Canadian Immigrant - May 2016

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Japanese museum curator

SHERRI KAJIWARA

Publications mail agreement number 40011993

Growing up

Nikkei in Canada The shift in immigration priorities Career, Education & Settlement Immigrant Fair coming to Winnipeg and Toronto

CONTENTS 4

8

FUSION

PROFILE: Health care diversity advocate Gurwinder Gill NEWS: Bloom! gala awards CANSPEAK

SUCCESS STORY

32 DRIVING

Your first driver’s licence in Canada

34 BACK PAGE

TOP TIPS: Advice from the Top 25 HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO

Nikkei museum curator Sherri Kajiwara reflects on Japanese history and culture in Canada

12 GOVERNMENT

The shifting immigration landscape focuses on more than economics

8

Cover photo by Sandra Minarik

16 CAREER, EDUCATION & SETTLEMENT IMMIGRANT FAIR

Our signature fair is coming to Winnipeg and Toronto in May and June

19 CULTURE

Immigrant poets share their journeys through verse

24 IMMIGRANT SETTLEMENT GUIDE 26 CAREERS & EDUCATION

HIGHER LEARNING: Seven ways academics boost your job search Communication in the workplace

30 MONEY & BUSINESS Women in business

“Canada was built by citizen immigrants, people who come here permanently with their families to become Canadians.”

- Hon. John McCallum, MP Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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People. News. Information.

profile

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 5 MAY 2016 Group Publishers Gautam Datt Sharma Sanjay Agnihotri Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com Editorial Design Terry Lankstead, Anne Nawrocka Courtland Shakespeare 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 responsiblefor 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

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Gurwinder

Gill

Advocate for diversity in health care

By Lisa Evans

O

riginally from India, Gurwinder Gill came to Canada in 1990 from England, where she was the target of racism. Working against discrimination has become a theme in her life ever since. In Canada, Gill has managed diversity, equity and cultural inclusion programs in health care and community service settings for more than 25 years, helping to create inclusive, biasfree environments. But, after facing discrimination when her sister was a patient, Gill decided to write a book, The (Brown) Elephant in the Room, to promote a greater understanding of South Asian culture among health care workers.

What inspired you to write this book?

My role is in health equity, inclusion and diversity work, but I also had a story to share regarding my sister, who passed away 16 years ago. One of the key messages I wanted to share to health care providers in particular is around what not to do.

What happened with your sister?

My sister was lying dying in a hospital bed and there was one nurse in particular whose whole approach with us was along the lines of “What are you people doing here?” “Why are you dressed the way you’re dressed?” “Why do you have this music playing in the background?”

The non-verbal communication — her body language, her attitude, her expression — was telling us I don’t like you lot being here. We were playing our religious music, we were having a lot of visitors. When I wrote the book, I was thinking what would I have said to this particular nurse at the time?

So, the book is in part a reaction to the experiences you faced while your sister was in the hospital?

Yes, the book is dedicated to my sister and part proceeds will be in her memory donated to palliative care.

The book focuses on the South Asian community, but can it be used to promote inclusion of other cultures?

Absolutely. It is focused on the diverse practices of the South Asian community, but the techniques I highlight in the book can apply to any community that is different than your own. I talk about watching how you communicate and to learn about the community you’re serving.

What are some of the techniques to break down the cultural barriers?

There are three recommendations. Self-awareness and selfreflection help us as individuals to think about what we’re thinking, to recognize the assumptions and stereotypes in our

left Gurwinder Gill recently published The (Brown) Elephant in the Room. heads before we’ve even started a dialogue with a patient. Keeping ourselves in check takes a lot of self-reflection and being aware that you might be on the verge of thinking in a biased way.

Next is communication. You need to watch what you’re putting out there and this includes non-verbal communication; your attitude and expressions speak volumes.

Lastly, really understanding the patient population you provide service to. In Brampton, we have a large South Asian and Sikh community. When a patient comes in with a kirpan (small symbolic sword) on, does it need to be removed for surgery? If someone is praying, do they need to be disturbed? How can we make praying more available to people because it’s part of the healing process.

What do you hope readers will take from the book?

I’m hoping people join the health care profession because they want to care for other people no matter who they are, no matter what they look like, what they dress like, what religion they practise. You can only do that by learning and understanding about the patient populations you provide service to. I’m hoping the book will help create a free of biases, compassionate, caring environment from a professional to a patient. facebook.com/canimmigrant

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FUSION

news

canspeak...

Words, expressions and sayings

Keep your chin up — If you’re told to “keep your chin up,” the person is telling you not to be sad or lose confidence in the face of adversity.

Deer in headlights — Someone looks like a

“deer in headlights” when they are so shocked or scared that they cannot respond. They freeze like a deer in the road when a car’s headlights approach at night.

Grain of salt — If you’re told to take something with a “grain of salt,” it means you shouldn’t take the information too seriously. It might not even be true. So use your judgment.

See more words at canadianimmigrant.ca under “Work & Education > Language.”

Diversity pros win awards Diversity and inclusion continue to grow among Canadian employers, and Bloom!, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI)’s inaugural gala on April 14, celebrated that growth. The evening honoured those who are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion across the country with CCDI’s Awards of Success.

After a call for nominations in early 2016, three remarkable diversity and inclusion leaders were chosen as the winners for their accomplishments. Malinda Smith, associate professor at the University of Alberta, received the HSBC Community Contributor of the Year award. The Home Depot Diversity and Inclusion Practitioner of the Year award went to Normand St. Gelais, director of diversity and inclusion

at Sodexo Canada. And Simon Fish, general counsel for BMO Financial Group received the Dentons Senior Executive of the Year award.

The imperative for diversity professionals to show how their work is addressing the most pressing issues for their organizations has never been greater, and these awards are an important way to showcase that.

In addition to presenting these awards, the CCDI has welcomed more than 90 employer partners from across all sectors and industries, developed tools that have made a difference in the workplace, done more than 70 censuses measuring the diversity of Canadian workplaces and created a higher education certificate program for inclusive leadership.

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SUCCESS STORY

what it means to be

NIKKEI

By Nic Enright-Morin

W

hen Sherri Kajiwara came to Canada from Japan, she was just three years old. She had not been exposed to English whatsoever, which would be a challenge for any newcomer, but even more so for a child who was being sent to Canada for adoption.

“My adoptive parents tried to have their own kids and couldn’t, and I was living with my brother and grandmother in Japan,” says Kajiwara. “In Japan, there was an old tradition, going back hundreds and thousands of years, where if one family had many children and another family didn’t, often the younger children were given up for adoption to the family that didn’t have any children. It was along those lines that my adoptive family and birth family were brought together.”

Kajiwara’s grandmother was raising her and her older brother, but because she had so little support to help with caring for the children and an ailing husband, she decided to have the children adopted, for the chance of a better life.

Although Kajiwara was supposed to be adopted alongside her brother, she ended up coming to Canada by herself, leaving behind everything she had ever known. Despite being so young, Kajiwara says that the transition didn’t faze her. “I spent my first year in Canada in Lethbridge, Alberta. I don’t remember much of it at all,” she says. “But I was very outgoing and soon I had all the neighbourhood kids following behind me singing Japanese songs. I remember it as being very welcoming. It was probably an easier place to transition into than a large city.”

Because her adoptive parents promised her grandmother that they would keep up her Japanese language and heritage, the family moved a year later to Vancouver, where they felt there would be more opportunity to access Japanese traditions and culture. Kajiwara says her adop-

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Photos by Sandra Minarik

tive family worked hard to ensure that she felt a strong connection with her birth country and today she feels she has a firm footing in both places.

“My Canadian family was very open-minded and brought me back to visit Japan many times.

They wanted me to know my brother as my brother,” she says. “When I first went back, I had lost a lot of my Japanese; I could understand him, I couldn’t argue back, and I didn’t like that at all! I wanted to win the arguments with my older brother, so that gave me the motivation to relearn the language. By the time I graduated from the University of British Columbia here, I was fluent.”

Since 2010, Kajiwara has been further immersed in Japanese language and culture, working at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, in Burnaby, B.C. (The word “Nikkei” is derived from the term nikkeijin in Japanese, which refers to Japanese people who emigrated from Japan and their descendants.) And, for the past year, she has been the director and curator of the museum.

The Japanese community has a long history in Canada, and the Nikkei Centre officially opened on Sept. 22, 2000, to commemorate its place in the Canadian mosaic. The date of the museum opening is a significant one, as it is the anniversary of the Canadian government’s formal apology for how Japanese Canadians were treated during the Second World War. The centre itself is home to a Japanese cultural centre, a museum, a community centre and a Japanese garden. “When I first moved to Vancouver, the Nikkei Centre did not exist, which is interesting, because this is definitely the type of facility that would have fulfi lled all of the obligations my adoptive parents made when they adopted me, so it’s interesting that I’ve >>

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Sherri Kajiwara was just a kid when she left Japan, but today she’s one of Canada’s most devoted promoters of Nikkei culture and history twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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SUCCESS STORY << come full circle,” she says.

As curator and director of the museum, Kajiwara takes care of the exhibits and, along with her team, co-ordinates education programs, museum programs, the archives collections and research.

The Taiken Exhibit, which is a permanent feature at the museum, documents the rich history of Japanese-born immigrants since their arrival in Canada. This includes stories of the first settlers who came in 1877, the hardships of the early pioneers, the struggles of the Japanese Canadian community during the war years and how they rebuilt their lives in the 1950s.

Kajiwara says that until the end of the Second World War, Japanese Canadians faced a lot of adversity, including prejudice and racism.

“There was definitely an anti-Asian sentiment and certainly the Japanese were not the only ones that faced this prejudice,” she says.

“My aunt [in Canada] was apparently extremely intelligent and quite ambitious and she wanted to go to university to get her teaching degree. But her father, knowing the racism, knowing the reality of the economy at the time, knew she wouldn’t be able to get a job after university and so he encouraged her to go to sewing school instead, so she would have a skill to support herself.”

Fortunately, Kajiwara says that attitudes have changed considerably since the end of the Second World War and, today, the view that Japanese Canadians are a longstanding and integral part of Canadian culture is the norm. She says Canada’s openness to diversity is also apparent when you consider the variety of people that come to the Nikkei National Museum. “We get the whole spectrum coming

to visit us! We have Metro Vancouver residents, Japanese Canadians from all over the country, as well as new immigrants to Canada,” she says. “The Japanese in Canada have a high intermarriage rate, so it means that we are in many, many cultures in Canada. The Gladstone Japanese Language School is also in the building so there are many young families who come here to educate their kids in the language and culture.”

With Asian Heritage Month being celebrated in May, Kajiwara says the museum is proud to be hosting the final award dinner and gala for the ExplorAsian celebrations in Vancouver. “Asian Heritage Month is important to celebrate because where we are situated is so multicultural and we have so many different Asian cultures here. It’s all about awareness and education, and if there is broader attention paid, even if it is just for one month, then that awareness will increase across the board. But, hopefully, people will appreciate that here at the Nikkei Centre, we are Asian heritage 24/7, 365 days a year!” she says with a warm laugh.

And Kajiwara is forever grateful for her own journey to Canada.

“I believe it has given me more opportunity and that is exactly the vision my grandmother had. She felt it would be easier for a young girl from a broken home to be able to move ahead in life and get a better education and have better opportunities here,” she says. “I like Canada because there is much more equity between the sexes, it’s more liberal and has freedom of speech. Having said that, there is a beauty to the etiquette, the culture, the grace and the politeness of Japan and I’d like to think I could embrace the best of both.”

I was very outgoing and soon I had all the neighbourhood kids following behind me singing Japanese songs.”

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IMMIGRATION SHIFT The 2016 immigration plan veers from the old econo-centric strategy to welcome a wider range of people to Canada

By Priya Ramanujam 12

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GOVERNMENT

Some of the failure of an econo-centric policy is that it gets the high flyers of the world to come and builds up expectation that they will be high flyers in Canada. When that doesn’t happen … it leads to a huge disappointment.”

— Howard Ramos

T

he Liberal government’s recently announced immigration strategy is a welcome first step to rebalancing the program, say several experts.

“We are thrilled,” says Debbie Douglas, executive director of the Ontario Council for Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI). “For more than a decade, we saw a real shift away from families, and refugee protection for that matter, toward the economic class.”

The 2016 strategy, announced by Immigration Minister John McCallum in March, pledges to welcome approximately 300,000 permanent residents this year (up from 2015’s goal of 279,200), with an increased number of individuals accepted under family reunification and humanitarian categories, while still heavily reliant on economic class immigrants.

David Campbell, chief economist for the New Brunswick Jobs Board Secretariat, says expanding immigration is what’s needed in Canada.

“We have a broader demographic challenge in the country and the economic growth rate in the country is tied to the ability to ensure that industries have workers,” he explains. “Increasingly, those workers have to come from immigrants.”

Even more than a boost to the economy, Douglas says the Liberals’ plan diverts from the previous government’s approach and demonstrates an understanding of immigration as an essential part of long-term nation building.

“We know that immigration is the future of Canada,” she says. “We need people to grow the economy and people to contribute socially and culturally to the country.”

Economics of reuniting families Delivering on one of the party’s campaign promises, the Liberals opened up the number of spots under family reunification to 80,000 — 12,000 more than last year, with a focus on spouses and common-law partners.

Beyond the numbers, McCallum stressed reducing the backlog and processing times as a primary focus.

“We know the value of keeping families together,” McCallum said. “There is a social value to this as well as an economic value that benefits all society.”

While some are critical of the decision to increase family reunification numbers, suggesting that many of these individuals — particularly the el-

derly — may become a burden on the Canadian economy, Douglas disagrees.

“I think those people are forgetting that many of the people who come here through family reunification, including parents and grandparents, also contribute to the economy,” she says, citing that grandparents play an important role in both childcare and the social acculturation process of their children and grandchildren.

Howard Ramos, a sociology professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, whose research focuses on immigration in Atlantic Canada and noneconomic immigration, agrees. “Just because people come under the family stream doesn’t mean they don’t work,” he says.

Ramos points out that many parents and even grandparents arrive when they’re in their 50s, and are still able to work for 10 to 20 years.

Furthermore, he says family reunification helps prevent onward migration, a problem Atlantic Canada has historically grappled with — being unable to retain immigrants.

“People who have their family here are less likely to move out of the region,” he explains. “They are more likely to feel comfortable, and less likely to feel torn to go back to their country of origin.”

While Campbell agrees that for the nation as a whole the boost to the family reunification stream is helpful, he says it will have little impact on a province like New Brunswick. Because the Maritime province doesn’t have the type of immigration history Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia have, he says it won’t pull in the number of immigrants New Brunswick needs.

“We’re also looking for some flexibility on the economic class,” Campbell explains. “We do have a lot of industries that have shortages that need to find workers that aren’t necessarily the industries that can recruit workers through the Express Entry [program] … We’d like to see the federal government expand their definition under Express Entry.” >>

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GOVERNMENT

<< Back to humanitarian roots The government’s plan to increase the total number of refugee or humanitarian spots to approximately 55,800 — a plan which many say recognizes the fact that Canada has historically been a world leader around refugees — may be able to fill some of the labour shortages in Atlantic Canada — and other parts of Canada — that Campbell is referring to.

He says this has to do with the humanitarian class being much more flexible than Express Entry from a skills perspective.

“Anybody who’s coming to Canada to advance their livelihood, to create a greater quality of life for themselves — there are jobs here for them,” he says, noting that employment opportunities in fish processing plants, the manufacturing sector and the telephone customer service industry aren’t necessarily high wage jobs, but New Brunswick has a low cost of living.

Working in these types of jobs is something many newcomers are willing to do in order to ensure a better future for their children, says John Shields, acting director of the Ryerson Centre for Immigration and Settlement in Toronto.

“Obviously we don’t want to see people exploited when they come to Canada,” Shields says. “But there are all sorts of skills that are needed within the Canadian economy and those include very, very highly skilled technical people, but also people working more blue-collar kinds of jobs.”

Shields points out that over the last decade this type of blue-collar work, which is not being readily filled by the Canadian-born, has been taken up by temporary foreign workers who are often exploited, as well as individuals who immigrate through the provincial nominee programs, which have tighter caps.

Ramos adds that by having an immigration policy that takes in a wider range of people, it means they come with an equally wide range of expectations. As such, they are more likely to be satisfied with the opportunities in Canada.

“Some of the failure of an econo-centric policy is that it gets the high flyers of the world to come and builds up expectation that they will be high flyers in Canada,” explains Ramos. “When that doesn’t happen — countless studies have shown that there’s a devaluing of credentials, of skills, of degrees — it leads to a huge disappointment.”

Economic migration still important Social entrepreneur and digital media strategist Nazar Poladian came to Canada as a Syrian refugee in September 2015, after spending three years in Lebanon.

The 25-year-old, who now resides in Toronto’s Scarborough community, says it’s important to remember that refugees are not a monolithic class; they come with a myriad of skills and abilities, just like any other immigrants.

Poladian, who calls himself a “skilled refugee,” says extensive pre-immigration legwork allowed him to gain meaningful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities shortly after arriving in Canada. He says more pre-immigration work with refugees will ensure they have a more efficient integration into the Canadian labour market.

“Those refugees — like myself — can be great bridges for economic and trade transfer [and] great ambassadors for Canadian products and services,” he says. “The capacity of any community should decide what kind of refugees they [accept].”

According to Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel, Canada doesn’t have the capacity to reduce its number of economic immigrants, while increasing overall levels and other streams. Following the release of the immigration plan, she stated that she did not understand the cut to economic immigrants at a time when the country’s economy was slowing and its population aging.

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Ramos says that the government must proceed with caution and consider what the critics are saying.

“Some of the criticism should be heeded; it can’t swing fully away from economic migration either,” he says. “That will always have to play an important part of the immigration portfolio in Canada.”

IMMIGRATION

BY THE NUMBERS According to the 2015 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration released this March, Canada will welcome between 280,000 and 305,000 immigrants, with a target of 300,000, in 2016. Here’s a breakdown: • 54,000 to 58,400 federal economic immigration programs • 46,000 to 48,000 provincial nominee programs • 22,000 caregiver program • 800 business program • 57,000 to 62,000 spouses and common-law partners • 18,000 to 20,000 parents and grandparent sponsorship • 51,000 to 57,000 protected persons and refugees • 2,800 to 3,600 humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) stream • 25,000 to 27,000 Quebec-selected skilled workers • 5,200 to 5,500 Quebec-selected business

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CAREER, EDUCATION & SETTLEMENT IMMIGRANT FAIR

Join the Booming Healthcare Industry

Two fairs in two cities this spring Planning is underway for Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fairs in Winnipeg and Toronto in May and June

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anadian Immigrant magazine’s dynamic tradeshow and speakers’ event, the Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair, is expanding to six cities from coast to coast in 2016, kicking off with events in Winnipeg and Toronto this spring.

The free events, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., presented in association with IELTS-British Council in Winnipeg on May 30 (Radisson Winnipeg Downtown Hotel), and in association with Centennial College in Toronto on June 8 (Metro Toronto Convention Centre), will feature a varied group of exhibitors, from hiring employers to educational institutes to social service agencies, in addition to the ever-popular Resumé Clinic and a day-long program of inspirational speakers.

Pre-register for the events at canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair.

WINNIPEG SPEAKING SESSIONS 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Downtown 647.931.5838

North York 647.360.6985

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Don’t Hold Yourself Back: Tips for Success in a New Culture Not sure exactly how you fit in now that you’re in Canada? In this presentation, Nigerian-born Segun Olude will share the strategies that helped him overcome the obstacles of adapting to a new life in a new world.

11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Prepare Better with Road to IELTS This interactive session by Dr. Kristjan Seferaj is going to take the audience through the Road to

IELTS, an online preparation and practice resource for the IELTS English test.

12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Career Strategies for Success What do you need to succeed in Canada? Career expert Tikaram Adhikari will offer up specific tips and strategies to help you establish yourself in your career as a skilled immigrant in Canada.

1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

CELPIP Seminar: Get Your Best Results This seminar will show you everything you need to know about the CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS tests! Understand the CELPIP performance expectations to help you improve your test scores.

2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

KEYNOTE: Let’s Talk about Getting Engaged in Your Community If you’re feeling isolated in your new community, it’s time to get engaged. Manitoba Future 40 finalist Nadia Kidwai can show you how based on her own experiences of reaching out to others and becoming active in her new city of Winnipeg.

TORONTO SPEAKING SESSIONS 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

From Refugee to Canadian Success Story Nanor Balyozian is a Syrian refugee who loves to share the story of her journey from refugee to Canadian. She faced many >> facebook.com/canimmigrant

CAREER, EDUCATION & SETTLEMENT IMMIGRANT FAIR << obstacles in finding employment, but she decided to keep trying. Her inspirational story will motivate you to keep going until you achieve your own dreams.

11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Pursuing a Career in Canada?

How Going Back to College Can Help Presented by Centennial College’s Ashley Evans, this session will provide information on why internationally trained individuals should pursue a college education to support their international education credentials.

12 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

How to Become a CPA in Canada Join Carmen Jacques, CPA, CGA, to learn more about the accounting profession in Ontario and how to become a chartered professional accountant (CPA).

Matrix Search Group, will talk about what employers are looking for in talent. Fernando will offer his tips and strategies on how to present yourself well, and how to kickstart and leverage your professionals skills in Canada.

1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m

Yes, You Can! Accent Reduction Workshop This accent reduction workshop by Bonnie Gross of Speech Science International will help you clearly pronounce the sounds of North American English, master its rhythm and flow, and learn how to use intonation and expression.

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Top Tips for Job Search Success Panel Session Have questions you want answered about your career search in Canada? This expert panel of career specialists — Sujay Vardhmane, Murali Murthy and 12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

KEYNOTE: Differentiate Your- Larysa Grant — will be part of a lively Q & A forum moderated self as the Right Talent In this keynote presentation, by Baisakhi Roy, of Canadian Chandran Fernando, CEO of Immigrant.

Improve your

English or French.

We can help!

· Speaking · Listening

· Reading · Writing

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CULTURE

The poetry of immigration

Four newcomer poets express their journey through verse

By Diana Manole Poets see and interpret everyday life through a special literary lens. When the world around them shifts and the language in which they write changes, the lens through which they see the

world changes, too. Here, four immigrant poets talk to Canadian Immigrant about their poetry, challenges publishing as English-asa-second-language writers, and on being Canadian.

Nilofar Shidmehr Without English Robert Dziekanski died on the day of his landing in Vancouver, as an immigrant, just because he could not communicate in the language that, after fi fteen years, animates my Iranian tongue, without thinking.

But what caught my eye, watching the scene on The National, were his legs, soundlessly quivering on the white floor.

I

ranian-born Nilofar Shidmehr landed in Vancouver in 1997 with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and five years of experience in the field, including working as project manager with the City of Tehran. But the engineer is also a poet. Since her teenage years, she has published poetry and short stories in Farsi, her mother tongue. Yet, it was only in Canada that she decided to seriously pursue her artistic inclinations. As an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia (UBC), she started to translate some of her works from Farsi into English.

Soon, Shidmehr started writing poems directly in English. Th is helped her improve her language skills and earn a master of fi ne arts in creative writing and a PhD in education at UBC. Th rough poetry, she also made friends and became a member of the Vancouver literary community. She has published four books of poetry, short fiction and literary translations of English works. For 2015-2016, she is the writer-in-residence at the public library in Regina, Saskatchewan, a city she admires for “its openness to ethnic diversity and multiculturalism.” >>

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I imagine his mother’s eyes glued to customs doors, opening and closing each time somebody passed through.

Meanwhile her son, trapped behind the doors, wandered through signs incomprehensible like strangers who could not show him his way out.

It was when he started shouting his frustration at a computer in a language different than the one on the screens — a tongue that none of the three police officers could understand.

Neither could read the hands Robert later half-raised before attempting to turn around away from the pointed Tasers.

Without English, Dziekanski also could not read the unbending sentence sent through his body.

— Nilofar Shidmehr

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CULTURE << Given her foreign accent, she has often encountered prejudices as a poet in Canada. “In each presentation I give, there is at least one person who asks me if I first write in Farsi and then translate into English,” she says.

According to Shidmehr, some people treat language “as their territory” and distrust immigrants’ ability to write and even think in a second language. This attitude has further motivated her to share her personal experience, as well as all immigrants’ “pathos of belonging–non-belonging” in their struggle to adapt to a new country.

Shidmehr describes her own observations of immigrant experiences in her poem “Globalization,” in which she notes everyday details while riding a bus, including “The Vancouver Sun spread / on an Indian lady’s lap announces: / 56 people were killed / on a bus in Iraq.” As the Chinese-Canadian driver stands on the brakes and avoids an accident, Shidmehr points that “we are, / still alive,” metaphorically and actually moving forward.

My Accent It is charming.

I assure you, I assure myself; and choose to believe so.

Languages have colours.

I want to show you my tender blue.

But you cut off with fork and knife, quicker than my chopstick taps.

My accent grows trees, trails and winding roads to westcoast landscape.

It points to the open sky; yet clouds are too heavy and form raindrops.

Anna Yin

My papers collect them then dry in silence.

I have hesitated many times before speaking; now it develops teeth.

Even with gaps between, I decide … this is my voice.

— Anna Yin

I

n her home country of China, Anna Yin earned a bachelor of science degree from Nanjing University and worked for Apple.

After landing in Canada in 1999, she continued to work in the IT field for more than 16 years. But, like Shidmehr, her career path changed. She started writing poetry in English and received a creative writing certificate from the University of Toronto. According to Yin, this experience has brought her a sense of freedom and greater understanding of her new country. “Poetry connected me with my inner world and also opened for me the broader community in Canada,” she says.

Her poetry is defi ned by a simple style and the unusual perspective of a computer specialist who expresses her feelings in a second language. It also echoes immigrants’ difficult journey, from worrying about losing their dreams to feeling their tongues become numb “in a dead knot” to holding their heads up to “plough a new path.”

Yin has contributed to national and international magazines, authored six poetry books, and has won several poetry awards, including the Mississauga Arts Council’s MARTY Literary Arts >>

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CULTURE << Award in 2010 and 2014.

She was also featured in the 2013-2014 Poetry in Transit project, where her poetic voice further become part of her new community.

Her poem “Still Life” was displayed on 700 buses in 13 cities across Canada, sharing the need to make new memories: “When the wall grows over-crowded, / old pictures are removed one by one.”

Yin also frequently gives workshops and readings across Canada, while her “Poetry Alive” events combine poetry, computer arts and audience participation. Yin is now Mississauga’s inaugural poet laureate and the Ontario representative of the League of Canadian Poets. She has utterly embraced her voice, which has helped her reinvent and assert herself in a new environment and a new culture: “Even with gaps between, / I decide / … this is my voice.”

Amatoritsero Ede

Globetrotter (selections)

d

what does the endless north american sky reveal like those sex-workers in amsterdam’s love quarters she says simply i am wide open so the street car becomes a tram in slow phallic rush on lan van meerdevort in the hague fl irting foolishly with the horizon the red-light flashes where there are no red-light districts the streetcar stops to gaze at lovers trundling down the avenue down dundas heavy with love and its weights to eaton center where hearts pump more round from the fondling and folding of love’s caress e amongst the ruin and jazz of the old distillery young Toronto

Photo by John W. MacDonald

A

matoritsero Ede is a scholar and an internationally awardwinning poet born in Nigeria. He left his home country for Germany in 1994, where he attended the University of Hannover, and then moved to Canada in 2002, to continue his education, earning a PhD in English from Carleton University in Ottawa in 2013. He won the African Okigbo Prize for Literature with his fi rst poetry collection, A Writer’s Pains (Yeti Press, 1998 and Oracle Books, 2002). His second collection, Globetrotter and Hitler’s Children (Akashic Books, 2009), was nominated for the 2013 Nigerian Literature Prize.

Ede did not encounter any difficulties in writing in English after moving to Canada because it is his fi rst language and mother tongue. Yet, due to its colonial roots in Nigeria, in his poem, “Speaking in Tongues,” he refers to English as his “step-mother tongue” in which he sometimes loses his linguistic identity: “if I dare / to rent and vent / my alpha / bet / in English / I become a babble / of accents.” Ede’s immigrant experiences, both in Germany and in Canada, often come up in his work, as if pressing upon him to be expressed, but he admits that it can be difficult for newcomers to get their work published.

“Publishers might assume that the immigrant writer is a new

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steps outside of troy in full teenage glare hair streaked with lightening because a girl smells better… she brushes a suitor’s kiss and the sun off her thundering skin where all colours meet — Amatoritsero Ede

writer because they are unaware of your previous work or achievements,” he explains. So he plugged into his own “very wide and global network of writers and publishers” to publish his second collection of poems in New York.

To open up opportunities for immigrant as well as non-immigrant Canadian writers, Ede then founded the online literary magazine, Maple Tree Literary Supplement (MTLS). He is currently the MTLS’s publisher and managing editor, as well as the INPUTS writer-in-residence at the University of Bremen in Germany. facebook.com/canimmigrant

CULTURE

Ayesha Chatterjee Portent I didn’t understand the language so I bought an eight-fi ngered star as a gift. When crushed, I am told, it smells illicit.

We laid it on the table politely and turned the points like a compass.

On another day, in another country, I asked for a fruit.

When I held it, smoky as liquorice, in the palm of my hand, I thought, oh no, not again.

— Ayesha Chatterjee

Read more poetry from immigrant poets, including the author of this article, Diana Manole, at canadianimmigrant.ca under “Entertainment.” Want to submit a poem for online inclusion? Email editor@ canadianimmigrant.ca.

B

Photo by Maayan Ziv

orn and raised in Kolkata, India, Ayesha Chatterjee lived in Germany for two decades before deciding she wanted to move to an English-speaking country to pursue her writing at a professional level. Fortunately, her husband is Canadian, and they settled in Toronto.

Chatterjee grew up reading and writing poetry in English, so, after arriving in Canada in 2010, she “went back to instinctively thinking in English.” But it still felt like a major change, which resulted in “a whole lot of soul searching,” she says. As a result, her second immigration experience became to her “a mine of inspiration — everything was new!” Her fi rst collection of poetry, The Clarity of Distance (Bayeux Arts, 2011), talks about leaving Germany and moving to Canada, but also about India, memory and nostalgia.

Chatterjee considers herself fortunate to have found a publisher within her fi rst year in Canada. A friend of her father asked for a sample of her work, and “that’s how it started.” But, afterward, it wasn’t as easy to fi nd out about readings, literary magazines, whom to contact. Like with most immigrant writers, her previous work in other countries didn’t help. “Nobody knew who I was, and that matters too, very much.” To date, she has published poems in several magazines and is currently president of the League of Canadian Poets.

Even though after six years, Chatterjee stills feels there’s much to learn, she’s optimistic. Her advice to other immigrant poets is to be persistent as well as appreciate what makes Canada unique.

“The fact that you can be Canadian and also be from somewhere else in the world means that you can draw from your cultural heritage and it will be embraced,” she says. “Believe in this.”

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May 2016

23

Immigrant SETTLEMENT GUIDE For getting your listing included, please call Ricky Bajaj at 416-856-6304 or Johnny Zhang at 416-803-3931

2016

Agency

General Services and Specialty Programs

Brampton Multicultural Centre (BMC)

Not for profit, registered charity providing multilingual and culturally appropriate programs and services for free to help clients enhance their community engagement and social capital while integrating into the Canadian society. Programs: Programs and services include Settlement support , employment readiness workshops, enhancing immigrant community connections through schools and libraries, advocacy and solution-focused counselling, interpretation and translation, volunteer and placement opportunities, mental health support services, seniors and women abuse and engagement services. A unique portfolio of youth programming is also available such as: Youth leadership development, life skills coaching, client-centred counselling, paid internships at various workplaces, gang prevention workshops, one-on-one intervention meetings based on individualized work plans.

Email: services@bmccentre.org www.bmccentre.org

• • • • • •

Find out how to: get the skills you need to find work, including: work experience, resume help, interview techniques, entrepreneurial options and more. We offer: Job Search Workshops Program, Job Find Club for Internationally Trained Individuals, Bridge to HR, Practice Firm, SelfEmployment Pathways for Newcomer and Employment Ontario Employment Services.

Email: info@jobskills.org www.jobskills.org

• English

RISE Program: provide community based, client-centred and holistic supports; mobile case management services for newcomers with mental health challenges within the city of Toronto area; assistance with navigating through the health care, housing, financial, education and employment systems for newcomers with special needs. Specialty Programs: Individual case management support; Information sessions on settlement and mental health related topics; Social recreation activities; Volunteer opportunities; English conversation café; Computer classes; Preparation for citizenship test classes.

Email: rise@madisoncs.org madisoncs.org

• • • •

English Arabic Farsi Amharic

Settlement Services, LINC Classes (level 1-6) with child minding, Counseling, Job search, Citizenship & Immigration, Groups for Youth, Seniors & Women and Volunteering. Specialty Programs: Bridge Training Program for International Mental Health Professionals, Community Engagement Program, Community Mental health Program and Anger management.

Additional locations at Scarborough and Toronto.

Email: northyork@mnlct.org www.mnlct.org

• • • • •

English Spanish Mandarin Bengali Turkish

General services and specialty program: Help small and medium business from starting business with business plans for success: business registration; business planning; corporate problem solving; corporate culture tutoring; legal, politics and social requirements service and assistance for government funding application.

Specialty program: business guide in Canada and Asia countries;enterprise assistant program; free tax services for new comers and seniors.

Email: info@sbsccanada orgwww.sbsccanada.org

• English

Community services for cultural and recreational activities, including classic poetry recitation events and Chinese traditional music concerts, with funds collected from its own members; supports for seniors groups for cultural and recreational activities; promotions for cultural exchange with the main stream society and many minorities’ cultural groups.

Email: thomas@nahst.org www.nahst.org

• English • Mandarin • Cantonese

Settlement Services: assist immigrants to integrate and become established and contributing members of Canadian society. English Language Classes are instructor-led, and supported by a computer lab. Job-specific, advanced-level Enhanced Language Training available. Supports to assist in developing the skills needed to find work: resumé/cover letter preparation, interview readiness and information about accreditation, workplace practices, Canadian employer expectations. Other services available.

Email: info@welcomecentre.ca www.welcomecentre.ca

• English

197 County Court Blvd.

Suite 303 Brampton ON L6W 4P6 Phone: 905-790-8482 Fax: 905-874-6100

Job Skills Employment & Business Programs & Supports Locations in Markham, Brampton, Keswick and Newmarket Phone: 1-866-592-6278 Madison Community Services Recovery during Immigration & Settlement (RISE) Program – funded by CIC. 400-210 Dundas St. W Toronto, On M5G 2E8 Phone: 416-977-1333 x 119 madisoncs.org/programsservices/cic-rise-program/ Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto 2737 Keele Street North York ON M3M 2E9 Phone: 647-776-2057 Multinational Small & Medium Business Community Center (MSMBCC) 211 Consumers Road, Suite 300, North York, M2J 4G8 Phone: 647-343-8288 The National Association of Humanity Science and Technology (NAHST) 4675 Steeles Ave. E Unit 2D22 Toronto On M1V 4S5 Or: 3-2375 Brimley Rd. Unit 351 Toronto ON M1S 3L6 Welcome Centre Immigrant Services 7 Locations in York and Durham Regions Phone: 1-877-761-1155

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Languages

English • Arabic Farsi • French Gujarati • Hindi Punjabi • Spanish Tamil • Urdu Tagalog (Filipino)

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CAREER

EDUCATION WINNIPEG & SETTLEMENT TORONTO May 30, 2016

Radisson Winnipeg Downtown 11th Floor, 288 Portage Ave. In Association With:

FAIR IMMIGRANT

WINNIPEG SPEAKERS

Metro Toronto Convention Centre 255 Front St. W., Toronto In Association With:

TORONTO SPEAKERS NANOR BALYOZIAN From Refugee to Canadian Success Story

DR. KRISTJAN SEFERAJ Prepare Better With Road To IELTS

ASHLEY EVANS Pursuing a Career in Canada?

How Going Back to College Can Help

SEGUN OLUDE Don’t Hold Yourself Back! Tips for Success in a New Culture

CARMEN JACQUES How to Become a CPA in Canada

NADIA KIDWAI Let’s Talk About Getting Engaged in Your Community

CHANDRAN FERNANDO The Right Person for the Job

TIKARAM ADHIKARI Best Career Strategies for Your Success!

ALICE ANG CELPIP Seminar: Get Your Best Results

June 8, 2016

BONNIE GROSS Yes, You Can! Accent Reduction Workshop Our Q&A Panelists Sujay Vardhmane, Murali Murthy & Larysa Grant

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Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton & Winnipeg Alla Gordeeva Tel: 778-558-3397 Email: alla@canadianimmigrant.ca

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CAREERS & EDUCATION HIGHER LEARNING

Study to get the job Seven ways academics can boost your chances of employment

A

s a newcomer, it can be hard to know, when confronted with something new or odd, what is a normal part of the culture and what is not. Knowing how to respond becomes puzzling.

Unfortunately, employers tend to want to hire people they feel will understand the existing culture.

This is often why employers ask for Canadian credentials or work experience when seeking candidates. In an interview, if your stories include your experience in a Canadian classroom or job, the employer may feel assured that you will be a better fit than someone without this experience.

Many newcomers are disappointed in not being able to find work in their field. They may end up taking work far below their skill level and salary expectations. Some newcomers choose to take courses and credentials in post-secondary schools in Canada to improve their chances of finding work.

Here are seven ways attending post-secondary school can benefit you in your job search.

1

Learn what skills are valued

By attending classes, you come to know what is valued in Canada. For instance, teamwork is a large part of both the classroom ex-

perience and work in Canada. Knowing how to be an effective team member is considered a valuable skill. You will be able to discuss your strengths in this area in a job interview, having participated in group work assignments.

2

Gain knowledge of Canadian culture

When you come to a new culture, it is easy to make mistakes.

For instance, it is sometimes difficult to gauge the level of formality needed in a conversation. You don’t want to appear too formal and stiff, yet being too informal can be considered rude. Interacting with classmates will help you get a sense of what is appropriate in Canada.

3

Update and demonstrate skills and abilities

By attending a post-secondary school in Canada, you are not only learning about the culture, but you are also reinforcing skills that can erode over time. In addition, a student’s work is evaluated and grades can signal your competence to an employer. This is a system most employers know about and trust.

4

Get a work placement opportunity

Some programs have work experience components that allow you to try out your skills and meet potential employers. You will also learn about what is expected in the workplace.

5

Access help at career centres

Most schools have career centres for their students. They can help with your job search, including providing coaching around interviews. It is frequently said that you need to “market yourself” to get a job. But it is as important to know when an attitude of humility is needed as presenting your assets can appear more like boastfulness.

Career centre staff can work with you on getting the right tone in an interview.

6

Develop your language skills

A proud Canadian carrier since 1958

Language ability is probably one of the most important determinants in getting work. It takes many years to be good at a new language and the more opportunities you give yourself to learn, the better your chances of success. Many people don’t realize the subtleties in a language and settle for “good enough.” At school, you can expect help in the classroom and through various student services.

There are also occupation-specific language training programs that can help with communication and job searching in your field.

7

Take the opportunity to reinvent yourself

Whether you come to Canada without many job skills or with the idea that you want to change careers, post-secondary schools, and its advisors and services can help you.

In good times, when jobs are plentiful, there may not be a problem in finding work in your field. When times are hard, however, and there are many people applying for a position, an employer will be looking for ways to eliminate candidates. Lack of local work experience, Canadian credentials and familiarity with Canadian culture will be reasons to reject you. Even a little extra schooling may go a long way in overcoming this obstacle.

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May 2016

27

CAREERS & EDUCATION

D

o you have trouble communicating in meetings or giving a North American-style presentation? Are you uncomfortable in conversations at networking events, particularly on casual topics such as the weather or sports? Is your manager frustrated with having to edit your reports, complaining about not understanding what you’ve written?

It could be that you need to find ways to improve your workplace communication skills. Not doing so may mean that you will be held back in your career progression, particularly if you want to work directly with customers and clients, or move up higher in a management role.

Communication skills have been identified by the Conference Board of Canada and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills in the U.S.A. as one of the “five essential 21st-century skills,” all of which happen to be soft skills. While many internationally trained professionals come from an environment where strong technical or hard skills are highly valued,

Talking about success

Feeling frustrated?

Are your communication skills holding you back in your career?

By Marjorie Friesen

in Canada, the non-technical or soft skills like workplace communication are valued just as much or more.

What better communication skills involve So what does effective communication in the workplace look

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May 2016

guage in speaking and listening, and how much they contribute to the message that is sent or received.

Body language (eye movement, facial expressions, posture, hand and arm gestures) can account for up to 50 per cent of the message conveyed; tone of voice is up to 40 per cent; other non-verbal (pitch, volume, intonation — the rise and falling of our voice), about three per cent or more; and the actual words, just seven per cent.

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like? From writing to speaking to listening to non-verbal communication, it includes the following.

Writing Write effectively to inform, persuade, request information, and write an analysis or report.

Listening Listen actively to others without interrupting. As well, listen “between the lines” to clarify and interpret meaning, facts, values and intentions and to appreciate others’ points of view

Speaking Speak effectively to clearly and concisely articulate thoughts and ideas, inform and clarify, as well as engage, motivate, influence and instruct.

Also, understand and use the most appropriate expressions in different situations, such as knowing when to use informal rather than formal language; for example, calling a supervisor by his or her first name rather than sir or madam.

Non-verbal communication Use and adapt non-verbal communication, including tone of voice and body language to engage effectively with others.

Many people underestimate the importance of non-verbal communication and body lan-

So, is your communication impacting your success at work?

Employees who are misunderstood by co-workers and clients may feel frustrated, which affects their morale and may negatively affect performance and productivity. Managers may also become frustrated because of clients’ complaints that their expectations have not been met; for example, the employee misunderstood what product or service the client wanted.

In order to resolve these issues and improve their workplace communication skills, internationally trained professionals can explore a number of options, including language courses at the university or college level, online language training courses, or language training from professional tutors, either one-on-one or in a small group.

Since communication skills are so important to employers and can bring many benefits to their companies in the form of higher productivity, less conflict and more smoothly running operations, many employers are willing to invest in such language training options for their employees.

Employers may also be willing to cover the cost and offer time during work hours for the training.

So if you feel like you could improve your workplace communication skills, don’t hesitate to ask your company for its support, as it will benefit both of you.

Marjorie Friesen is the principal of Improve Your Workplace English.

Email marj@improveyourworkplaceenglish.com. facebook.com/canimmigrant

THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE We received hundreds of inspiring nominations for Canadian immigrants who have made a significant impact since their arrival. Now it's your turn to help choose this year's winners.

Voting ends Friday, May 13 canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

8 things immigrant women need to know about starting a small business in Canada

By Karen Southall Watts

I

mmigration represents the start of a new phase of life for women and many times these new lives include a new business. With the wealth of information available online and through resource agencies, it’s never been easier to explore entrepreneurship. As an immigrant woman thinking of starting a business, here are some key things to consider.

1

Planning is key You may not need a business plan, but you need the planning process. Stories about successful businesses that started as scribbles on the back of a napkin are the stuff of entrepreneurship legend. Yet for most of us this is not a smart or realistic

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way to launch a small business.

Traditional business plans are still required by many lenders, and investors want something to prove that they are putting their money in the right place.

However, a printed paper document is not your only option when it comes to turning out a finished plan. A slide presentation or video might be a more convincing tool when it’s time to seek funding. An infographic might serve you better as you gather and work with your team of founding partners.

The most important part is the actual planning process where you research the viability of your idea, the needs of your target market and the realities of your competition.

2

Keeping it small is OK A micro-business or side business can be a beautiful thing. Entrepreneurship doesn’t always mean quitting your day job, taking lots of financial risks and launching a make-or-break business. Sometimes women, especially those with childcare or eldercare responsibilities, need to hold on to a certain paycheque. This doesn’t mean you can’t begin stretching your small business muscles. Small businesses that you run online, on weekends and in your spare time can provide you with extra income as well as allow you to test your personal tolerance for entrepreneurship.

Many women discover they prefer the freedom of a smaller

and more flexible small business to either a regular job or a traditional business structure.

3

Barter in moderation Bartering and sharing are great, but the grocery store still insists on money. Exchanging professional services or bartering for needed materials can really be a budget saver for budding entrepreneurs. Moneyless transactions with other businesswomen can allow you to access expert services you might not otherwise be able to afford early on in your business.

For example, a photographer might offer to do a professional headshot for a colleague that coordinates the catering for her studio opening. facebook.com/canimmigrant

MONEY & BUSINESS However, you must be cautious that your calendar does not become stuffed with free appointments. This is a special concern for consultants, coaches and those who trade in talents and advice instead of tangible goods. Remember, no matter how great your bartering skills are, you will still need real Canadian funds to pay your rent and grocery bills.

4

Canada has a lot of resources for you The Canadian government, at all levels, recognizes the importance of small businesses and provides a lot of free and easily accessible information. Your task as a budding business owner is to make the time to do your homework on the legal, logistical and tax requirements for running a business. This will help you avoid costly and embarrassing mistakes later. In addition, many immigrant agencies also offer training classes or coaching to better understand the various rules and requirements.

5

Networking is necessary Who you know in Canada can be an important part of your successful small business journey. Small businesses and their owners flourish in community. A healthy network will include not only professional contacts, people who can help you generate more business, but peers, friends and mentors.

Building such a network can be especially challenging for immigrant women. Language barriers, parenting responsibilities and the overwhelming feeling of being in a new place can feel like big obstacles. But the more you get out, reach out and talk to others, the easier networking gets. Start online and research groups and events where you’ll feel comfortable and welcome.

6

A clear customer picture is essential All good marketing and customer service strategies come from a deep understanding of your ideal customer. Your knowledge about the customer you want to serve determines

where you’ll advertise and the content of your marketing message. Carefully crafted marketing campaigns bring a higher return on investment and this is critical for new business owners with limited budgets. Awareness of what your ideal clients want enables you to provide customer service that creates loyalty and helps with word-ofmouth referrals. Entrepreneurs who try to please everyone usually suffer because of it.

7

Be culturally aware Canadian culture is rich and complex, so cultural awareness is necessary. As a country, Canada has fully embraced the concept of a mosaic society full of ethnic and cultural diversity.

This makes living and running a business in Canada interesting and challenging. Start by doing some reading about the Canadian business culture. You’ll find that being on time, speaking honestly and engaging politely are all very important to Canadian professionals. At the same time, people you meet may be

Bridge Delivery for International Medical Graduates

very curious about your home country and culture. Accept that you are going to be doing business in a global culture and you’ll enjoy more success.

8

Seek expert help Accessing experts can save you a lot of headaches.

Small business owners have to do a lot on their own. Long hours, even longer to-do lists and multitasking are normal parts of a new entrepreneur’s day. Women in particular become accustomed to trying to do it all. However, new business owners quickly learn they cannot and should not try to do everything. Experts like attorneys and accountants provide important pieces of the new business puzzle. Smart entrepreneurs focus on their core talent area and turn to experts for services for overall business achievement.

Karen Southall Watts, a U.S. immigrant, is a business consultant, college instructor, coach and speaker. Learn more at karensouthallwatts.com.

info@ccnm.edu www.ccnm.edu

Continuing your medical career in Canada

The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Educating naturopathic doctors for almost 40 years twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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31

DRIVING

Brought to you by

Getting your licence to drive How to move from an international driver’s licence to a Canadian one

H

ow long can I keep using my international driver’s licence after immigrating?” is the first question most newcomers have about driving in Canada.

The answer is “Yes, but not for long.” And the rules vary from province to province.

New residents who have a valid driver’s licence from another country can use their existing licence, but for no longer than 60 to 90 days (depending on which Canadian province you reside in).

If you want to continue driving after this set time period expires, you will need to obtain a valid Canadian driver’s licence. Again, the specific rules on how to get your licence vary from province to province, which also depend on your country of origin!

No matter where you live, to obtain your new licence and start driving, your first step is to go down to your local driving test centre with proof of your international licence, driving experience and personal identification — plus pay the applicable fees!

Driving in B.C. In British Columbia, newcomers who wish to drive a motor vehicle in the province and have a valid driver’s licence from another country can use their licence for 90 days, after which you will be required to apply for a B.C. licence.

Newcomers with a valid driver’s licence from Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Isle of Man, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States can apply to have a foreign licence transferred to a B.C licence after taking a required vision test and paying applicable licence fees.

Immigrants relocating from the countries not listed above must complete a written knowledge test on the rules of the road and accompanying road test. Signing up for driving lessons can also be a big help, as the rules of the road will likely differ in Canada compared to your country of origin.

Alberta rules In Alberta, newcomers are required to exchange their original driver’s licence for an Alberta licence in 90 days.

Newcomers from Australia, Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Japan, Northern Ireland, Korea, Scotland, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United States or Wales can exchange it for an Alberta licence after taking a required vision test and paying the applicable licence fees.

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Newcomers from a country not listed above will be required to take a written knowledge test and driving test.

Licensing in Manitoba Newcomers can use a foreign licence for only three months in Manitoba before it becomes invalid. They must then apply for a provincial driver’s licence.

Newcomers with a valid driver’s licence from the United States, Austria, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan or the United Kingdom (including its territories) may exchange it for a Manitoba driver’s licence after taking a required vision test.

Newcomers from other countries must pass a vision test, complete a written knowledge test on the rules of the road and successfully complete a driving test.

On the road in Ontario Newcomers with a licence from outside of Canada can use their existing licence for up to 60 days while in Ontario.

Immigrants from the United States, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Korea, Australia, Isle of Man, Great Britain, Taiwan, France and Belgium can exchange their licence for an Ontario licence after taking a required vision test and paying the applicable license fees.

Newcomers from countries not listed above will be required to complete a written knowledge test on the rules of the road and accompanying road test.

Taking the test So, if you’re from China, India or any other non-exempt country, you will have to take a written knowledge test and a road test to get a Canadian driver’s licence.

In many provinces, there is a graduated testing system, which means you may not have full driving privileges immediately. In Ontario, for example, individuals can take a G2 road test eight months after passing the written test, which enables drivers to operate a vehicle at any time, but maintain a zero blood alcohol limit. Individuals can take an upgraded road test 12 months after to get their full G licence.

Since this type of graduated licensing system was designed for novice drivers, a newcomer with substantial driving experience may be able to bypass some of this waiting period. Check with your local driving test centre in your province to find out. facebook.com/canimmigrant

LILIAN TO BURSARIES

Free tuition for newcomers

T

Apply now for a Lilian To Bursary for Immigrants for online or on-campus study at Ashton College

he key to success for new Canadians is a combination of meaningful employment and a solid education, according to Ashton College’s president Colin Fortes. That’s why the Vancouverbased business college, along with sponsor Canadian Immigrant magazine, is proud to once again call for applications for the Lilian To Bursaries in 2016.

Lilian To was a champion of Canadian immigration and CEO of SUCCESS, a multi-service community organization providing assistance to new immigrants. It is in her honour that the bursaries, valued at up to $8,000, are presented to up to four deserving Canadian immigrants from across the country toward one of Ashton’s online or in-class programs or courses.

Last year’s winners include Cecelia Miwa Ide Ferreira, who grew up in Brazil and moved to Vancouver with her husband soon after visiting the city. With several years of experience working in finance in Sao Paolo, Ferreia enrolled in Ashton’s human resources diploma program to requalify as a Canadian human resources professional.

“My previous education is in finance,” she says. “I knew that I would need to complete a Canadian HR program in order to obtain a position in HR.”

According to Fortes, “Ashton has always prided itself on helping immigrants achieve their dreams and the first step toward accomplishing that is an education.” The importance of an education becomes all the more clear when one looks at the sheer numbers of new immigrants that make Canada their home every year; most are highly qualified working professionals, but often their qualifications and certifications don’t transfer well into the Canadian system. As a result, many new Canadians find themselves working at jobs far below their experience level.

The solution to this, as Fortes says, is Canadian education. Ashton College offers a variety of programs and courses for students wanting to transfer their credits or recertify in their professions, and the Lilian To Bursary is there to help them financially.

Applicants must have arrived in Canada within the last five years as permanent residents, as well as fulfi lled Ashton’s program-specific admission requirements. The bursary can be put toward tuition for any of Ashton’s programs and courses, whether on-campus in Vancouver or online from anywhere in Canada.

For more information about the application process, visit Ashton College’s website at ashtoncollege.ca/grants.

Find success and do what you love.

2016

LILIAN TO BURSARIES F O R

I M M I G R A N T S

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE Fill out the application form at: ashtoncollege.ca/ grants

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS! Be one of the recipients of an Ashton College tuition bursary valued up to $8,000. Bursaries are applicable towards tuition for all Ashton College programs and courses. Join the ranks of past immigrants who are building their career in their desired field. Applicants must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents who arrived in Canada for the first time within the last five years.

Compose a 500-word essay detailing your financial need, purpose, and goals for the future.

Deadline for submission is July 30, 2016.

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE AT www.ashtoncollege.ca/grants

twitter.com/@canimmigrant

In partnership with:

Submit your resume and a reference letter along with your completed application form.

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BACK PAGE

Top

Tips

Newcomer tips from our RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2015!

Umashanie Reddy Calgary

“

You have to be resilient, you have to be passionate, you have to be determined and you have to have the courage to try. You have to try, you have to be bold, you have to be confident, and you have to learn to speak your mind to people.

”

Tikaram Adhikari Winnipeg

“

A

Embrace this country wholeheartedly.

There are great opportunities to build your and your children’s future. I would also encourage newcomers to be honest in their outlook and think of how they could contribute in this country.

”

Vote for your favourite nominees for the 2016 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, March 24 to May 13, 2016, at canadianimmigrant.ca/ rbctop25.

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