

When my wife asked one her friends about these attitudes, she was surprised to hear that we could take any of it personally - after all, we're white and english speaking, it's not aimed at us, it's aimed at "them".

Calgary has a large park near downtown with a monument to commerate the Canadian government policy that blocked immigration from China for a large part of the 20th century - white Canadians didn't want swamped by Chinese immigrants.

Even when you have citizenship, the Canadian government maintains the right to send you home if they consider that you've done something especially bad. It doesn't get used very often, but it does get used.