Canadian Immigrant Magazine December 2014

DECEMBER 2014 I FREE

ARRIVE. SUCCEED. INSPIRE.

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT Young, Muslim leader Nadia Kidwai is getting people to talk in Winnipeg

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DIVERSITY DEBATE: multiculturalism in Canada Is Canada closing its doors on international students?

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UPFRONT

CONTENTS 4 | OUR TAKE/YOUR TAKE 6 | FUSION

›› PROFILE: Marathon man Martin Parnell ›› NATIONAL BRIEFS ›› CANSPEAK: English sayings explained

26 | SETTLEMENT

›› IMMIGRATION LAW: International students shut out? ›› LIFE LESSONS: All in good time

Cover Photo by Nilufer Rahman

REGULARS

10 | SUCCESS STORY SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT

28 | LIVING

Winnipeg-based Nadia Kidwai uses the power of conversation to connect communities

›› Snow sports

30 | BACK PAGE

›› TOP TIPS: Advice from our Top 25 ›› HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO

20 |

14 | FEATURE

ONE DIVERSE NATION Multiculturalism continues to raise many questions, namely, is it unifying Canada … or dividing it?

›› ›› ›› ››

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UPFRONT

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2014

our take Year in review

Group Publisher Gautam Datt Sharma

I can’t believe it’s December already! The year seems to have just flown by. Not only was it the year that the magazine turned 10 years old, and our RBC Top 25 Awards were held for the sixth year in a row, but it was the year we officially landed in Alberta, with a more tangible print magazine presence and our signature immigrant expo, the Career, Education & Settlement Fair in Calgary. The fair also returned to Toronto (for the fourth year) and Vancouver (for the second).

This holiday season, we also have an online Christmas Cash Contest at canadianimmigrant. ca, with a chance to win a $100 gift card to help you out with your holiday expenses! And we have exciting things planned for 2015 as well, includ-

Director – Business Development Sanjay Agnihotri Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com Creative Director & Editorial Design Safi Nomani snomani@metroland.com Digital Media Developer Kamil Mytnik Advertising Sales Sr. Ad Manager (B.C. and Alberta) Alla Gordeeva alla@canadianimmigrant.ca Tel: 778 558 3397 Sr. Ad Manager (Toronto) Ricky (Kawaljit) Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170 National Sales Manager Varun Munjal vmunjal@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8169 Sales Events & Marketing Coordinator Laura Jackman ljackman@metroland.com General Inquiries: info@canadianimmigrant.ca Circulation/Distribution Inquiries: ljackman@metroland.com ISSN 1910-4146

Subscription rate in Canada: $36 plus HST for 12 issues Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher

Publications mail agreement number: 40065097 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 3145 Wolfedale Road Mississauga, Ontario, L5C 3A9 Printed on recycled paper.

Toronto Circulation 50,000 copies Vancouver Circulation 30,000 copies Calgary Circulation 3,000 copies Canadian Immigrant is published monthly and distributed free throughout Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. Canadian Immigrant welcomes submissions, but is not responsible for unsolicited material. Canadian Immigrant is a publication of Metroland Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.

Entire contents property of Canadian Immigrant.

canadianimmigrant.ca TORONTO 3145 Wolfedale Road, Mississauga Ontario, L5C 3A9 Tel: 905 273 8111, Fax: 905 277 9917 VANCOUVER 793 8th Street East North Vancouver, BC, V7L 2A1 Tel: 778 558 3397

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ing a renewed commitment to our Top 25 awards, sponsored by RBC, and our Career, Education & Settlement Fairs, sponsored by Scotiabank. The fair will return to all three cities it’s been held in previously, and maybe a new city to be announced soon!

It’s now time for us to look back, re-energize and begin a whole new year, with fresh ideas and a renewed vigour — after all, isn’t the end of one year and the start of a new one the perfect time for this?

Happy holidays, everyone!

Margaret Jetelina Editor, Canadian Immigrant “LIKE” US ON

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your take A journey to remember

like wolves, as in my imagination they definitely It was on Jan. 20, l948, that I arrived in New York should be here. Everything was fascinating for me. on the S.S. Veendam. I cannot recall how I found Sleeping was a little uncomfortable, but it never my way from Hoboken to New York City, but I do bothered me. This was CANADA, the dream I had recall that I was invited by an old friend of my father, who took me for luncheon at the Dutch Club in the Rockefeller Plaza. I remember that this gentleman did not know what to do with me and he did his utmost to be entertaining. I was glad to be alone again as it was not my idea of going to a strange & help us buy gifts country and having lunch at such for kids in need an illustrious club.

I took the train to Montreal and I crossed the U.S./Canadian border at a small town in the province of Quebec. Since it is almost 50 years ago, there are vague points in my being there.

Where did I sleep, where did I go and eat, where did I walk? All very vague, but I do remember boarding CP Rail at Windsor Station in Montreal on my way to Vancouver. The train ticket took a large chunk of money out of my pocket. Sitting in the coach, one could have something to eat from the “news agent” as they were called. It often was a very dry and old sandwich. However, I did not To donate VISA, Amex, care whether or not it was good or bad. I enjoyed every minute of MasterCard or Discover the long trip.

Call: 416-869-4847 The first part went through Online: the wooded area of Northern Onwww.thestar.com/santaclausfund tario and I tried to spot animals

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dreamed of so often. Wide open spaces and only a handful of people.

I loved the Prairies, although monotonous. The sunsets over these endless snow-covered plains were breathtaking.

At stops I always stepped off the train to look at the stations and to see how they were loading and unloading freight and/or luggage.

The restaurant offered a little more variety of food, but unfortunately I had hardly any money left.

“All aboard,” the conductor yelled and you had to be fast to get on. I never wandered too far from my coach. Apart from that it was bitter cold and the trains were very comfortable.

Then we crossed the Rockies, which was awesome for one to see.

After three days and four nights, I arrived in Vancouver where I was met by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Brown, who had sponsored me through his old friend Dolf van Rechteren, who was a good friend of my brother-in-law, Buyze. Van Rechteren was a student in law in Leiden but always had interest in agriculture, He came to Canada before the Second World War and farmed in Pemberton and later in the Chilliwack area. Jack Brown and Dolf were both on the Board of the Fraser Valley Milk Producers Association.

When I had returned from the Far East to Holland in l947, I definitely thought Holland was too small for my taste and it was Dolf van Rechteren who got me to Canada. My background as a graduate of the Agricultural College in Groninten made it easy for me to get my immigration visa.

At one time during my life I felt too embarrassed to write a curriculum vitae; there were too many jobs for periods of time varying from three months to six years. In chronological order, I had the following jobs before retiring in 1986: l.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

farm labourer in Surrey, B.C. immigration official with the Province of Ontario labourer with Canada Packers, Toronto port reception officer with the Canadian National Railways farmer in Terrace and part-time logscaler with the Columbia Cellulose in Terrace trestle building for the railroad Terrace–Kitimat landscaper in Kitimat and Whitehorse, Yukon electrician on the construction of the new hospital in Whitehorse lugging boxes in a wholesale grocery warehouse in Whitehorse sales representative in Vancouver for McGuinness Distillery sales manager for McGuinness Distillery in Vancouver travel agent (charter department) with Travel Headquarters in Vancouver sales director with Transavia Holland at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam owner/manager of Doorman Agencies in Vancouver

… In l972, after having spent two years in Holland as sales director for Transavia Holland in Schiphol, we returned to Canada and settled back on our old l0-acre place in Haney (Maple Ridge). We had purchased this place in l964 and luckily we had the place rented out for during our stay in Holland. Luck was on our side when Ine [my wife] won the third prize in the Irish Sweepstake. A swimming pool was added to this little paradise and we all have the best of memories of this place. It is interesting to note that my dear wife Ine had never lived in the country but once she got the taste she never wanted to change back to the city. The children were brought up in the outdoors with lots of animals as there were cows, chickens, dogs, cats and horses. During the first years of our stay on this place, we all worked hard to get it in shape and I still see Ine moving heavy loads of dirt on a wheelbarrow as if she had done it her whole life.

In 1972, I also founded Doorman Agencies Ltd. (my brother Jan suddenly died of a severe heart attack and I was offered to take over the agencies he represented, as I had previously worked in that industry before for McGuinness Distillery, and knew how to handle the Liquor Board).

In l986, I retired from my business, while at the same time we sadly said goodbye to our farm when developments around us Celebrating 10 Years!

changed our surroundings too much. That same year we acquired l5 acres with house and other buildings in Silver Valley (Northern Maple Ridge) and up until now we have lived here in peace, until also new developments will eventually chase us out of here. We were able to reach the goal of a comfortable retirement. … Canada was the country of my dreams and with no bleeding heart I left Holland behind me. Years were tough, but free and with lots of breathing space. While my career (?) unfolded, it must have been very disappointing for my parents and especially my father to whom I wrote that I rejected his well-meant advice to return to Holland and to pursue a career in Europe. I only returned to Holland to work only temporarily in l970. By that time my parents had passed away and they never saw me in the position of sales director, which, of course, was a far cry from pickling pigs’ snouts.

Neither Ine nor I have ever regretted our decision to emigrate. We had our ups and downs in our daily struggle, but we never uttered one word of regret …

My feelings for Holland have never changed. My roots are there and they are still very strong and definitely have not deteriorated.

The love for my own country is still there and that is the way it should be. I am not less Canadian because of this. I am a happy and very fortunate man to be able to live in Canada, appreciate the so many good things of life here, yet to retain the love for my home country and to travel there as a tourist and enjoy the lifestyle over there. I have the best of two worlds.

A submission by G.M. (Ine) Doorman for her late husband, Rein Doorman (This is an excerpt of his writings; read a fuller version online at canadianimmigrant.ca.)

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introduced the PLAY (Promoting Life-skills in Aboriginal Youth) Program into more than 50 First Nation communities in Ontario and Manitoba. This is an area I would like to do something in.

news. people. events.

PROFILE

Can you tell us more about the 10 quests you just completed?

MARTIN PARNELL Marathon man

M

By Baisakhi Roy

artin Parnell is a man on a mission. Having completed more than 300 marathons to raise funds for educational programs for children, the British-born grandfather who lives in Cochrane, Alberta, loves to travel, run and raise awareness across the length and breadth of Canada — his home for the past 37 years.

You have run more than 300 marathons so far. What motivates you to go on?

So far I have run 349 marathons.

There are several reasons I keep going. Firstly I love running. When I’m travelling it’s a way for me to see places I wouldn’t otherwise go.

It keeps me in good shape both physically and mentally. Running time is meditation time for me. I don’t listen to music and it allows me to free think and sort things out. I also use it as a tool to fundraise for Right To Play (RTP), the humanitarian organization that empowers children in disadvantaged countries by way of sports programs.

You also started a related ini-

tiative called Quests for Kids?

The idea for Quests for Kids was born after a trip to Benin in West Africa. I had travelled over there in June 2011 on the invitation of Right To Play to visit some of the children I had fundraised for during Marathon Quest 250. My travelling partners were Heather Moyse, Canadian Olympic Gold medalist in bobsled, and Caroline Ouellette, Canadian Olympic Gold medalist in women’s hockey. The impact of the RTP programs on the children blew me away and I knew I wanted to do more, so I came up with the idea for Quests for Kids, 10 quests in five years, raise $1 million for RTP and help 20,000 children. As of late October, I completed the 10 quests, and have raised $650,000 for RTP.

You’ve been in Canada now for many years, but can you tell us about when you first immigrated?

I arrived in Canada in the fall of 1977. I had just completed my mining engineering degree at the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall, U.K., and had accepted a job at the Sullivan mine in

Yes, I just finished my 10th and final quest, Canada Quest for Kids. In it I attempted to visit 10 universities and break 10 Guinness World Records in 25 days. I drove across Canada from Squamish, B.C., and ended up at St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Alberta-based Martin Parnell is a retired mining professional who runs marathons for a good cause and has become a sought-after motivational speaker and author of the book, Marathon Quest.

Kimberley, B.C. I had worked the previous summer at the Pine Point open-pit mine in the Northwest Territories. Living in Kimberley was amazing. I had learned to ski in England, but in Kimberley I could ski the whole winter. I also learned to play ice hockey and my new friends introduced me to the pleasures of a natural hot springs.

The main thing I noticed about living in Canada is the size of the country and the open space.

What other impressions do you have about Canada?

I’ve now been in Canada 37 years and visited many parts of this great land. The people are different wherever you go, from the laidback western Canadians to the down-to-earth easterners. I spent four years in Yellowknife and I find northern Canada fascinating. I have a number of friends from First Nation communities and the situation that they find themselves and their children in is unacceptable. Right To Play has

Tell us a bit more about those world records!

When I started my 10th quest at Quest University in Squamish, there we set a Guinness World Record for the largest game of volleyball. Then it was on to the University of Calgary for a game of quidditch, and up to the University of Alberta for tunnel ball.

It was then a four-day drive in the “Questmobile” across the Prairies and around the Great Lakes to London, Ontario, and Western University for a 100-metre dash relay.

Short drives took me to Wilfrid Laurier University for European hand ball and University of Toronto for ball hockey. Continuing to Montreal and McGill University for love clap and onto the Maritime provinces to the University of New Brunswick for capture the flag, Mount Allison University for ultimate frisbee and Newfoundland to Memorial University in St. John’s for ice hockey. We’ve set nine new Guinness World Records out of 10.

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FUSION

CANSPEAK Canada >> Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander tabled the Government of Canada’s annual immigration plan on Oct. 31, and it features the highest planned level of admissions in recent history — 260,000 and 285,000 new permanent residents in 2015.

Canada >> Important changes to the Live-in Caregiver program have been made, including the end to the live-in requirement. Some caregivers in health care occupations will also be able to gain their work experience in either in-home care or a health-care facility.

Here are a few holiday expressions to get you through a Canadian Christmas.

Don’t be a Scrooge

In the classic book, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, title character Ebenezer Scrooge was a stingy, selfish person before he finally understood the meaning of Christmas and giving. So “Don’t be a Scrooge” means don’t be cheap with money.

Trim the tree

New Brunswick >> Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick Katherine d’Entremont says more needs to be done to ensure 33 per cent of new immigrants to the province are Francophone; currently they make up only 12 per cent of immigrants. Francophones comprise about 33 per cent of New Brunswick’s population.

While this may literally mean trimming/cutting your Christmas tree so it’s neat, today it also implies hanging lights and fully decorating your tree. You may even hear of “tree-trimming” parties, although usually it is a tradition for families to decorate the tree together.

Saskatchewan >> Saskatchewan’s economy is producing the fastest rate of employment growth and lowest unemployment rate in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. “Our strong economy continues to give confidence to employers who, in turn, are deciding to expand their workforce,” said Jeremy Harrison, minister responsible for Immigration, Jobs, Skills and Training.

Have a cup of cheer

A term often used for special holiday drinks, often containing some liquor or spirits, a cup of cheer is more than just a drink, but an encouragement to enjoy oneself.

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CORPORATE PROFILE

ENGINEERING CAREERS

How international engineering graduates become licensed to practise in Canada

By Denise Hansen

T

hirty-two-year-old Ezinne Ogbu laughs wistfully as she remembers the confusion and frustration that accompanied her every step when she first decided to embark on the journey to becoming a licensed engineer in Canada two years ago.

“I was a mess of paperwork and information; I was reading websites and forums religiously, listening to friends and family back home in Nigeria, and just seeking out anyone who could provide me with insight about what it takes to become a professional engineer after immigrating to Canada,” says Ogbu who arrived in Canada in 2012.

Every year, Canadian provincial engineering licensing organizations process about 7,500 applications from international engineering graduates, one of the highest rates for any regulated profession. But it can be a confusing process for newcomers like Ogbu.

Recognizing this reality, Engineers Canada, the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial associations that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada, launched a website last year to “provide a single source of information” for international engineering graduates looking to become licensed engineers here in Canada. The Roadmap to Engineering in Canada (newcomers.engineerscanada. ca), unlike the information sources Ogbu encountered, outlines the licensure process in an organized and understandable way.

Ogbu says the Roadmap website would have definitely been a big help to her when she started the licensing process.

“The Roadmap website has information on a range of topics, such as how to prepare before coming to Canada, comparing your education to a Canadian education, obtaining a licence to practise engineering, finding the right employment, fitting into the Canadian engineering profession, and immigrating to Canada,” explains Doris Yee, practice lead, special projects, Engineers Canada.

First steps for an immigrant engineer

Because Engineers Canada is not actually Celebrating 10 Years!

involved in the licensure process — it only acts as the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial associations that do regulate the practice of engineering in Canada — the first step for all prospective professional engineers in Canada is to contact the provincial or territorial engineering association in the province or territory in which they wish to practise.

In general, to obtain a licence, prospective engineers must meet requirements in the following areas: education, work experience, language, good character, and professionalism and ethics.

When you apply to for a licence to practise in Canada, the provincial or territorial association you apply to will confirm that academically, you hold the equivalent of a Canadian four-year undergraduate degree in engineering and that professionally, you have at least four years of engineering work experience, including one year of engineering work experience gained in Canada or under the supervision of a Canadian professional engineer.

You must also demonstrate proficiency in either English or French; provide professional and personal references that advocate for your good character; and you must pass the Professional Practise Examination, which tests your knowledge of the laws that affect the engineering profession, the professional standards to which a professional engineer is held accountable, and ethical standards in Canada.

The time it takes to complete all the requirements depends on the individual, so the earlier the required documents are gathered and submitted, the better. Prospective immigrants may even be able to start the application process by preparing paperwork before coming to Canada.

“It could take up to a year for a provincial or territorial association to assess your qualifications after receiving all of your required documents,” explains Yee, adding that in some cases, an association may require you to take further steps such as an examination or obtaining more education.

“Typically, the rest of the application process can take an additional two to five years,” says Yee.

Canadian experience required

For Ogbu, the most frustrating part of the process was gaining the required one-year Canadian work experience.

“How could I gain Canadian work experience without Canadian work experience!” she says exasperatedly, recalling her catch-22 dilemma. Eventually, Ogbu networked with a friend of a friend who was a professional engineer in Calgary and connected her with a job in the field.

“It was a stroke of great luck … or networking,” says Ogbu, who is now working for a medium-sized engineering firm in Winnipeg. Although she says she is still in the process of receiving her full professional engineer designation (she is currently titled an engineer-in-training by her provincial licensing association), she loves her job and is looking forward to becoming fully licensed.

Like Ogbu, you can work in engineering in Canada even if you haven’t been licensed, as long as you are supervised by a professional engineer (P.Eng.). An engineer-intraining title indicates that the first step in the licensing process has been completed, i.e., the academic and good character requirements. People with an engineer-intraining membership are working toward gaining the four years of engineering work experience they need — including one year in Canada — to become licensed professional engineers. As a P.Eng., you take full responsibility for your work.

“Understand the engineering landscape in Canada,” advises Yee, to internationally trained engineers just beginning the journey of licensure. “Start by getting an overview of the profession and then contact the provincial and territorial engineering associations directly for more accurate information about licensure. Gather as many details as you can to demonstrate your engineering education, work experience and documentation for all of this before you apply.”

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Winnipeg-based immigrant Nadia Kidwai uses the power of talking to connect communities PHOTOS BY NILUFER RAHMAN

Photo by Nilufer Rahman

BY NOA NICHOL

10 canadianimmigrant.ca

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SUCCESS STORY

N

adia Kidwai loves to talk — and to listen. She knows how powerful face-to-face conversations can be, particularly in a world that’s increasingly connecting within a “onceremoved” environment created by technology and social media.

“It seems for many of us things like email and Facebook, texting and Twitter play a big role in how we communicate with each other,” Kidwai says. “But how many of us take the time to make the space and find a place to have an actual, real-life conversation with someone we don’t know or someone from a completely different community? I’m not talking about small talk; I’m talking about the kind of conversation that can change your point of view, or change your way of thinking.”

A journalist and community leader, Kidwai leads such conversations today in her community of Winnipeg, Manitoba, but she started her immigration journey quite isolated.

The daughter of Pakistani parents, Kidwai was born and raised in the U.K., leaving her family home in Cardiff, Wales, at age 21 for Winnipeg with her husband.

“It was his fault I ended up here,” she jokes, before conceding, “I suppose falling in love with a Canadian guy makes me partially responsible, too.”

The bitter cold that defines a typical winter in central Canada was only the first in a list of harsh realities Kidwai faced as a newcomer. Though she’d visited the city and had family there, she says, “It’s one thing to visit and another to move here permanently.

Kidwai’s first placement was as an administrative assistant at an immigrant and refugee housing complex. She recalls, “I was so proud of the $12 honorarium I received every two weeks; it reminded me of my dad arriving in England with just £2 in his pocket. That job was also the place where I met my first friend — and got my first glimpse of the immigrant and refugee community of Manitoba, which soon became my niche.”

Using public transit to commute downtown, she adds, helped her to get out of the house and familiarize herself with the city, as well as regain that sense of independence she so desperately missed.

Soon, Kidwai started a new volunteer role with an Islamic social services agency, and was sponsored by the United Way of Winnipeg to take a brand-new community development course that was being offered by a local technical college.

“At first, the Oxford [University] snob that I am balked at the idea,” she reveals. “But from the very first day of class I realized all my perceptions were off. They were funding a lot of adults from lower-income backgrounds, many of whom worked for community organizations, making for a really diverse mix of people I wouldn’t normally encounter in my suburban neighbourhood. It really opened my eyes to this other reality of Winnipeg.”

Kidwai says that, in many ways, she “learned so much more from my fellow students than the teachers about real social justice issues.

That was the turning point for me, where I started to dive much deeper into social justice issues as well as multiculturalism.”

Each and every one of us has a responsibility to get out of our comfort zone, put ourselves out there, and ask and answer questions.

In other words, we all need to talk.”

For me, it wasn’t the language barrier, because I do speak English, albeit with a British accent. It wasn’t an issue of needing to transfer my education or skills, or having a lack of education or skills,” she says. “It was less tangible than that, but challenging in its own way.”

With no social circle to speak of, apart from her husband’s friends, Kidwai says “making those kinds of connections from scratch felt daunting — I actually had to consider how I would do it.

It couldn’t be at the office — I had no work permit, because I was in the process of immigrating. I had no car, and I’m a very independent person, so that was hard. And then that first winter here was very, very isolating. The challenge for me was finding my place here as an immigrant, carving out my own life in a new home, a new country, and becoming a part of the community.”

Her first step to achieving those goals, she says, was to “strategize.”

“I thought to myself, ‘This is a problem, so I’m going to sit down and solve it. If I can’t work, then I’m going to volunteer.’ And that’s the first thing I did: I hopped online to look for opportunities; I was willing to do an internship, anything, for free. At that point, it was all about getting out of the house and meeting people on my own initiative.”

Celebrating 10 Years!

In 2010, she became a founding member of the Canadian Muslim Leadership Institute (CMLI), a program that invites young Muslims to engage in self-discovery, explore what it means to work with others, and discover the power of communities coming together, sharing stories and building long-lasting bonds. She also scored an internship with the Government of Manitoba Multiculturalism Secretariat. The experience she gained during that time readied her for the “final piece of the puzzle” — a highly coveted unpaid internship with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

“Not only am I pretty loud and outspoken to begin with, I also happened to be the only Muslim woman at the CBC wearing a hijab and, post 9-11, I think they were looking for a voice to represent that community,” she says of the start of her journalism career. “I still think we need more Muslim journalists, so that we’re writing about ourselves rather than only being written about by others. And writing about other things, too.”

Indeed, her work with the CBC, which evolved into paid employment, afforded Kidwai the opportunity to contribute to many segments on local culture and diversity. She simultaneously began to write articles for the Winnipeg Free Press, and to facilitate tremendously popular Conversation Cafés — an initiative she December 2014

Canadian Immigrant

11

SUCCESS STORY Last year, she was chosen by the Literacy Partners of Manitoba as their 2013-2014 Reader in Residence, a role she feels honoured to have played, particularly as a mother of two boys.

“I remember the first word my son, Kaleem, read when he was four years old,” she says. “We were reading Where the Wild Things Are, and the word was the name of the main character, Max. It was such an amazing moment, and I can still remember it so vividly.”

For Kidwai, literacy is very much connected to the message of creating meaningful conversation: “Everyone has a story to tell.

Everyone has wisdom to share. Whatever your age, and regardless of your ethnicity or your background,” she says. “We also understand that we have something to learn from each other. But to do that we need to communicate and, more importantly, we need to listen to each other, really listen to each other.”

More specifically, Kidwai adds, “When we talk about newcomers, it may be about their deficiency — they can’t, they need and so on. But what about the fact that they brought a gift with them to share with Canada, that we can learn from them, that they have wisdom to share? Diversity and multiculturalism is wonderful in that it creates a space to exchange those types of ideas in a healthy way. No one has a monopoly on the truth; we have to accept that we all have a lot to learn from each other, and that each and every one of us has a responsibility to get out of our comfort zone, put ourselves out there, and ask and answer questions. In other words, we all need to talk.”

Photo by Nilufer Rahman

learned about at the CMLI — for the CBC. “A Conversation Café is basically a place for a hosted conversation amongst a diverse group of people — and let me be clear, I’m talking about real-life human beings sitting next to one another, not in front of a computer screen,” she says, adding that, when you put strangers, caffeine and ideas in the same room, brilliant things can happen.

“These cafés are about talking to one another, asking those questions you wouldn’t normally get the chance to ask, listening to one another, sharing our wisdom and stories with one another. [They] are one of the easiest and most effective ways of building bridges, not only between individuals, but also between communities,” says Kidwai, who has hosted cafés on topics like multiculturalism, aboriginal stories, bullying, and gender and violence.

“The groups are small, only about 10 people, but the beauty lies in the fact that they come from all walks of life. For example, people from affluent neighbourhoods and really poor areas of town, or refugee kids and aboriginal kids who’ve never been in touch before.

The whole point is about learning through dialogue, not debate. It’s amazing to sit these people down, paired up, facing each other and armed with three powerful questions that enable an open, honest discussion, and see all the walls get completely broken down within the first 10 minutes. People always want to talk, and they always leave with a completely shifted perspective. It’s magical.”

Kidwai’s work and community engagement is getting recognized.

Nadia Kidwai shows off Downtown Winnipeg’s most famous public meeting space, the Forks, located at the confluence of the Red River and Assiniboine River.

12 canadianimmigrant.ca

December 2014

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SOCIETY

One dive diverse rsenation

As an underlying concept of nationhood, multiculturalism continues to raise many questions, namely, is it unifying Canada … or dividing it?

By Mayank Bhatt

C

anadian multiculturalism, an experiment in nation-building launched more than four decades ago, has proven to be enormously successful in attracting people of all hues from across the world to make Canada their home.

But now that we’re all here (and still coming!), has multiculturalism worked the way it was intended by former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, under whom an official multiculturalism policy was adopted? Distinct from the melting pot integration of immigrants in the United States, Canadian multiculturalism is based on the principle of a mosaic, where immigrants retain their cultural identity, even as they willingly become an intricate part of a bigger picture. Since its introduction more than 40 years ago, Canadian multiculturalism has retained its vitality and is perceived to be a strong and durable plinth upon which our nationhood can steadily evolve.

However, Western Europe, where multiculturalism has also had a fairly fruitful run, seems eager to jettison the experiment, unable to cope with the resultant diversity; questions and doubts over multiculturalism as a policy for nation-building are being asked by policymakers, leaders, academics and the general public.

Should Canada follow suit? The questions and doubts have as much resonance in Canada as in any part of the world where immigration occurs. Has the Canadian concept of multiculturalism led to the creation

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of a “nation of several nations” instead of one multicultural nation?

Many solitudes

There are many responses to this debate, and none of them are easy.

However, the dialogue is important because for immigrants in general and newcomers particularly, it’s vital to understand the issue and consider the kind of Canada they will help build.

Katherine Govier, author and project director of the Shoe Project, an ongoing writing workshop for women who are new to Canada, believes, “multiculturalism gives Canada its unique identity, along with health care, tolerance, and a vast and beautiful landscape. Multiculturalism is what makes Canada distinct from all others.”

Delineating its evolution, Govier says, “Multiculturalism suggested quaint practices from the ‘old country’ when it was introduced in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. But gradually it has succeeded in altering our perceptions about our culture; it helped us evolve from the old British or the French idea of Canada.”

During the last four decades when multiculturalism has been an official policy in Canada, doubts have continually been raised about its value. Some Canadians genuinely fear that multiculturalism is undermining Canadian values without really replacing those values with any tangible alternatives. facebook/canimmigrant

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SOCIETY While there are innumerable reports that show that multiculturalism is working well in Canada, there are frequent reports on the still-subterranean but rising tension between newcomers and older residents. A recent Toronto Star report analysed the discomfort of Brampton residents, who, having lived there for generations, are now contemplating leaving the rapidly growing Toronto satellite over the increasing influx of South Asians. The Star reported that while Brampton’s population had more than doubled in the past two decades — going up from 234,445 in 1991 to 521,315 in 2011 — the population of white Canadians in Brampton actually declined from 192,400 in 2001 to 169,230 in 2011 — a loss of 12 per cent in a decade when the city’s population rose by 60 per cent. Is this tantamount to an anti-multiculturalism exodus?

This example appears different than the traditional ethnic enclaves like Chinatown that are common to societies that see a regular and steady influx of immigrants. Traditionally, these enclaves have helped newcomers establish roots in a new environment. Then, after attaining economic security, it is said that they often move on to a more integrated and diverse community. But, as examples such as Brampton show, many inhabitants prefer not to move out at all, rather staying rooted among a population of their own ethnicity.

A 2003 research paper by Feng Hou and Garnett Picot titled Visible Minority Neighbourhood Enclaves and Labour Market Outcomes of Immigrants published by Statistics Canada made some telling observations that continue to remain relevant in understanding the evolution of multiculturalism in Canada. Researchers Hou and Picot observe,

“The existence and expansion of ethnic enclaves — neighbourhoods with a substantial presence of minority populations — involves not just changes in ethnic composition, but it also creates a ‘social and symbolic centrality’ of a minority group for its members as well as for the dominant society. The emergence of ethnic enclaves often transforms the physical and social characteristics of neighbourhoods, challenges the ‘way of life’ established among long-term residents, and may generate tensions within local space.”

Question of citizenship

There has also been tension around the place of immigrants in Canada when it comes to citizenship. The federal government introduced policy changes earlier this year in the Citizenship Act to address some of the disquiet expressed over what it means to be Canadian. Among other things, the changes introduced in June 2014 stipulate a longer period of physical presence by permanent residents to gain citizenship; while earlier it was three out of four years, under the new rules it has been changed to 183 days during four out of six years before an immigrant can apply to become a citizen. Unlike earlier, when people could leave Canada after acquiring citizenship, the new provisions also necessitate permanent residents to continue living in Canada after acquiring citizenship.

But perhaps the provision that has caused the most controversy, especially among human rights advocates, is the power that the government has to revoke citizenship of people holding dual citizenship and are found guilty in terrorism or treason cases. These changes have found its supporters as well as its critics.

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SOCIETY Another recent policy announcement on the federal government’s “zero tolerance for barbaric cultural practices,” namely as they relate to violence against women, also raises the question whether such policy initiatives are xenophobic, creating an “us versus them” mentality.

Multiculturalism without integration?

However, mere policy changes won’t necessarily make multiculturalism more or less meaningful. Sandeep Agrawal, professor and inaugural director, planning program, Urban Environment Observatory, University of Alberta, is of the view that multiculturalism is a multi-faceted notion, beyond a simple discussion of culture. “Meaningful multiculturalism should have an economic dimension to it, and not restrict itself to a cultural or social dimension, although those are vital, too.”

He believes that multiculturalism becomes much more effective in the context of proper integration. He says it’s critical that the government facilitates newcomers’ integration into the Canadian mainstream by creating awareness of the benefits of acquiring the skills necessary to thrive in Canada. “Equally, it is the responsibility of newcomers to better acquaint themselves with the Canadian values, and endeavour to integrate themselves swiftly into the Canadian mainstream,” he says.

Many of Agarwal’s empirical research studies have shown that the main factors that determine and influence newcomer integration into the Canadian mainstream are age, language and education. “If you immigrate between the age of 15 and 30, if you learn and master English, if you have an education in natural sciences as opposed to social sciences, you do much better,” he says.

which is about understanding differences, and creating a value system that encompasses differences respectfully into a cohesive identity.”

Based on the results of such studies, it doesn’t appear that Canada will drop the notion of multiculturalism any time soon, and it is in immigrants’ interest to focus upon the benefits of connecting beyond ethnicity. But there is a sense that it needs to be periodically evaluated and modified to suit changing needs.

Monahan advocates an honest assessment. “Honesty will ensure that we’re able to acknowledge the good, the potentially good, and the existence of huge gaps in the practice of multiculturalism in Canada.

We must accept that differences often lead to a better society,” he says.

According to Agrawal, “Canada’s multicultural ethos is based on the constitution. It is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988, so the talk of changing it or altering it would necessarily mean changing the constitution, and I don’t see that happening in a hurry.”

“But, with any major policy that has a deep and constant impact on the fabric of the society, it is important to constantly re-evaluate the policy,” says Govier. She feels that problems such as segregation and ghettoization resulting from multiculturalism exist, but are temporary. “Multiculturalism should lead to a more cohesive society. If there are [concentrations of immigrants in one community or another], I think it’s a transitional phase. Eventually, there is more mingling of people from all over, with Canadians who have been here for generations. This starts happening with the second generation of immigrants.”

And that’s no doubt the original vision of multiculturalism in Canada.

Leaders of multiculturalism

Respecting differences

Even as debate continues regarding the value and the meaning of multiculturalism, there is no denying that, as a concept, most Canadians prefer multiculturalism in its present form to other alternatives. According to a survey conducted for the Torontobased Mosaic Institute, eight out of 10 Canadians agree with the following: • It is important to respect people who are different from you even if you don’t agree with their views or choices.

• Canadians should be proud that many different cultural and ethnic groups live and work here in harmony.

Nearly as many also felt that, “I consider myself Canadian first and foremost; any identification I might have with an ethnic, cultural or religious community is of secondary importance to me.”

John Monahan, executive director of the Mosaic Institute, says, “The concept of multiculturalism is not merely about diversity, which has a quantitative dimension, but it is more importantly also about pluralism,

18 canadianimmigrant.ca

December 2014

While many correlate former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau as the person behind multiculturalism, the late senator Paul Yuzyk (1913-1986) is actually considered the father of Canadian multiculturalism.

Born in Saskatchewan in 1931 of parents who had emigrated from Ukraine, Yuzyk faced discrimination despite being born and raised in Canada. He qualified as a teacher, but wasn’t hired as one because of his Ukrainian roots. He was told he was a “foreigner,” and could not be trusted with the future of their children.

Yuzyk, who later worked as a director of the Ukraine National Youth Federation (UNYF) orchestra and as a professor of history at the University of Manitoba, was known to have said: “If they called me a foreigner when I had been born in Canada, it meant Canada needed some changing.”

And he helped to do just that after he was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1963. A year later, he articulated the concept of multiculturalism in a speech in Parliament.

Throughout the 1960s, Yuzyk advocated multiculturalism (as opposed to the then prevalent philosophy of biculturalism), and it bore fruit when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announced the first policy of multiculturalism on Oct. 8, 1971, and then, a day later, addressed Ukrainian Canadians at a Ukrainian Canadian Congress convention in Winnipeg.

Senator Yuzyk remained in the Senate until his

death in 1986, and, during the 1970s and 1980s, championed the cause of human rights in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

In 2009, the federal government instituted the Paul Yuzyk Award for Senator Paul Yuzyk.

Multiculturalism.

The award commemorates his “pioneering legacy establishing multiculturalism as one of the fundamental characteristics of Canadian identity.”

The award recognizes Canadian individuals and groups who have contributed to Canadian multiculturalism and diversity.

The 2014 winner, “Tatay” Tomas Avendano, was announced at a ceremony on Oct. 24 in Vancouver. Avendano immigrated to Canada from the Philippines in 1982, and in 2001, he helped found the Multicultural Helping House Society (MHHS). Avendano has acted as a bridge between Vancouver’s Filipino community and other cultural communities in the city.

The award recipient receives a certificate of honour and a grant of $20,000 is bestowed to a not-for-profit organization of the recipient’s choice. Avendano has chosen to direct the grant to the MHHS. facebook/canimmigrant /canimmigrant

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skills who love to hit the slopes may find their calling on the hill as a ski or snowboard instructor. In order to be hired as an instructor at a ski hill in Canada, you must be certified with the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (CSIA).

Level 1 instructors must be 15 years of age or older, an intermediate-level skier and pass a threeday course that provides instruction on ski teaching, technique and methodology, specifically focused on teaching children.

Advanced skiers who have passed the level 1 certification can move on to level 2, which allows instructors to teach adults, kids and intermediate-level skiers. There are four levels in the CSIA’s certification process, though Miranda Sorensen, chair of CSIA Ontario, says the majority of instructors who fill seasonal positions have a level 1 or 2 certification.

According to Sorensen, level 1 ski instructors can expect to earn between $11.50 to $13 per hour, while level 2 instructors can expect to earn $13 to $15 per hour, and level 3 and 4 instructors can expect $20 to $30 per hour.

ski or snowboard are preferred at Whistler Blackcomb as there are many lifts on the mountain that have to be skied to. These positions are very physically demanding and require you to spend the day outdoors in all-weather conditions. With the exception of lift operators, who are typically paid minimum wage, positions in ski hill operations can pay upwards of $12 per hour.

Ski patrol

If you love skiing all day long, you may wish to be a ski patroller. Patrollers are responsible for ensuring the safety of all skiers by monitoring trails for hazards and ensuring everyone is behaving appropriately on the hill. This position requires a first responder certification in addition to first aid and CPR. Ski patrollers must be able to react quickly while remaining calm under pressure and be able to work in a physically demanding environment under harsh winter weather conditions.

At Blue Mountain, ski patrollers can earn $12 to $15 per hour,

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Ski hill operations

Even if you aren’t comfortable on skis but love spending time outdoors, you may find work as a lift operator, snowmaker or be part of the grounds and trail maintenance crew. Lift operators typically don’t require any experience, although those who can

While some ski hills such as Blue Mountain don’t require employees to live on-site, others, like Whistler Blackcomb that are located in more remote areas, have on-site residences for employees.

Dorm-style staff housing at Whistler Blackcomb accommodates more than 1,000 seasonal staff. The accommodation is subsidized, costing around $330 a month including internet, heat and cable. While these positions are highly sought after for single individuals between the ages of 18 and 25, they may not be suitable for individuals with families.

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December 2014

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B

eing an inclusive workplace used to mean sending out secular Happy Holidays greeting cards and changing the name of office Christmas parties to “festive gatherings” or “holiday get-togethers.” In an effort to be culturally sensitive, diversity working groups felt it best to remove any blatant references to Christmas by doing away with the tree and Santa décor.

“In our effort to be inclusive, a lot of workplaces stopped celebrating events all together and avoided putting up any [holiday] décor,” says diversity specialist Ritu Bhasin, founder of Bhasin Consulting Inc. Today, however, workplace diversity coaches are encouraging companies to use the holiday season to build greater awareness and understanding of each other’s cultures. “It’s not about asking or expecting people who have certain traditions or values to drop those. It’s about how do you maintain those at the same time as enriching them through the participation of other activities or decorations that are symbolic

Bring down the tree?

Hosting an inclusive holiday party is a matter of adding, not taking away

By Lisa Evans

[of other cultures]?” says Jennifer Lynn, executive coach at Diversity Advantage International.

Annual office holiday parties are also valuable in that they can provide terrific opportunities to step back from the day-today task-based interactions and deepen social bonds among coworkers.

The issue with the annual Christmas party, says Bhasin, is not the word “Christmas” in the title, but the way that other cultural celebrations are handled. “I don’t have an issue with calling a party a Christmas party if, during the rest of the year, the office hosts other festivities to celebrate Diwali or Chinese New Year or Eid,” she says. Of course, in an office with employees representing a dozen or so cultures, monthly

celebrations may not be possible.

In that case, Bhasin and Lynn say, an end-of-the-year bash that incorporates all cultures represented in the office may be a nice idea.

To spice up your office’s holiday celebration, try adding inclusive activities to your festivities. For example, you could incorporate decorations or Christmas tree ornaments representing everyone’s heritage. Or you could encourage your employees to play DJ; sure, “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman” are must-haves on any holiday playlist, but it could be fun to include holiday songs from other cultures in the mix.

And let’s not forget about food.

Nima Noori, CEO and founder of the Toronto-based company TorontoVaporizer, knows food is

the key ingredient in any festivity, which is why he has made it the focus of his company’s holiday party.

When Noori first immigrated to Canada as an international student from Iran, he was invited to a traditional office holiday party.

“There was a tree, cinnamon coffees and we all went to the CEO’s house and had dinner there,” he says. “But I felt I had to learn more about [Canadian Christmas traditions] in order to be part of it,” he says.

When he founded his company five years ago, he aimed to make the holiday celebration more inclusive and invited his 15 staff, who represented nine different cultures, to add their own individual flavour to the event by bringing a traditional holiday dish to the company potluck. The mix of Trinidadian pasteles, Mexican bacalao, Indian butter chicken, Vietnamese Pho and Portuguese custard tarts was delicious, but even more important was the sharing of each other’s cultures.

“It sparks a whole lot of conversation,” says Noori.

Break the wall. Improve your English.

Download FREE English lessons at www.breakthewall.alberta.ca Celebrating 10 Years!

December 2014

Canadian Immigrant

23

| J O B S E A R C H S T R AT E G I E S |

Strategic learning If you’re a jobseeker going back to school, make your education choices valuable ones for a full program or degree; you may just need to polish the skills you already have, taking one or two strategically chosen courses.

So, what makes a course “strategic”?

• The course is offered by a well-known Canadian institution that has a good reputation in the field you want to enter.

• The course is advanced and adds to your education and experience.

• There is a high likelihood that both the instructor and the classmates are already working in or are connected with the industry, which can help you with networking.

• The institution may accept your degrees and experience through a process call Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), which is important if the course you want to take has prerequisites.

• The course may have a co-op or practicum component. Whether paid or unpaid, such work placements can provide you with practical experience and networking opportunities.

Choosing courses

I

n my work as a career counsellor, I receive many inquiries about the value of pursuing further education in Canada. Many newcomers to Canada are convinced that pursuing another certificate, a master’s degree or even a PhD will help them to be fully recognized in Canada.

More education may help or it may not help at all. As a fan of lifelong learning myself, I always tell my clients that it is not the “certificate” itself that will make a difference in their careers or job search; it is the value of the education experience. There are many benefits we obtain from pursuing education, from making valuable connections to classmates and instructors, to updating our skills to the Canadian context, to boosting our enthusiasm for our careers.

But going back to school can also hurt you, by creating a gap in your work experience, by the high cost of studies and by choosing a course of study that may be saturated in the labour market once you graduate (i.e., traditional journalism students, just don’t bother!).

What employers care about

The truth is that Canadian employers are not as interested in which certificates you have as which skills you have; the question is: are you able to do the job?

That being said, if you have a Canadian education credential on your resumé, Canadian employers will pay more attention to you as it likely means that: • your English is good • your skills are fresh • you are proactive • you are investing in your career success

Strategic education

Choosing to further your education has to be strategic: carefully selecting where and what to study, and considering it as an investment will help you make a good decision.

The key is, if you already have a degree (or, as is the case for most newcomers, more than one!), you may not need to go back to school

24 canadianimmigrant.ca

December 2014

To help you determine if a course or a program of study will be strategic for you, do plenty of research before signing up. Talk to college admissions offices and attend their information sessions about what the school has to offer, but also get recommendations from people already working in the field. Carefully review job postings you’d like to apply for to see their requirements, too.

There are many options out there, so my best advice for jobseekers is: “be strategic.”

Learning online for free

Looking for a less formal learning opportunity? Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an interesting emerging option. These free courses, offered by some of the best universities in the world, are a trend that promises to change the world in post-secondary education; MOOCs offer an option to those who want to explore new topics, upgrade their skills in an area they already know, or earn a verified certificate that can boost their careers.

MOOCs are slowly being recognized by some employers and some courses offer a paid option (between $30 and $90) called “signature track,” through which you can earn a fully recognized certificate of completion (but no university credits).

While MOOCs may not provide some of the features you would get from attending a Canadian institution, they help you to stay updated and open your horizons to new trends and information, not only in your field, but many other areas of information. For example, a certificate in “sustainability” from a well-known university (obtained through a MOOC) can definitely boost the career of engineers, technologists, architects and agriculturists, among others.

Adding a “strategic” MOOC to your resumé shows you are innovative and open to learning new things.

Argentine-born Silvia Di Blasio studied and worked in Venezuela for many years. She currently works as a certified career development practitioner in Surrey, B.C., and volunteers for many community organizations in her spare time. facebook/canimmigrant

@canimmigrant

| C AREER COACH |

In between jobs?

J

Prepare yourself during your time off in these 10 ways

ust landed. Unemployed.

Underemployed. Right-sized.

Retrenched. Whatever the term being used to describe your current professional status, it is clear that you are “in between jobs.”

With time gaps in your resumé now more the norm than the exception, you need to pay attention to how you spend the time in between jobs. It is important to fill the gaps with activities that illustrate how you productively utilized your time and engaged in acquiring career-focused experience.

If you agree that success happens when preparation meets opportunity, here are 10 tested ways to strengthen your skills and lure those opportunities.

agers not only look for candidates with skills, but also for people with character and integrity.

And, needless to say, each moment spent out of your home and in the company of others opens up new possibilities for you in the real world.

means to do it, it’s a great resumé booster and a wonderful marketing tool. The beauty of having your own business is that you can work part time or full time depending on whether or not you are able to land a job working for someone else.

2. Volunteer

Volunteering gives you the edge in the marketplace in more ways than one. When you volunteer, it shows that you are passionate about helping others. Hiring man-

7. Make new connections, build references online

Build and expand your network of contacts through social media and professional organizations.

Let the people in your network know that you’re in the job search mode. Understand the value of offering potential employers a variety of reference checks that can work in your favour.

8. Make your resumé and online profile keyword-rich

1. Take a temporary job

When you do a great job even if it’s at a temporary placement, you are more likely to be recommended for a permanent position.

Think broadly. You could make some connections and create income by working at a call centre, at a trade show booth, by project managing a college festival, tutoring students and more.

jobs” moment that a handful of us established the CAMP Network, today one of Canada’s leading associations for the marketing industry. If we can do it, so can you.

3. Attend networking events

This one seems obvious, and with an open attitude, networking is actually quite fun. Besides the obvious reason — you may find someone who may lead you to a job — you can embrace the opportunity to form new friendships.

4. Start your own business

Of course, starting a business can be a costly affair and timeconsuming. But if you have the

5. Start a professional blog

Starting a professional blog can be a good way to market yourself to employers. You get people to see you as an expert in your field. You are also conveying your passion, gaining knowledge and separating yourself from others. Potential employers will see you taking the initiative during your job search with a blog.

6. Join a professional association — or create your own

Many libraries and non-profit organizations often host groups for jobseekers. These groups help people gain professional advice, make contacts and get muchneeded support. Or if you are open to the idea, this could be the perfect moment to explore and launch a professional-social network crucial to your industry.

It was in one such “in-between-

As you keep editing your resumé and LinkedIn summary, remember to add more useful key words.

With more organizations using electronic scanning devices to screen candidates, you can use specific phrases and words to make your resumé rank higher in employer searches.

9. Research and come up with new ideas

Whether it’s an idea for a marketing campaign, new revenue stream or possible cost savings, candidates who show up at an interview with ideas demonstrate that they are passionate about the company, excited about the opportunity and know how to be innovative and proactive.

10. Enhance your transferrable skills

Universally preferred skills include communication, interpersonal, teamwork and leadership capabilities. This could be the time to work on highlighting your transferrable skills prominently on your resumé and every online profile.

Indian-born Murali Murthy is owner of Vantage Copy, as well as a speaker, coach and best-selling author of The ACE Books — The ACE Principle and The ACE Awakening.

He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. See poweroface.com.

Celebrating 10 Years!

December 2014

Canadian Immigrant

25

SETTLEMENT | I M M I G R AT I O N L AW |

Canada turning back on international graduates

E

Options for students to immigrate permanently are narrowing

ach year, around 100,000 international students arrive in Canada to commence their studies. From 2005 to 2013, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) introduced many programs to make it easier for these students to obtain work experience in Canada after graduating and to transition to permanent resident status.

My May 2013 column for Canadian Immigrant detailed the ways in which post-graduate work permit (PGWP) holders could stay in Canada beyond the expiry of their PGWPs. In that article I wrote “some graduates regretfully lose their employment (and consequently jeopardize their permanent residence applications) if the employers are unable or unwilling to pay the required prevailing wage rates required for LMOs [labour market opinions], or if Service Canada refuses the applications because of insufficient recruitment on the employer’s part. There is no reason for this to be happening.”

Unfortunately for international students, that “there is no reason for this to be happening” is no longer the case, and the road for recent graduates to obtain permanent residency is becoming increasingly difficult.

Abolition of the PGWP-LMO

Prior to July 31, 2013, the process for employers of PGWP holders to extend the employment of their international graduates beyond the expiry of their PGWP was relatively straightforward. As long as employers committed to employing PGWP holders in skilled occupations, then Service Canada waived the prevailing wage and recruitment requirements which are generally required to employ foreign workers.

These rules were logical. International graduates are not like most temporary foreign workers who have resided in Canada. They have paid considerable tuition to study in Canada, have lived in Canada for several years and are already employed in Canada. Given this, it is unreasonable to force Canadian employers to conduct fresh recruitment for positions that hard-working international graduates already fill. Conversely, it makes sense to allow employers to pay international graduates filling entry-level positions the entry-level wage for the position.

Unfortunately, as a result of intense political and media pressure, both of these special rules for international graduates are now gone. An employer who wishes to extend an international graduate’s employment will have to go through the same recruitment and wage requirements as if the employer were hiring someone from overseas who has never lived in Canada.

Introduction of the LMIA

Even if an a recent and is Governnot find or perinternathen un-

26 canadianimmigrant.ca

employer is willing to pay graduate the median wage, able to demonstrate to the ment of Canada that it could any qualified Canadian citizens manent residents to replace the tional graduate, the employer will, der the new labour market impact assessment (LMIA) regime, still have to enter into a transition plan with the Government of December 2014

Canada to ensure that in the future it does not need to rely on any foreign workers, including international graduates.

Ineligible under the CEC

Many international students at post-secondary institutions and recent graduates are just starting to appreciate this new reality. Some are stunned that the Government of Canada is treating them this way.

They shouldn’t be. In November 2013, without prior warning, CIC announced that cooks, administrative officers, administrative assistants, accounting technicians and bookkeepers no longer qualified for the Canadian experience class (CEC). Many, if not most, of those affected were international graduates, who, in some cases had come to Canada to study in these areas, and who could not have anticipated that the Government of Canada would leave them stranded.

Worse under express entry

The situation for international graduates only appears to be worsening. In January 2015, CIC will introduce the express entry program, under which potential immigrants who are eligible to immigrate to Canada under the federal skilled worker program, the CEC, the federal skilled trades program or a provincial nominee program, will have to create an online profile where they will be ranked according to their skills, work experience, language ability, education and other details.

Despite qualifying under the above immigration programs, only the highest-ranked candidates, or those with qualifying offers of arranged employment, or those who are provincial nominees, will be able to apply for permanent residence.

As of writing, CIC has announced that employers will be required to obtain an LMIA in order for applicants to have qualified arranged employment under express entry. This, in effect, will mean that all international graduates who are not provincial nominees will need LMIA-based job offers to immigrate to Canada. As noted above, this has become increasingly difficult for the employers of PGWP-holders.

As well, considering that they are recent graduates, it is difficult to see how recent graduates will have the work experience necessary to rank higher than other applicants in the pool. It thus appears that many international graduates will be shut out of express entry.

Lobby the government

Word is only now just beginning to spread about how the Government of Canada has essentially abandoned international graduates.

The details of express entry are still being finalized, and hopefully CIC will introduce measures to accommodate the special circumstances of international graduates. Reintroducing the PGWP variations to the temporary foreign worker program is an obvious solution.

It simply does not make sense to treat international graduates the same as foreign workers who have never been to Canada. For almost a decade the Government of Canada recognized this, before overreacting to unrelated political and media pressure. It behooves international students and post-secondary students to counter this pressure, to lobby the government to recognize their spe- cial circumstances, and to preserve Canada’s reputation as a destination for international students.

Steven Meurrens is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact him at 604-6819887, by email at steven.meurrens@larlee.com or visit his blog at smeurrens.com. facebook/canimmigrant

@canimmigrant

SETTLEMENT | LIFE LESSONS |

All in good time Even if you put in the work, you might have to wait for the timing to be right

A

fter five years into my great Canadian adventure, I was finally a permanent resident and my career was beginning to reflect the thousands of dollars spent on international student tuition fees. My mum came to visit and I was relieved and ecstatic that she never once had to see me in my old steel-toed work boots.

Instead of a giant warehouse, I was able to give her a tour of my swanky new work digs — a television studio building in downtown Toronto!

For all intents and purposes, I was very satisfied as a freelance news editor and was loving every minute of it. As pesky human nature dictates though — when one level of needs or desires is satisfied, you want to move on to the next, higher level.

As I watched our hosts editing their footage, the lifelong theatre performer in me began to

get restless. I expressed interest in writing and reporting to the always encouraging producers at the channel. On the rare occasion that an on-air position was open, I tried my luck. It was a long shot considering I had zero prior experience. But the opportunity to demonstrate on-air presence and writing skills during the interview process was worth it!

Understandably, more experienced candidates were always chosen. With my over-achiever, Type-A personality, taking it in stride was difficult, but I survived and moved on.

Just as I started to reconcile my on-air ambitions to temporary insanity, the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) came to town in June 2011. All hands were on deck — and plenty more required — to prepare for the media blitz during the massive extravaganza.

Our intrepid producers threw my name into the ring and I found myself on the red carpet — part of a team providing live, pre-awards coverage — with next to nil oncamera experience. For a newbie, I’m told I held my own.

So a few months later, when a new show called V-Mix was being launched, they called on me again.

I landed the role of host and the rest is history.

It took what felt like an eternity for my dreams to materialize.

Fretting didn’t speed anything up — except the frequency of my migraines! All I could do was my best and then patiently watch things unfold. I had set the wheels in motion. The intentions were

out there, backed by hard work and dedication. The rest was up to various people, processes and timelines I had no control over.

As I have now come to realize — the elements hadn’t quite aligned themselves before that specific moment. V-Mix hadn’t been finalized yet and I hadn’t had my trial by fire on the red carpet.

When everything did finally come together, albeit a year later than I impatiently would have preferred, it clicked into place, smoothly and perfectly like matching pieces of a puzzle.

Life lesson no. 7 — timing is everything. Do the work, put in your time. Then allow time for it to work.

Indian-born Dilshad Burman came to Canada as an international student and is now the host of Omni Television’s V-Mix. She has plenty of life lessons to share with other young immigrants. See all her “Life Lessons” at canadianimmigrant.ca.

Skills Connect for Immigrants Meet employers in your field Free job search assistance Work one-to-one with an employment specialist Qualify for work in your profession Receive training subsidies Delivered in partnership with Abbotsford Community Services

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Canadian Immigrant

27

LIVING

Snow much fun!

Canadian winters offer plenty of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and forge connections with your new home country

By Lisa Evans

aul Cordova had lived in Canada for nearly 15 years before putting on his first pair of skates and taking to the Rideau Canal. “I went to Ottawa with my wife and some friends. I don’t like the cold. I’d never done skating before, but decided to give it a try,” he recalls.

While other new skaters around him were struggling to stay upright, Cordova, originally from Mexico, said standing in skates felt natural. “I walk on stilts all the time,” says the plaster man who does drywall and taping. He impressed everyone around him by bringing some Mexican flavour to the Canal. “I did a little bit of cumbia and salsa on the Rideau Canal,” he says.

Cordova thinks all newcomers should give Canada’s winter sports a try. “It’s a nice experience. Especially if you’re going to be in the country for as long as me,” he says.

The study surveyed 4,000 new citizens; 69 per cent who played sports within their first three years in Canada said they believed it helped them learn about Canadian culture.

Since sports provide a more casual opportunity for networking, they can often be a great way to meet new friends and expand one’s social network in Canada, as well. Fifty-three per cent of those who said they participated in sports admitted integrating into Canadian society was an important factor in their decision. And 96 per cent of respondents also said sports were an important part of Canadian culture and have the ability to generate national pride and a more intense emotional connection to Canada.

Angela Ferguson, who immigrated to Canada from Australia in 2009, says participating in winter sports has definitely helped her feel more Canadian. Ferguson laced up her skates on Christmas Day last year and headed out to Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto — the city’s largest outdoor arena. “Skating outside seemed really exotic to me. You certainly can’t keep an outdoor rink frozen in my hometown, Sydney, Australia,” she says.

Plus, she got the true Canadian experience by falling on the ice. “I had gotten over my initial fear and was happily skating along quite quickly. All of a sudden, the front of my skate nicked a chunk in the ice and before I knew it, I was flying through the air, Superman style,” she recalls.

Fortunately, the only thing bruised was Ferguson’s ego and, after giggling it off, she decided to try another favourite Canadian sport — downhill skiing. “I love the thrill of downhill skiing,” she says. Aside from the physical activity benefits Ferguson reaps from the sport, joining a ski club has also allowed her to explore more of her new country by travelling to different ski hills in Ontario and Quebec.

Winter wonderland

Good for body and mind

Aussie Angela Ferguson loves downhill skiing.

S

Canada is a veritable winter wonderland that provides a host of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. From skating, skiing and snowboarding, to curling, tobogganing, snowshoeing and even dogsledding, participating in winter sports is not only a great way to get some exercise during the cold hibernation months, but is a chance to connect with your new country on an emotional level.

A 2014 study by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship called Playing Together: New Citizens, Sports and Belonging shed light on the important role sports can play in integration.

28 canadianimmigrant.ca

December 2014

Toronto-based CultureLink Settlement Services recognizes the importance of introducing newcomers to Canada’s winter sports and, in 2013, started the CultureLink Wintegration Club — a program that organizes a variety of weekly free trips and events including skating, skiing, tobogganing and hiking to introduce newcomers to activities in the great Canadian outdoors.

Elizabeth Hamulka, who co-ordinates the program, says participating in winter sports is not only beneficial for physical wellbeing, but mental health as well. “Many participants

Mexican-born Raúl Cano Arana tries crosscountry skiing for the first time.

told us that the Wintegration Club helped them combat winter depression and feelings of isolation,” she says.

Trying out new winter sports can also help those from warm countries overcome their fear of the cold. “The first moment you go out and it’s cold, yeah, it’s scary; it’s unpleasant.

But when you’re physically involved in activities, it’s totally different,” says Hamulka. Not only does your body eventually warm up by participating in sports, but getting outdoors, having fun and learning about a new activity can help newcomers warm up emotionally to their new homeland.

Raúl Cano Arana couldn’t agree more.

Arana immigrated to Canada from Mexico in 2001 and immediately took to the ice to try ice skating. “I got my first pair of skates right away.

I was always fascinated by it. Ice skating just looks so elegant,” he says. Arana’s roommate taught him to keep his knees bent to avoid falling. “After I learned that, it was easier. I’m still struggling a bit with stopping, but I am getting better at it,” he says.

Arana says being on the ice has helped him adjust to Canadian winters. He encourages all newcomers to experience winter sports by trying something inexpensive, like ice skating, first.

“Once you get the hang of one, you may want to try another,” he says. Arana started cross-country skiing last year and is even considering hockey. With a plethora of winter activities at his snow-covered feet, winter may now be Arana’s favourite season. facebook/canimmigrant

@canimmigrant

Wishing all of our readers, writers, advertisers, sponsors and fair exhibitors a …

Merry Christmas • Happy Holidays • Wonderful Las Posadas Happy Hanukkah • Enlightened Bodhi Day • Happy Kwanzaa …. and a Prosperous New Year in 2015!

From the team at

Immigrant

Settlement Guide

In 2015, Canadian Immigrant is launching an informative guide on settlement agencies in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta.

A must-have keepsake for all newcomers looking for settlement, language and employment services.

Calling all non-profit settlement and employment agencies to be part of this print and online guide!

Contact:

Ricky Bajaj (Ontario) 905-273-8170 rbajaj@metroland.com

87,000

copies to be distributed.

Get your listing from as low as Alla Gordeeva (B.C./Alberta) 778-558-3397 alla@canadianimmigrant.ca

$50!

BACK PAGE

N

ewcomer tips from our RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2014!

S C

(    )

“

Keep your values — there is such rich beauty in the Canadian culture, so there is much to take from it, but don’t think your current culture is inferior. You have a lot to offer, too. Remain true to yourself and your identity, enrich Canada’s culture with your own and learn from Canada’s incredible culture of warmth, compassion, value for diversity and equal opportunity. We are told to dream big — arriving in Canada is the start of a big dream, but it doesn’t have to end there. Canada welcomes ideas, enterprise, hard work, ingenuity and other assets that immigrants bring. So remember: you have a lot to offer to Canada.

”

J V

(  )

“

Be grateful and look at how you can make things better. Working hard and paying taxes is a good beginning.

”

B:7.5” T:7.25” S:7”

Save time sending a parcel to another country.

Prepare your customs form in advance online.

Visit canadapost.ca/customs to complete your form.

canadianimmigrant.ca 30CPC_140278P_M_EN.indd

December 2014 1

facebook/canimmigrant

@canimmigrant 11/19/14 2:28 PM

B:5”

barcode or send it to your mobile device. Then present it at a post office along with your parcel.

T:4.75”

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Customs requires shipping information in a new way. But it doesn’t have to take more of your time. Just fill out your customs information online and obtain a barcode for your parcel. Print the

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