Multiculturalism in Canada - Does it Unite or Divide?

jacee · July 12, 2014

I think we have a very, very, very few people who would fairly be termed 'xenophobic racist bigots'.

I believe the majority of those who are opposed to immigration simply feel themselves outnumbered and economically threatened by vast numbers of 'foreigners' who look, talk, and act differently than they do. As in point one, people feel more comfortable around those who are, more or less like them. When people suddnely find, in their own home town, that they can no longer find jobs very easily, because they can't speak a foreign language, that stores and restaurants are springing up all around them to cater to a 'foreign' clientelle, they can easily feel confused, helpless, and angry.

Most of these people would be friendly enough and welcoming towards 'some' newcomers. But I put it to you that feeling threatened by a huge wave of newcomers is a universal sentiment, and in many countries would have resulted in riots by now, not from the newcomers, but from the angry homegrown citizens. That includes all our main source countries, btw. I'd like to see the reaction in a Chinese city if suddenly hundreds of thousands of Africans and Asians started flooding into town, speaking no Chinese, and carrying on in their old ways.

I'm not aware of " hundreds of thousands of Africans and Asians" "suddenly" " flooding into town" anywhere in Canada ... where is that, Argus?

Aren't you exaggerating and catastrophying just a bit?

In my neighbourhood, a flood of Argus's would be a definite concern!

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-1=e^ipi · July 12, 2014

Except all those new people coming in need jobs, so for all the extra jobs produced, you have all these extra people in need of employment, all these people starting up businesses to compete with yours. Lots of economic actvity, sure, but how does it benefit ME, or for that matter, any other particular person who lives here NOW?

Argus, Canada has a very low population density and as a result we have significant economies of scale and could benefit on a per capita basis in the long run by increasing population. Public goods such as roads, national security, etc. would be much cheaper per capita with more people. Canada spends the 2nd highest percentage of its gdp on roads and transport infrastructure after Australia (we spend approximately 1.8%). More consumers and more producers would mean more competitive markets, which would lower prices (lack of competition is one of the reasons why Canadian prices are higher than American prices). There are many reasons why increasing Canada's population via immigration can be beneficial.

cybercoma · July 12, 2014

If you remove the term 'all' we could do that, but it doesn't sound like you realy have much of an interest in an honest conversation. You're from that school of thought which says there is no such thing as a Canadian culture and the term "Canadian" is merely a legal reference to anyone with the proper paperwork, correct?

That's what I thought.

dre · July 12, 2014

Argus, Canada has a very low population density and as a result we have significant economies of scale and could benefit on a per capita basis in the long run by increasing population. Public goods such as roads, national security, etc. would be much cheaper per capita with more people. Canada spends the 2nd highest percentage of its gdp on roads and transport infrastructure after Australia (we spend approximately 1.8%). More consumers and more producers would mean more competitive markets, which would lower prices (lack of competition is one of the reasons why Canadian prices are higher than American prices). There are many reasons why increasing Canada's population via immigration can be beneficial.

Yeah but they might speak a language Argus doesnt understand on the street!

jacee · July 12, 2014

Yeah but they might speak a language Argus doesnt understand on the street!

And move into his mangiacake neighbourhood!

WestCoastRunner · July 13, 2014

We would love to introduce Angus into our neighbourhoods. And I don't mean any disrespect. He would have a blast! We do have a lot of fun, regardless of our nationality.

WestCoastRunner · July 13, 2014

I agree that Angus brings forth very legitimate 'racist' arguments from canadians

i do hear them absolutely in the mainland\

WestCoastRunner · July 13, 2014

we have many racist english folks against asian folks

WestCoastRunner · July 13, 2014

im not sure how to address that, however, we have many inter raciall relationships as well

WestCoastRunner · July 13, 2014

Angus is not alone in his recognizant of racial intolerance in bc, however It is not as bad as he would like to believe

jacee · July 13, 2014

The first non-white face I ever saw in school was in grade 8.

How sad.

He was Lebanese, and I had no idea what he even was since I was completely unacquainted with non-whites up until that time. Have you seen what a school looks like today?

Yes it's wonderful! A mini-world.

And if you listen to the kids playing, they all sound the same ... Canadian.

And how rude of you to imply ... whatever "have you seen ... " is supposed to imply about a schoolyard of kids.

You're a bad example.

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Edited July 13, 2014 by jacee

jbg · July 13, 2014

Sometimes Im irked at some cultural habits, but it never goes to the "effin *****'s should pack and go home" I get irked at plenty of CDN cultural habits.

On the other hand I am quite pleased to be able to go to , be welcomes at, and enjoy the wide variety of culture that we have in Toronto.

I can go enjoy food, dress and other specific traits of various cultures on a weekly basis if I want and not a repeat once in a summers worth of trying. (not that I do of course...but I can)

Id have to say it has made us somewhat unique the world over and I like that.

In my office over half speak Chinese exclusively, phones are answered in Chinese, letters go out in Mandarin and Cantonese, and nary a problem. I work in a community that has signs almost entirely in Chinese, including shop signs etc.

Is it a problem? Not at all.

And when I go to my GF's house, well...shes spanish Filipino Chinese Jamaican. (and if you want a larf, close your eyes and listen to Jamaican patois only to open your eyes and they are all chinese speaking it)

Why is there no drive for these immigrants to learn English and French as well, and become Canadians while preserving some of their identity. They made the long and difficult journey for a reason, correct?

jacee · July 13, 2014

Why is there no drive for these immigrants to learn English and French as well, and become Canadians while preserving some of their identity. They made the long and difficult journey for a reason, correct?

People do what they choose in their own home.

It's not a big deal. Kinda cool.

What's it to you?

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Michael Hardner · July 13, 2014

Maybe you would - but the factors to be used are decided by math.

Michael Hardner · July 13, 2014

Maybe you would - but the factors to be used are decided by math.

cybercoma · July 13, 2014

Angus is not alone in his recognizant of racial intolerance in bc, however It is not as bad as he would like to believe

Who is Angus?

eyeball · July 13, 2014

Why is there no drive for these immigrants to learn English and French as well, and become Canadians while preserving some of their identity. They made the long and difficult journey for a reason, correct?

Because we live on a planet in a globalized economy that is replacing diversity with mono-culture - it's in our human nature to push back against that trend and we do that by identifying with our family, clan, culture, religion or whatever. This push back against multiculturalism is just another case in point.

The reasons immigrants made the journey are the same as they've always been, to become wealthier or less powerless or they followed their kids etc, being Canadian is just not as important as it's being made out to be. Some may choose to identify with the tribe that sees being Canadian as the end all and be all of everything but so what? Canada's not only gone global it's helped lead the charge.

waldo · July 13, 2014

Why is there no drive for these immigrants to learn English and French as well, and become Canadians while preserving some of their identity. They made the long and difficult journey for a reason, correct?

they were apparently looking for the "American dream" and they made a wrong turn! I'd suggest you look a lil' closer at your own (claimed) countries "ethnic enclaves" before presuming to pass judgement...

Argus · July 13, 2014

Argus, Canada has a very low population density and as a result we have significant economies of scale and could benefit on a per capita basis in the long run by increasing population.

I don't see how. We already have access to the US and Mexican markets through free trade. The largest nations in the world by population are also pretty much the poorest nations in the world. Economies of scale don't seem to be helping them very much. Meanwhile, small nations like Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Belgium are doing just fine, thanks.

As to our pouplation density, the majority of us live in a fairly narrow geographic strip near the US border. As such, I don't see how you can claim we have lots of room unless you are suggesting immigrants be forced to settle up north - which is unenforceable.

jacee · July 14, 2014

/toronto_business_owner_faces_deportation_to_congo_after_16_years_in_canada

This man's 'crime' was belonging to an opposition party. Doesn't seem right to deport him into danger for that.

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carepov · July 14, 2014

Maybe you did but I never heard anything about gay bashing back then. And what you're neglecting to understand is all those people you accept would have lynched Trudeau for wanting to make them into minorities in their own city -- most of them are still there. And unlike you, they're not all happy about it, and that's understandable.

The average law-abiding Canadian of the 70's and 80's is about as responsible as the average citizen of any country with similar human rights abuses.

No, I don't understand why people are upset about becoming "minorities". What difference does it make if you are a "minority", why are people unhappy about it?

Immigrants are a commodity, brought here for a purpose, in the same way employers hire employees. There is a reason employers are impressed with graduates of the best schools and collegs, and less impressed with graduates of poorer schools and colleges. They can be fairly confident in what they're getting with the former. Sure, there might be great engineers/doctors/lawyers from some podunk university, but they are much more confident those from Harvard and Yale will know their stuff.

World-class companies value their employees as people - not just "commodities". In the long run, the interests of employees and owners (immigrants and Canada) are complementary not competing.

A company would never rule out a candidate based only on their university.

We already do our best to select immirants based on the above. But as the governments own statistics are showing, despite our selection process, people from certain parts of the world are far more economically successful than immigrants from other parts of the world. This simply isn't deniable. And we don't owe the world a thing insofar as who we take in goes. The purpose of immigration is to benefit US.

Yes we can improve selection - just not the way you suggest.

We can also improve integration. One way to do this would be to be more welcoming to new Canadians.

Edited July 15, 2014 by carepov
fixed quotes

guyser · July 15, 2014

Why is there no drive for these immigrants to learn English and French as well, and become Canadians while preserving some of their identity. They made the long and difficult journey for a reason, correct?

"these' immigrants you reference ALL speak English. They couldnt work here if they didn't.

Whatever made you think this was so?

jbg · July 15, 2014

"these' immigrants you reference ALL speak English. They couldnt work here if they didn't.

Whatever made you think this was so?

The post I quoted said that some speak Chinese exclusively.

guyser · July 15, 2014

quote name="jbg" post="980954" timestamp="1405440380"]

The post I quoted said that some speak Chinese exclusively.

Ok, I see that it was and is miosleading, they do speak Chinese almost all day unless some of us english speakers are in there.

jbg · July 15, 2014

The post I quoted said that some speak Chinese exclusively.
Ok, I see that it was and is miosleading, they do speak Chinese almost all day unless some of us english speakers are in there.

That still doesn't change the fact that they're separating themselves from Canadian society. They may be able to speak English or French well enough to pass immigration's rather lax standards. That doesn't mean they have insinuated themselves into the culture.

As far as immigration's standards I have taken the online versions of the tests of Canadian history and geography. I pass with flying colors.