Canadian Immigrant - February 2016

FEBRUARY 2016 | FREE

ARRIVE. SUCCEED. INSPIRE.

Restaurant boss

Publications mail agreement number 40011993

Mohamad Fakih and his growing Middle Eastern food empire Immigrants and isolation H&C grounds expanded

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canadianimmigrant.ca

February 2016

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CONTENTS 4

FUSION

PROFILE: Author and life coach Claire Yeung NEWS: Express Entry, Chinese New Year CANADIANA: National Flag Day CANSPEAK: Words, expressions and sayings

10 SUCCESS STORY

Lebanese-born Mohamad Fakih is building an empire in Canada, one baklava, one restaurant, at a time

13 IMMIGRANT SETTLEMENT GUIDE 2016 14 INTEGRATION

Lonely in Canada? Get out and find support before you fall too deep into isolation

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18 LIVING

Why you should try the sport of curling

20 CULTURE

Immigrant choreographers from African Diaspora

21 SETTLEMENT

IMMIGRATION LAW: H&C grounds expanded DEAR FAIZAL: Get spark back this Valentine’s Day

23 CAREERS & EDUCATION

Love kids? Top career choices for you CAREER COACH: Mobile recruiting on the rise

above Mohamad Fakih at the Paramount Fine Foods location on Yonge and Dundas streets in Toronto.

Photos by Alessandro Shinoda

28 MONEY & BUSINESS

Ionela Cristea turns chocolate into art and business

30 BACK PAGE

TOP TIPS: Advice from our Top 25 HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO

“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

Become a Regulated Immigration Consultant Full-time | Part-time | Online Contact a program adviser at 604.628.5784 or Toll free 1.844.628.5784 or apply online. www.ashtoncollege.ca Ashton College

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People. News. Information.

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2016 Group Publishers Gautam Datt Sharma Sanjay Agnihotri

profile

Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com

Claire

Yeung

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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Resetting lives

By Margaret Jetelina

H

ong Kong-born Claire Yeung was an avid marathon runner and a successful Vancouver-based attorney for 23 years, until one day, three years ago, she found herself barely able to get out of bed in the morning. Doctors were puzzled, concluding Yeung had some sort of virus; her therapist claimed career burnout. To regain her health, Yeung decided to walk away from her six-figure salary and press the “reset button” of her life. Fast-forward three years and Yeung is now a certified whole person coach who has written a new book, The Eighty-Year Rule, and helps others find their own reset buttons.

Tell us more about the book.

The Eighty-Year Rule is based on the premise that people can look back on their lives from the vantage of 80 years old, and having achieved a satisfying and welllived life, know they’ve lived a life of few or no regrets. The exercises contained in the book assist readers to move forward and make every moment of their lives count.

How did you come up with the notion of looking back from 80 years old?

My partner, Vivienne, came up with the concept when she was in

February 2016

above Hong Kong-born Claire Yeung is author of The EightyYear Rule. law school. She had always wanted to ride a motorcycle, but her parents had discouraged her from doing that. She asked herself, “When I’m 80 years old, will I regret not riding a motorcycle?” That’s what led to her learning to ride a motorcycle.

What kind of clients do you work with in your coaching practice?

My clients are mostly women who want to overcome obstacles, negative self-talk and self-limiting beliefs so that they can achieve their goals and their dreams. I also facilitate workshops for organizations on topics such as negotiation, communication and achieving goals.

How long did it take before you could run again after your illness?

It took me about two years before I could run 10K again and about two-and-a-half years before I could run a half-marathon again. I’m still quite a bit slower than I was before my mysterious illness. But I’m grateful that I can run again.

Are you training for any runs now?

I’m currently training for the

Elk Lake Ultra-marathon in Victoria, B.C., on May 14, 2016. I’m running the 50K distance. It will be my first ultra-marathon!

What is the one message you feel you are meant to share?

That each of us has it within us to be our most brilliant selves and to live our fullest, boldest, richest lives. We just have to be willing to put in the effort, take the risks and approach every day with an open heart.

Yeung’s 5 tips for how to live the Eighty-Year Rule: 1. Write down the goal you would like to accomplish.

2. Ask, what is the one thing I can do to accomplish my goal?

3. Formulate a step-by-step action plan.

4. Take that first step toward accomplishing your goal.

5. Identify if you’re encountering any obstacles and look to revamp your plan to get you over any speed bumps, move forward and believe in yours. facebook.com/canimmigrant

FUSION

news Top 25 nominations are open Know an inspiring immigrant? Nominations for the eighth annual RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards are open until Feb. 25, 2016, 11:59 pm EST at canadianimmigrant. ca/rbctop25.

Supported by title sponsor RBC Royal Bank since 2009, 175 outstanding Immigrants have been chosen for this coveted award for their inspiring contributions to Canada. This year’s awards will mark 200 winners in the program’s history.

A nominee can be anyone who has immigrated to Canada and has since contributed to the diversity and success of this country.

“These awards serve to uncover and celebrate the inspiring stories and achievements of Canadian immigrants,” said Christine Shisler, director of cultural markets, RBC. “Past winners have been a dynamic mix of people who have made an extraordinary contribution to Canada.”

Once the nominations phase ends, a distinguished panel of judges will review all nominees and present a list of 75 finalists who will be profi led online in March, after which readers can vote for their favourite nominees. The 25 winners will be announced online in late June 2016.

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Flag appreciation

There’s perhaps no more recognizable symbol of Canada than its redand-white flag with its bright maple leaf, and Feb. 15 is a day to officially celebrate it — otherwise known as National Flag Day. Red and white had long been Canada’s official colours, and the maple leaf a well-recognized emblem, so it’s no surprise the simple flag won over thousands of designs under consideration by an official flag committee five decades ago. And, on Feb. 15, 1965, the new Canadian flag was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill. Canada is the only country with a maple leaf on its flag, and it’s often cited as one of the world’s most beautiful. twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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February 2016

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news Express Entry not working for employers, says Chamber With its current immigration regime, Canada risks losing its competitive advantage in attracting highly skilled international talent, according to a new report by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The Express Entry system is not aligned with business needs, while restrictions to the temporary foreign worker program are hurting many high-value sectors — from high tech to financial services to academic research — according to Immigration for a Competitive Canada: Why Highly Skilled International Talent Is at Risk.

“Government launched the Express Entry system a year ago to attract highly skilled talent, but we must now face the facts: it simply isn’t working for employers. The original goal of giving employers more leverage was lost along the way, and this re-

port highlights the consequences. Canada is losing ground in attracting the talent employers need,” says Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve identified a series of improvements that can rapidly be put in place. We call upon the government to act before conditions worsen.”

In an interview with Canadian Immigrant in mid-January, Immigration Minister John McCallum said his first few months in office have been focused on the resettlement of Syrian refugees, but he has plans to review Express Entry in more detail this year. “[Express Entry] is an area I haven’t looked at in detail yet.

When we were in Opposition, we didn’t criticize or praise it, but decided that we have to monitor it and see how it’s going.

I will be delving into Express Entry soon,” said McCallum, adding that he would be reviewing

its impact on international students as well, as they “have not done well under the program.”

QUOTABLE I condemn the attack on Syrian refugees in Vancouver. This isn’t who we are — and doesn’t reflect the warm welcome Canadians have offered.”

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (after the pepper-spray attack on refugees in January)

MAY | MAI 2016

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February 2016

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MC 2004-203_Collège Boréal – Canadian Immigrant date de parution : 1 février 2016 grandeur : 1/2 page = 7.25” L x 4.75” h grayscale

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February 2016

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16-01-14 11:42 AM

FUSION

news

canspeak...

Words, expressions and sayings

Immigration matters could be tricky

Reach an Expert

Even though it’s the same language, there are often differences in the way English words are spelled in Canada, compared to the U.K. or U.S.A. Here are some “Canadian” versions of words.

Year of the Monkey is here

Chinese New Year, on Feb. 8, marks the start of the Year of the Monkey. Celebrations usually last 15 days, starting on the first day of the first lunar month and ending with a lantern festival of colourful Chinese paper lanterns. Also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the most significant festival in the Chinese culture. It is a time for gath-

erings, new clothes, resolutions and festive dishes.

According to some legends, Chinese villagers would prepare food as an offering to a monster named Nian. It was believed that Nian was afraid of loud noises and the colour red, which is why drumming, lion dancing, firecrackers and the colour red have become symbols of the annual celebration.

Neighbour — not neighbor Colour — not color Organize — not organise Calibre — not caliber Immigration matters couldmatters be tricky Immigration co Behaviour — not behavior Reach Cheque —Reach not checkan Expertan E Kilometre — not kilometer Marvellous —Immigration not marvelous matters could be tricky

Reach an Expert

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

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SUCCESS STORY

A delicious OPPORTUNITY

By Lisa Evans

D

Photos by Alessandro Shinoda

id you hear the story of the Lebanese businessman who walked into a restaurant to buy baklava and walked out the owner of the place? If so, then you’ve heard the story of Mohamad Fakih. Fakih arrived in Canada at the age of 26 to help a friend whose business was struggling.

He never thought he would make Canada his home, never mind become the owner of a Middle Eastern restaurant chain. After all, Fakih was trained in gemology and had previously worked as a jeweler in Lebanon.

After helping his friend, Fakih decided to stay in Canada a while longer. He was attracted to the country’s multiculturalism and, as someone who believes in grasping opportunities when they come up, Fakih recognized Canada as a land full of them.

Case in point, one day while walking around the Eaton Centre mall, he passed by a jewelry store. He entered and asked the owner if he could help him out for free, just so he would have something to do with his days while he explored Canada. The store owner accepted his offer and soon after asked him to stay on as a full-time employee. Within a year, he was the store’s sales manager. Having always dreamed of opening his own business, Fakih eventually found a partner and opened his own jewelry boutiques.

Fakih’s move from jewelry to the restaurant business came about as he says, “by mistake.” He was taking some friends out on a boat trip to Niagara Falls. His wife suggested that he buy some baklava.

“They were not Middle Eastern so she said it would be great that we should offer them something that relates to the Middle East because we’re Lebanese,” he says. His wife suggested a place that sold the best baklava in the city, Paramount Fine Foods, but it was far from the lake. “I was huffing and complaining that there was no time to prepare the boat and I was going to be late,” recalls Fakih.

When he arrived at the restaurant, he was al-

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February 2016

ready annoyed. “I walked into this pretty ugly place with white walls and orange doors. I went to wash my hands and the sink was broken. The whole experience wasn’t the best,” he says.

Fakih walked to the counter and asked for some baklava. The owner recognized Fakih from a magazine article and asked if he would lend him $250,000 for his restaurant. Fakih declined, saying “I just need to buy baklava,” but the restaurant owner was persistent. “He said, ‘They’re going to shut me down in five days.’

“I said ‘Here’s my card,’ hoping he would lose it or he wouldn’t call,” laughs Fakih.

Monday morning at 7 a.m., the restaurant owner called. Fakih lent him the money. Four days later, the owner called. “He said the money’s gone. The debts are way bigger than $250,000. You helped me. Come get all the equipment, sell it and take your money,” recalls Fakih.

When Fakih went to the restaurant, he met with the staff and spoke with the chef. He then called some friends at a consulting company and asked them how the Middle Eastern concept would perform in Canada if the restaurant were saved. “They said there’s no authentic experience here yet. It’s all mom and pop shops and some of them shut down after a couple of years because they don’t have systems,” says Fakih, who smelled an opportunity for him to grow the Middle Eastern restaurant concept.

The only problem was the only experience Fakih had in the restaurant business was five days working for Tim Hortons when he first arrived in Canada. “The only thing I knew how to do was to clean tables,” he says.

But Fakih felt he had a potential success on his hands. The restaurant already had a very good chef.

What it didn’t have was a system, and that was something Fakih could do. He worked with consultants, putting in 18-hour days for the first year and half, building the restaurant from the back end. >>

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Lebanese-born Mohamad Fakih is building an empire in Canada one baklava, one restaurant, at a time

Mohamad Fakih at the Paramount Fine Foods location on Yonge and Dundas streets in Toronto.

Photo by Alessandro Shinoda twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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<< A few years later, when Fakih hung Paramount Fine Foods’ sign on his third location, he sat on the street and cried. “I didn’t think that one day the guy that walked in as an immigrant, worked in a coffee shop, would have a sign beside the best theatre in the city and across the biggest, most important mall in Canada, the Eaton Centre,” he says.

But that was just the beginning. With a franchising model, Paramount Fine Foods is now expecting to have 55 locations at the end of 2016, not only in Canada, but also in the United States, Pakistan and England. They will be opening the first locations in western Canada, in Edmonton and British Columbia, this year and already have two locations in Toronto’s Pearson Airport in Terminals 1 and 3.

Popularizing Middle Eastern cuisine is one accomplishment Fakih is proud of. Paramount Fine Foods is not only popular among Middle Eastern clientele who are looking for a taste of home, but

I’m living the Canadian dream because I got an opportunity that everyone dreams of.”

to Canadians who are seeking healthy, clean food. “We don’t freeze any of our foods,” says Fakih. “I feed the clients’ children what I would feed my children.”

Sixty-nine per cent of Paramount’s clientele are, in fact, non-Middle Eastern. “We’re a very proudly Canadian company,” says Fakih, adding that Paramount’s success speaks to the diversity of Canada.

Fakih credits his team with his success and has gone to extremes to show them his gratitude. “I’m the craziest boss you can find,” he says. Once, he asked them all to gather for an important meeting and surprised them all by taking them to Great Wolf Lodge. Sliding down tubes and acting like kids was a great way to bond as a team and show that the boss is just a regular guy who can have fun, too. “We play soccer every couple weeks. They throw me on the floor, they trip me with the ball,” he says. Reminding his team how important they are to his success is top of mind for Fakih. “Everyone is expecting you one day to forget about them because you became too big. You need to send the opposite message,” he says.

Fakih’s favourite part of being president and CEO of Paramount Fine Foods is having the opportunity to teach others. “I love hiring staff ; waking up every morning, teaching them something and making changes in their lives,” he says. Several staff members have grown within the company. Fakih’s former executive assistant became a franchise manager and eventually an executive at the company. “It’s not me, it’s her hard work, but even if I’m responsible for two per cent of that success, it makes me feel I need to wake up every morning,” says Fakih.

While you could say Fakih was in the right place at the right time when he got the opportunity to purchase Paramount Fine Foods, he says all immigrants can achieve the success he has had simply by feeling that this country is theirs. While many newcomers arrive in Canada feeling that they have one leg in Canada and one leg in their home country, Fakih says newcomers would be well served to avoid feeling that Canada is their second country. “They need to feel that this country is theirs,” he says.

“I always say I am Canadian by choice,” says Fakih. “I had other options and I chose to be Canadian.” In fact, Fakih says he loves Canada more than a lot of people who were born here because he chose Canada over the country he was born in. “I think I’m living the Canadian dream because I got an opportunity that everyone dreams of.”

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Immigrant SETTLEMENT GUIDE

2016

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

Agency

General Services and Specialty Programs

Brampton Multicultural Centre (BMC)

Not for profit, registered charity providing multilingual, culturally sensitive free programs & services to help clients enhance their community engagement while integrating into Canadian society. Programs: Initial settlement support, resumés & employment readiness workshops, advocacy with solution-focused counselling, interpretation & translation, services for youth and youth at risk, volunteer opportunities, seniors program and mental health support services in multiple languages. Reference to instructor-led LINC classes with child-minding & transportation subsidies, violence against women program and community engagement programs.

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

Non-profit providing cultural and inter-cultural services & hosting community engagement programs and activities; dance classes, Unique ESL Program (Learn English 6 months); Community engagement & mentoring programs. Volunteer ESL tutors needed.

3 locations across GTA Email:phoenixacademyschool@gmail.com www.phoenixacademyofthearts.com

• English • Chinese

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 Phoenix Academy of the Arts 66 Glen Watford Drive, Toronto, ON L3P 2B2 Phone: 416-299-6658 Welcome Centre Immigrant Services 7 Locations in York and Durham Regions Phone: 1-877-761-1155

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Languages

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English Punjabi Gujarati French Spanish

• • • • •

Hindi Tamil Urdu Arabic Farsi

February 2016

13

LONELY IN C

INTEGRATION

N CANADA? Feeling alone is common for many newcomers, but it’s critical to get out and find support before you fall too deep into isolation

By Sophia Kim

Illustration by Hemeterio

F

or Tania Sharma, her immigration experience from India was a lonely one. Although she came to Canada in 2014 as a new bride following her marriage to a Canadian immigrant from India, the 27-year-old didn’t expect the first year of life in Canada to be such an isolating experience.

In the beginning, Sharma found herself alone with no one to talk to while her husband went to work. “No one was there. Not even my landlady,” recalls Sharma. “I had nobody here to talk to. I just waited for my husband and stayed home all day.”

According to Marc Valade, a PhD candidate and lead researcher of the Integration Trajectories of Immigrant Families study at Ryerson Centre for Immigration and Settlement, Sharma’s experience is common among many new immigrants.

In his research, Valade and his team interviewed 23 immigrant families from 13 countries in the Greater Toronto Area regarding their experience when they arrived. His research has found a common theme of isolation for immigrants, especially for spouses of the primary immigration applicants. And language skills were a big part of it.

Cut off by language “[The interviewees] said that [language skills] did impact their ability to integrate and it also factored in their isolation,” explains Valade. “Especially for their spouses.”

Although a spouse who applied as a skilled immigrant may speak fluent-enough English, the rest of the family members do not necessarily have the same language skills. Valade explains that many “lacked the language skills to build ties with the community or with their neighbours so then they were even more isolated … if they weren’t a part of a community, or an ethnic group supporting them, they didn’t have any friends or relationships here.”

The result is that “their world initially would gravitate only around the house and the few stores or services they could access around the neighbourhood.”

Sharma agrees that this was her initial experience without any

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connections other than her husband. “I felt bound to my husband and I didn’t like that because I’m very social and I love to talk,” she says.

Family ties help While the stress of having one spouse so dependent on the other financially and socially can seem like a heavy burden, Valade’s research revealed that, for many couples, it helped them grow closer.

“Family is quite important for them to be able to withstand all this social and cultural trauma,” says Valade. “In most cases, they’re telling us, ‘if it hadn’t been for our partner, I don’t know how I would have done it.’”

Valade adds that having a spouse or a partner to rely on helps in many ways; there is an opportunity for one partner to learn English, upgrade their credentials or pursue the career they want here while the other partner financially supports them.

“Once one of the spouses gets a diploma and gets a job, the other can go through the process. There’s this exchange in the integration process that is quite valuable for them,” says Valade.

“Family is an important factor to stay afloat, to stay focused on their objectives.”

Research suggests that extended family such as grandparents also provide similar support. Often the grandparents or older relatives are able to provide essential help around the house and childcare, allowing many immigrants to pursue their career goals outside the house.

And since there’s a strong sense of loneliness that stems from the distance from family left behind in the home country, says Valade, having extended family in Canada helps to lessen that feeling.

Further, immigrants who are in Canada without extended family feel lonelier knowing that going back to visit relatives in their country of origin is a huge financial challenge at first. Valade’s interviews reveal that many immigrants have to miss funerals and big family events, an experience that is psychologically >>

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INTEGRATION

Get out, get support Don’t feel ready to seek out support and get out of your isolation? Bonnie Wong, executive director of Hong Fook Mental Health Association, says that for many immigrants talking about feelings and seeking help is a challenge they must first overcome in order to feel less isolated.

With such a wide range of services provided by associations such as Hong Fook and immigrant settlement agencies right across the country, there is no shortage of classes and programs that immigrants can seek out once they are ready.

John Dubé, senior manager for settlement programs at MOSAIC in Vancouver, explains that there are settlement, employment, language and early childhood programs that immigrants can take advantage of to get out of the house, meet new people and learn new skills.

Dubé cites MOSAIC’s English Conversation Circle as a good example of such programs. “The conversation circle brings in a variety of people and provides an opportunity to learn [English] in a more relaxed atmosphere.”

Organizations like MOSAIC also may offer field trips to places in the community like libraries and local attractions, so newcomers can experience what the local community has to offer. Even mothers with young children or seniors can partake in programs that are designed to meet their specific needs.

However, for those who feel that they need more than social programs, there is also counselling help available from organizations such as MOSAIC and Hong Fook Mental Health Association, often offered for free and in a variety of languages.

Wong notes that for many cultures, there is a strong stigma associated with talking about mental health and mental illness, but she stresses the importance of realizing that it is not shameful to ask for help.

“Asking for help is absolutely permitted,” says Wong. “[Immigrants] need to talk about it so that they are not alone.

People around them can understand what the experience is like. People can tell them about resources and help that are available in the community.”

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“I had nobody here to talk to. I just waited for my husband and stayed home all day.” << and emotionally draining, adding to the sense of isolation in Canada.

Problem for seniors, too Unfortunately, sometimes it is the older relatives themselves here in Canada that fall victim to loneliness and isolation. Some senior immigrants are disadvantaged because they cannot speak English, cannot enter the labour market or find a fulfilling job, and may not even be able to communicate with their grandchildren due to a language barrier.

Indeed, no one is immune to this sense of isolation.

“It affects all age groups, whether it’s youth, children, adults, women, seniors. Everybody is affected,” says Bonnie Wong, executive director of Ontario-based Hong Fook Mental Health Association.

A person’s resilience and the network of family and friends they have in Canada may make a difference on how people integrate, but everyone is affected by the experience of having to adapt to a new culture, language and society, even for outgoing, positive people like Sharma. She explains that during her worst months, she felt so lonely and depressed that even if she had had friends to ask her to go somewhere, she wouldn’t have.

Getting out of isolation According to Wong, those who fail to seek help early on can end up suffering from this feeling for a long time. Even worse, it could lead to clinical depression, stress or anxiety problems. Fortunately for Sharma, with the support of her husband and with her determination to change things, she was able to turn things around positively.

She began to pursue her options here.

Having been a teacher in India, Sharma researched and worked at getting her certification in Canada through the Ontario College of Teachers. It was during this process that she found a site for employment services, leading to a turning point for Sharma.

“There was a lady there who helped with my resumé and options for schools to apply to for jobs,” explains Sharma. “I realized it’s not just me who is scared … I’m not the only

one who has difficulties. I’m not alone here.

So I felt more encouraged.”

Valade concurs that immigrants like Sharma will feel less isolated when they seek help as Sharma did, especially from settlement organizations that offer a wide range of services from English classes to employment help.

“They’ll find there people capable of understanding what they are going through and people who can help them,” he says. “They will present them with opportunities to better their credentials and to better understand the labour market.”

Just as important, such programs help create a sense of belonging and community.

Valade says, “Newcomers are very grateful for the human contact they find there and it definitely helps them to overcome some of this loneliness and this feeling of isolation.”

Another avenue that many immigrants like Sharma explore in their search for friends, productivity and better job opportunities is volunteering. “I felt that this was the best option for me to meet people,” says Sharma.

And volunteering provided her with many new experiences. She went on public transportation for the first time in Canada and she got to use her training as a teacher to tutor Canadian students who needed help, but could not afford to hire a tutor.

“This is a way for them to get out of their isolation and start developing their fluency and social skills and building their self-confidence, as well as acquiring some sort of experience that they can put on their resumés,” says Valade.

Ten months after landing in Canada, Sharma got her first contract job in Canada at an international high school in Toronto. “This was the moment I gained confidence,” states Sharma. “I had something to do in Canada.”

As Valade aptly puts it, there is definitely a sense of being “derooted” when one moves away from family, friends and the place where one feels at home. However, being brave enough to seek help, to reach out to those closest to you as well as to others you have met is the best way to pull yourself out of isolation and find your proper place in Canada.

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N S T

D

D im

R th

T c

NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY! Deadline for nominations is February 25 Do you know an inspiring immigrant who has made a positive impact in Canada?

Recognize and celebrate their achievements by nominating them for this coveted national award!

To Nominate Visit canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25

LIVING

Why you should try curling We all know hockey is Canada’s national winter sport, but it’s not the only one newcomers can try

By Lisa Evans

N

ewcomers are often fascinated by Canadian sports, especially those played on snow or ice. With a long history in Canada and an easy learning curve, curling can be a great one for newcomers to try. In this sport, flat, round stones are slid across the ice toward a target. While one team member slides the stone, the others use brooms to sweep the ice to control the stone’s speed and direction.

Richard Dobbs had been in Canada for a couple of years when he was invited to curl at a work team-building event.

Dobbs had been physically active in his native country of England and was looking for a sport to participate in now that he was in Canada, but none of the sports he did in the past seemed to suit in his new country. “I used to play recreational soccer, but, in Canada, it appeared soccer was mainly organized as a kids sport and it was played in the summer.

In the U.K., soccer is a winter sport,” he says. Dobbs also enjoyed playing cricket, but the sport wasn’t available in his area of Acton, Ontario. Other winter sports like hockey didn’t appeal to Dobbs, who had never learned to skate, and skiing was simply too expensive to do on a regular basis.

Curling is for everyone Curling immediately appealed to Dobbs because it is relatively cheap and is a sport that anyone can learn at any age. “It was something I could go into and play as an adult be-

Clubs also require members to pay for the entire season upfront.

“In the U.K., most of the sports I played were a pay-as-you-go format. With my cricket team, we paid game dues every time you played,” he says. Although he probably spent the equivalent of the $400 annual curling club fee on the other sports he participated in in England, it seemed like a lot of cash to drop at once.

Physical and social benefits

Curling swept Richard Dobbs off his feet after immigrating to Canada.

Photo by Alessandro Shinoda

ginner and no one would look at me funny or expect me to have curled since the age of five,” he says.

Although Dobbs was attracted to curling as a winter sport, it took him three years to get the courage to sign up. “At one point, I drove into the parking lot and turned around and drove back,” he says. Being a newcomer, Dobbs was nervous

about engaging in a team sport where he’d be forced to interact with others and learn about something he knew little about.

He also struggled to adjust to the cyclical nature of sports clubs in Canada. “With curling, you sign up for it in October and if you miss October all the leagues are set, the teams are set and there isn’t much opportunity to get into the sport later,” he says.

But it was a worthwhile investment, on several levels.

Participating in curling not only provided him with an opportunity for physical activity, it also provided Dobbs with social support he had been missing as a newcomer. “I’ve met an enormous amount of people through the sport,” he says.

As one of the most popular sports in Canada, curling also helped Dobbs feel more connected to Canadian society. “To me, it was a very Canadian thing to do,” he says. And although he enjoys the physical aspect of the sport, it’s the social aspect that Dobbs now gets the greatest rewards from. “You get to talk to people. It helps you integrate into the community,” he says.

Dobbs enjoyed curling so much, he got involved in coaching when his daughter started to play the sport. He also became involved with the board of directors at his local club and is currently one of 16 representatives across Ontario. “I now know people across the province at all levels of curling that I would never have known before,” says Dobbs.

See this article at canadianimmigrant.ca to connect to curling clubs and more information on the rules of the game.

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Curling can be played by anyone at any age and of any ability. Unlike many organized sports, you don’t have to have a high level of physical activity to be able to play. It’s even possible for someone in a wheelchair to participate in curling by using a delivery stick.

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6 reasons to curl

Curling is an inclusive sport

Curling is inexpensive

Unlike many organized sports in Canada, curling is relatively inexpensive. Danny Lamoureux, director of Curling Canada, estimates a fullyear membership at a big city club costs around $400 while a smaller city club may cost around $200 for a 20- to 24week season. That’s cheaper than most gym memberships!

Plus, curling doesn’t require much equipment and is a great sport for someone who doesn’t want to invest a lot of money in gear to learn how to do a Canadian sport. To begin curling,

all you need is a pair of rubbersoled shoes and loose-fitting pants like yoga or track pants.

Clubs typically supply brooms and sliders for new players.

3

Curling has physical health benefits

While you don’t need to be in terrific shape to be a good curler, the sport can give you a great workout. Sweeping (using brooms to clear the ice surface and coax the stone down the run and into the bullseye) is an excellent cardiovascular activity, and throwing the stone can help to improve your balance and hand-eye coordination. When you deliver a curling stone, you slide out with one foot forward in a bent knee position. Th is requires some balance, though for individuals who aren’t able to do

this motion, a delivery stick can be used.

4

Curling is a social sport

Like any team sport, curling involves a great deal of camaraderie. There are four members on a curling team and you’ll play against another foursome. “You’re going to meet people that are representative of the community you live in,” says Lamoureux.

“You’re going to meet doctors, plumbers, housewives, fi refighters, people of all walks of life.”

5

Curling is easy to understand

If you understand a bullseye, you can understand curling.

Scoring in curling is based on points you earn from landing your stone in the target. Most

curling rinks are open to the public and many offer learnto-curl opportunities. Learnto-curl programs typically run over an entire season. “Because it’s a game played on ice, we want to make sure that [players] are safe, that they understand how the game is played rather than letting them loose without any instruction,” says Lamoureux. Injuries in curling are typically minor, caused by slipping on the ice, and most often land you with nothing more than a bruised ego.

6

Curling is one of Canada’s most popular sports

Curling was introduced to Canada in the early 1800s by Scottish immigrants. The first official curling club in Canada was formed in Montreal in 1807. There are now more than 1,000 curling clubs across the country and it’s estimated there are more than 750,000 Canadians participating in the sport.

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1/23/2015 4:10:25 PM

CULTURE

Diverse dance Immigrant choreographers honour black heritage onstage

By Margaret Jetelina

above Ghana-born Liliona Quarmyne performs in her solo Tide.

Photo by Raphael Titsworth-Morin

F

ebruary is Black History Month, and six black choreographers from across the country, most of whom are also immigrants, are taking to the stage to express their culture and history through dance.

Called Footsteps Across Canada, this mix of diverse works, which runs Feb. 26-27, 2016, at Harbourfront Centre Theatre in Toronto, is being presented by dance Immersion, a not-forprofit organization that produces, promotes and showcases dancers and dances of the African Diaspora.

The choreographers, including Haitian-born Rhodnie Désir

(Quebec), Haitian-born Rodney Diverlus (Alberta), South African-born Mafa Makhubalo (Ontario), Jamaican-born Mikhail Morris (Ontario) and Ghanaborn Liliona Quarmyne (Nova Scotia), along with Ontario-born Esie Mensah, each represent a unique Canadian voice from the African Diaspora, and present dance works influenced by both their past and present journey.

Born in Ghana, West Africa, choreographer and dancer Liliona Quarmyne is presenting her solo work Tide, a reflection on the power of the ocean and its ability to absorb humanity’s hopes, fears, joys and sorrows.

She told Canadian Immigrant of her own immigration experience as a state of motion like the tide. “Being a black immigrant in Canada is living in motion, rather than in a state of static identity,” she says. “As an artist, it means constantly referring back to my feet. Where are they from?

Where have they taken me (literally and metaphorically)? Where are they planted now, and what stories have they carried with them as they have journeyed? It is a process of always being both at home, and also being completely displaced.”

Rodney Diverlus, originally from Haiti and currently danc-

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February 2016

ing with Calgary’s Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, presents his work for four dancers, Two to See, which he describes as a reflection on things we wish we could say, and things we wish we didn’t.

As a black artist in Canada, however, he wants to ensure there is plenty of room for immigrant dancers like him to express exactly what they have to say. “Being a black immigrant … for me means operating within a system and an art form in which I rarely see myself represented. I do art to remedy this and to provide space for our communities to thrive and be free.”

Both Rhodnie Désir and Mikhail Morris are making their voices heard, as they draw on their countries of origin in the works they are presenting, Bow’t and Dichotomy, respectively.

Mafa Makhubalo, who started dancing at the age of five in South Africa and continued his training at Ballet Creole School in Toronto, not only strives to showcase his own cultural voice onstage, as in his Footsteps piece Songs of the Soil, but he also wants to help give a platform to the next generation.

“I utilize my creative talent to promote and communicate dance and the arts not only through the proscenium arch with gestures of dance, but across underprivileged youth communities and recreation centres with open gestures of trust and artistic excellence across Canada, Africa and African Diasporas,” he says.

H uron C ollege of Management, Technology & Healthcare

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289.569.0078 Fax: 905.494.0141 Phone:

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

O

More compassion to come

n Dec.10, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada issued its most significant immigration judgment in almost 20 years. Its decision in Kanthasamy v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) will likely result in visa officers assessing applications for Canadian permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds in a much more holistic and equitable manner than previously.

H&C applications People who would not normally be eligible to become permanent residents in Canada may apply to immigrate on H&C grounds. A typical H&C applicant is someone who does not meet the requirements of any of Canada’s economic or family reunification programs.

Or it is an applicant who does qualify for more traditional immigration programs, but who is inadmissible to Canada for other reasons.

When visa officers review H&C applications, they analyze several factors, including the person’s establishment in Canada, their family ties to Canada, the best interests of any children involved, as well as what could happen to them if their H&C applications are not granted.

Prior to Kanthasamy, the criterion for an H&C application was whether applicants would suffer “unusual and undeserved or disproportionate hardship” if their applications were refused.

Indeed, Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s guidelines on numerous occasions explicitly instructed officers that the assessment of an H&C application was a determination of whether the applicant met this test. “Unusual and undeserved hardship” was defined as hardship that was not anticipated or addressed by immigration legislation, and was “beyond the person’s control.”

“Disproportionate hardship” was defined as an “unreasonable twitter.com/@canimmigrant

Supreme Court of Canada expands humanitarian and compassionate grounds, arguably the most significant immigration decision in nearly 20 years impact on the applicant due to their personal circumstances.”

A new interpretation In Kanthasamy, the Supreme Court of Canada found that while immigration officers should treat the “unusual and undeserved or disproportionate hardship” factors described above as descriptive, they do not create three new thresholds for relief that must each be met by applicants. Rather, officers are to analyze applications holistically to simply determine whether there are sufficient H&C considerations to warrant approval.

To be clear, that does not mean that any positive H&C factors will automatically lead to an approval. The Supreme Court of Canada explicitly reaffirmed that hardship alone will not generally be sufficient to warrant relief on H&C grounds, nor are H&C applications meant to duplicate refugee proceedings.

Rather, Kanthasamy means that officers making humanitarian and compassionate determinations must substantively consider and weigh all the relevant facts before them, and not just evaluate them against overly rigid and strict criteria.

As well, the Supreme Court clarified that immigration officers considering the hardship of potential discrimination against a person returning to their country of origin should not be too narrow in how they assess the discrimination. H&C consideration may be warranted where discrimination could manifest itself in isolated or systemic incidents, and an applicant only needs to show that he or she would likely be affected by adverse conditions back home.

their best interests are.

As well, the Supreme Court reiterated that where an applicant is a member of a group that is typically discriminated against back home, it is reasonable to infer that the applicant will face discrimination and hardship, and positive H&C consideration may be warranted.

Finally, in Kanthasamy the Supreme Court of Canada further reminded visa officers that when considering the best interests of children, it is insufficient for officers to simply state that the children’s interests were taken into account. Rather, the interests of children must be “well identified and defi ned” and examined “with a great deal of attention” in light of all the circumstances. The test for officers when assessing children is not hardship, but rather what

Going forward Kanthasamy re-affirms that visa officers have the discretion to holistically determine whether there are sufficient H&C grounds to warrant approval, and that the Immigration department cannot bind them to an overly rigid standard. It is vague, however, on how officers are to actually assess H&C applications.

The dissenting Supreme Court justices in Kanthasamy cautioned that the decision appears to have watered down the stringency of the H&C assessment, and that equitable relief might now be granted in cases that simply arouse strong feelings of sympathy in visa officers. Although it is too early to determine the accuracy of their prediction, applicants submitting H&C applications should be grateful that their applications are being assessed postKanthasamy in a much more holistic manner than they may otherwise have been.

Steven Meurrens is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact him at 604-681-9887, by email at steven.meurrens@larlee.com or visit his blog at smeurrens.com.

Are you an internationally trained professional?

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• Seeking an alternative career relevant to your professional training?

• Residing in Canada more than 5 years?

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SETTLEMENT DE AR FAI Z AL

Prescription to spice up neglected marriage Dear Faizal: My husband and I have been married for 10 years. In the first couple of years, we were madly in love and shared everything with each other as we settled into Canada. But, for the past few years, we have been arguing over the littlest of things and are becoming progressively disconnected from each other. We go to work, come home, have dinner and go to bed — all this without any sex, might I add. It seems like we are losing each other. My hope for Valentine’s Day is to save my marriage by reconnecting and spicing things up. Could you offer a few strategies to help?

— From disconnected wife Dear Disconnected: After some time together, many couples feel that their relationship is not as close or passionate. Some may not feel as appreciated by their spouse or may even feel neglected.

Most times, resentment builds, and couples begin to criticize even the smallest things. What leads married people into this situation of marital discord is a loss of intimacy.

It is imperative that you and your husband openly, honestly and nonjudgmentally communicate your emotional and sexual needs with each other. Just like your employment schedule, you must schedule at least 15 minutes each day to talk to your husband, without any disruptions (this means no kids around and cell phones turned off ), about

your day. Instead of coming home and immediately sifting through the mail, I recommend both of you give each other a 30-second hug (or, if you feel like it, a 30-second kiss), and then sit down over a drink and share both the happy incidents and disappointments of your day. This type of greeting would set the stage for the rest of the evening.

Encourage (not demand) your husband to make dinner with you.

Preparing food does not have to be work; instead, make it a fun or even sensual experience.

A more physical type of communication could take place after dinner (and after the kids go to bed). Take a warm, candle-lit bath together or give each other a relaxing massage.

Before going to sleep, share with your husband one thing about him that you appreciate about him or your marriage. He can have a turn after you finish. This type of communication, which I call emotional foreplay, sets the stage for later emotional, psychological and sexual intimacies. Then, one of the most intimate things couples can do is to fall asleep while holding or spooning each other.

Once reignited, intimacy will help maintain the passion and commitment in your marriage.

Faizal Sahukhan, PhD, is a couples counsellor and the author of Dating the Ethnic Man: Strategies for Success.

Visit him at multiculturalromance.com or call him at 604899-0102.

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CAREERS & EDUCATION

will subsidize the cost for volunteers to take courses.

High schools typically hire teachers to fi ll coaching roles, so you would need to meet the educational requirements of a high school teacher to coach in the education system. University coaches may be required to have a degree in kinesiology, for example, however some coaches are hired based on their coaching certification level and experience in the sport. Clubs also employ coaches with strong technical skills and higher certifications as head coaches or technical directors.

Salary Community coaches are often volunteer positions while the salaries for paid coaching positions vary widely depending on the level of competition, the sport and the coach’s level of experience.

Early childhood educator

Working with kids Looking for a meaningful career focused on youth? Here are some options

By Lisa Evans

T

here’s more to childhood education than just school teacher. If you love working with children, you may want to consider one of these careers.

Sports coach Working as a coach can be incredibly rewarding. After all, what can be better than sharing your knowledge and passion with others and watching them succeed? For many newcomers, their fi rst engagement in Canadian society is through sport, says Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO of the Coaching Association of Canada.

“The ability to engage with people who share a love of a specific sport is a nice door opener to engage in the community,” she says. Coaches are hired on a volunteer, part-time, contractual or full-time basis for community leagues, professional leagues, twitter.com/@canimmigrant

and colleges and university teams. Coaches need to be trustworthy, have high moral standards, have strong leadership skills, and need to be able to foster high standards of sportsmanship and knowledge of the sport.

Education The National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) is a Canada-wide coaching education program that trains coaches in 66 sports from community level to high performance. Lafrenière says a good fi rst step to enter the world of coaching is to seek out volunteer opportunities at community sports clubs in a sport that you love.

Each sport has a community coaching program with the NCCP. These courses vary in length from one to two days and cost around $100, though many sports clubs

Early childhood educators (ECEs) work in a variety of childcare settings including preschools, nursery school programs at community centres, before and after school programs, and health care settings such as pediatric playrooms.

Education In order to become a registered ECE with the College of Early Childhood Educators, you will require an ECE diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution.

Internationally trained applicants are assessed by World Education Services (WES).

A diploma or degree program that is at least four semesters in length is required. Practical experience working with infants, toddlers, pre-school and school-aged children either through paid or volunteer work can also help boost your profi le.

Salary The average hourly wage for early childhood educators in Ontario, according to the Government of Canada’s Labour Market Information website, ranges from $14.40 to $16.90 per hour depending on location. Supervisors and program administrators may earn more.

Nanny/babysitter Many Canadian families rely on part-time and full-time babysitters and nannies to care for their children in their homes >> canadianimmigrant.ca

February 2016

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CAREERS & EDUCATION being performed (such as housekeeping or meal preparation) and location. Nannies on Call pays $15-$22 per hour. Private households may pay anywhere between $9-$15 per hour for a part-time babysitter.

School counsellor

<< while they go to work or run their errands. You may be hired by an agency, such as Nannies on Call, or you can register yourself on a website such as SOSsitter or Care.ca that connect families in need of inhome care providers.

Education Many Canadian parents are looking for babysitters with experience, though not necessarily Canadian experience. “A big misconception newcomers have is that they must only have experience from within Canada, but childcare experience is the same throughout the globe and is relevant and should be noted on a resumé,” says Jennifer Kelly, Toronto recruiter for Nannies on Call. Any international experience dealing with children in a professional role in-

cluding as a teacher, tutor, babysitter, coach, early childhood educator or nurse can help you land a job as a nanny. An up-to-date CPR/First Aid Certificate is also a bonus, and is often a requirement to be hired via a babysitting agency.

Paulina Podgorska, a Polish-born immigrant who owns and operates SOSsitter in Toronto, says many Canadian parents also look at who you are as a person. “If you’re a mother yourself, that speaks to people,” she says. Knowing a foreign language can also give you a leg up as many parents want their kids to learn their parents’ native tongue.

Salary Salaries vary depending on the number of children, their ages, any additional duties

Do you have a keen interest in working in education? Are you able to listen to people’s problems without judgment? Are you able to build trust and help people feel relaxed?

A career as a school counsellor might be for you. School counsellors work in schools and help students resolve their academic and social problems and may also help them determine their academic direction.

Sometimes known as guidance counsellors or career counsellors, they work in elementary, junior and high schools, as well as post-secondary institutions, and provide students with advice concerning their career options and social or behavioural problems.

Education School counsellors require either an undergraduate degree in education or social work. Some may require a graduate degree in psychology or a closely related field. You may also require previous experience in education, social work or counselling. School counsellors also require exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

Salary Although salaries will depend on the education of the counsellor and the region where they work, according to Service Canada, the average salary for educational counsellors in Canada is $52,380.

Continue to Grow Your success is our business.

Register now for Winter 2016 Continuing Education

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CORPORATE PROFILE

The IEP Conference Your opportunity to getting your career on track in 2016

I

n 2002, a small not-for-profit organization, Progress Career Planning Institute (PCPI), recognizing the challenges of the skilled immigrants using their service, brought about the concept for the IEP Conference.

With no money to deliver the conference, PCPI approached the City of Toronto’s Economic Development division and Toronto Community News, now Metroland Media, to gain their support in making it happen. In 2003, PCPI and its two partners delivered the first conference assisting internationally educated professionals to find work commensurate with their skills and education. The conference was held in Scarborough with approximately 400 IEP delegates.

Now in its 13th year, the conference has evolved from a oneday event sharing equal time between professional development workshops and panel discussions with labour market stakeholders to a full day of sector hub discussions in response to delegates’ feedback. IEPs, employers and other stakeholders leave the conference with new insights into each other’s perspectives.

In conjunction with the conference, PCPI has commissioned five research studies on IEPs and workforce integration, and produced a think tank. With fluctuating levels of government fund-

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ing and increasing support from the corporate sector, PCPI has continued to proudly present the IEP Conference.

The annual conference hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre attracts more than 1,000 IEP delegates from engineering, health care, IT, sales, marketing and communications, and finance and accounting. It brings internationally educated professionals together with stakeholders from industry, government and academia to provide them with resources and expert advice to help them integrate successfully into the local labour market. The day’s agenda includes a panel of successful IEPs; sector-specific discussions with academia, regulatory bodies and hiring managers; and a marketplace of exhibitors representing employers, bridging programs and other services targeted to skilled immigrants.

Attendees are encouraged to practise their networking skills throughout the day.

If you’re an internationally educated professional looking to advance your career in Canada, attend the conference on Friday, Feb. 26 in Toronto! Say “yes” to getting your career on track in 2016 and find out how you can leverage your global skills for success! Hear from Dr. Kwame McKenzie on the importance of resilience; learn from LinkedIn staff on how to optimize your profi le; and connect with employers in your field! This conference is free of charge. Space is limited so don’t delay. Register today at iep.ca.

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February 2016

25

CAREERS & EDUCATION CAREER COACH

The rise and rise of mobile recruiting 8 ways to use your smart phone to get hired on the go

Many companies also add a personal touch by sending reminders to candidates on the day of their interview and confirming the time and names of the hiring panel.

In addition to providing relevant mobile-optimized content and job postings for mobile interfaces, a few companies have gone a step further and are offering regular updates on developments and careers within their company.

8 things you can do Here are eight ways you can adapt to this growing mobile environment.

1

Keep pace with advancing technology

2

Visit renowned online job boards

3

Download some of the leading Android and iOS apps

4

Identify opportunities on the go

5

Develop a short-form resumé

6

Update social media profiles

7

One-click application

8

Follow up with ease

As mobile technology advances and becomes more popular, recruiters expect candidates to complete every stage of the process, from the search to the application through their smart phones and tablets. Make sure you stay updated with all developments. As with everything else, trial and error can make you an expert in no time.

Craigslist, Monster, Simply Hired and many others have created mobile portals and apps for recruiters and jobseekers to be involved in the hiring process anytime and anywhere they want.

These include Indeed, Intro, LinkUp, Simply Hired, Switch, Snagajob, Monster and, of course, LinkedIn that help you to track job listings and apply through your device.

Start by browsing the career sections of company websites. Many of the sites have been redesigned and formatted to be easily browsed on the go with a mobile device.

R

apidly changing technology is impacting our lives everywhere.

In the age of the millennials, tablets and smartphones have now taken over our daily lives. Not to be left behind, the job-search process has also evolved from print classified ads to online postings to mobile job search and hiring.

Yes, mobile recruiting is the “in” thing now and will continue to grow given the fact that by 2020, millennials will comprise 40 per cent of the workforce. In fact, currently more than 90 per cent of hiring managers and jobseekers use their mobile phones at some point in the recruiting cycle. As mobile surpasses desktop technology, hiring managers expect candidates to also keep pace.

Here’s what organizations are doing Many companies now offer branded, mobile-optimized career sites that match their overall web theme. Some have even created customized mobile apps for job search.

With talent on the move, companies are keeping it simple with a “one-click” apply option. They have made sure that all links are easy to follow with a functional search facility, concise job descriptions and the option to apply using a LinkedIn profi le without the need for cover letters or resumés.

Automated text messages have become an instant and effective way of leveraging the benefits of mobile technology by acknowledging applications, updating candidates on their progress and scheduling interviews.

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February 2016

You can create an abridged version of your resumé that just touches on career highlights and can be easily scanned. Your primary purpose is to generate interest. You can also use a document format that can be easily opened.

You can adjust your social media profi le with all the basic information an employer will want to know. Although you may gain the interest of employers with a brief mobile-friendly resumé, they will still want to know your qualifications and history.

Master the art of applying for job positions in one click from a mobile device. Many companies have created simplified applications that jobseekers can easily complete from their devices without getting frustrated. Others are enabling candidates to use their LinkedIn or other social profi les to complete sections of the application.

Beyond applying and setting up the first interview, you can also display your mobile mastery by scheduling second interviews and follow-up meetings using email, SMS, WhatsApp and other tools.

Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, mentor and best-selling author of the ACE Books — The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening and The ACE Abundance.

He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada.

Learn more at ACEWorldFoundation.com. facebook.com/canimmigrant

Annual

™

www.iep.ca

Start your year right with a new canadian perspective

A free event not to be missed!

february 26th, 2016 Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Gain direct insight and forge links

Engineering Finance & Meet Accounting with key Information Technology employers Healthcare & in your Related sector Professions Sales, Marketing & Communications

North Building • 255 Front Street West • Toronto

Keynote SpeaKer

Dr. Kwame McKenzie CEO, Wellesley Institute

Create opportunities to meet/job shadow with employers

1

DAY EVENT ONLY!

Special draw lunch provided for registered conference attendees prize

Register now at:

www.iep.ca

Leverage your global skills for success

presented by: Progress Career Planning Institute

WORKING TOGETHER FOR PROGRESS

www.pcpi.ca

Get on the

PA TH to a better job

Let’s get to work!

EMPLOYERS: Access to a large pool of qualified candidates and placements with financial incentives.

JOB SEEKERS: Find out about Employment programs, services and more, all at NO COST

3 Second Career Training 3 Career decision making and planning 3 Entrepreneurship 3 On-the-job training opportunities 3 Apprenticeships and Trades 3 Job Matching and Placement with Employers

Access to a wide range of employment related resources and workshops through our Resource & Information Service (RIS).

Act now!

Don’t wait another minute to “get on the path to a better job”.

Contact us at 416.439.8448 or visit us online at www.pcpi.ca Progress Career Planning Institute

WORKING TOGETHER FOR PROGRESS

www.pcpi.ca

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career development employment and training services

EMPLOYMENT

ONTARIO Your job is out there. We’ll help you find it.

This Employment Ontario service is funded in part by the Government of Canada.

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February 2016

27

MONEY & BUSINESS

CHOCOLATE ART Romanian-born Ionela Cristea creates perfect gifts for sweet lovers in Toronto

By Lisa Evans

C

ustomers passing by the window of Toronto chocolatier Nadia Chocolates may think they’re staring into a museum of chocolate. The chocolate sculptures that fill the display case almost look too good to eat.

Owner Ionela Cristea never imagined she would one day own a chocolate store. Cristea grew up in communist Romania. “Chocolate was one of those things that you couldn’t get,” she says. When Cristea did get to eat chocolate, she would go crazy for the sweet treat and once she immigrated to Canada where chocolate was plentiful, her affection for it grew stronger.

But Cristea didn’t become a chocolatier right after coming to Canada. She worked as a medical laboratory technologist in a hospital for seven years before deciding to open her delicious chocolate business. “I had just turned 40 and decided it was time for a change,” she says.

It was on a trip to Europe where Cristea was inspired to turn to chocolate. Cristea frequented chocolate shops in Paris where she would try different flavours, but one day her eye was caught by chocolate sculptures on display. “I was looking for gifts for people back home and thought they would make such a good gift,” she says. But transporting a chocolate sculpture was going to be a challenge. When she came back home to Toronto, she searched for chocolate sculptures like those she’d seen in Paris, but came up empty handed, so the entrepreneur decided to open her own business making the decadent works of art.

Cristea spent two months in Rome, Italy, where she trained as a chocolatier and, in November 2014, she opened Nadia Chocolates in the Baby Point area of Toronto. She describes her business as all about taste and presentation, giving people delicious Belgian chocolate in a unique presentation created for special occasions. The sculptures are done in stages and can take three to four days to make.

“We want to be a destination place for

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top right: Ionela Cristea named her chocolate shop Nadia Chocolates after fellow Romanian, Nadia Comaneci, the famed gymnast who inspires Cristea toward perfection in her craft. seasonal chocolate,” she says. Her catalogue features collections for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas, Mother’s Day and even chocolate flower arrangements for weddings. “We wanted to create a luxury item; something that people would be proud to receive,” she says.

“Gift giving these days has become commercial. It’s about gift cards and what you need.

This is something for you to indulge and take pleasure in.”

The sculptures are also gifts that are meant to be shared. “You break it up the way you break up a gingerbread house,” says Cristea. For those who simply can’t wait for a taste, Cristea gives each customer a small square of chocolate to satisfy their craving.

Cristea named her business Nadia Chocolates after Nadia Comaneci, a Romanian gymnast who received a perfect 10 in the Montreal Olympic Games in 1974 — a score that was considered unachievable at the time. “This is what we aim for in our chocolate — perfect in design and taste,” says Cristea, who wanted a name for her shop that would be memorable and significant to her. The name not only provides inspiration every day to strive for perfection, but

it also serves as a reminder of Cristea’s home country. Cristea hasn’t yet reached out to the famous Comaneci to tell her she is using her as inspiration, however. “I’m hoping to be successful first so she can be proud of me,” she laughs.

So far, business has been booming. Nadia Chocolates has been open for just more than a year and it has already been featured on the Shopping Channel, is in Pusateri’s — a high-end supermarket — and set up a pop-up store in Holt Renfrew over the holidays.

Cristea credits all the support she received in Canada when opening her business. “Back home, you wouldn’t have any government or state institutions helping you with a personal business,” she says. Cristea received a loan from Futurepreneur, a non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support to young aspiring business owners, and she reached out to the City of North York who put her in touch with food services experts who helped her set up her shop.

Cristea likens starting her own business to having a child. “You’re creating something that’s never been there before. It’s like you’re giving life,” she says. facebook.com/canimmigrant

BACK PAGE

Top

Tips

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

Amrik Singh Aulakh, community volunteer

“

My top tip for newcomers is to be positive and do not be discouraged. Canada is a country full of opportunities.

”

Soheila Ansari,

settlement worker in schools

“

Immigration is a process, it doesn’t happen overnight. Do not compare Canada with your own home country. Please do not do that. Here it is a different country.

”

Nominations for the 2016 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards are now open until Feb. 25, 2016, at canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25.

Be a part of our upcoming

Multicultural Women’s Conference and Fair

March 31, 2016, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Dr., Vancouver INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS • DIVERSE EXHIBITORS • NETWORKING • MENTORING We are currently looking for sponsors, exhibitors and speakers.

For more information, contact Alla Gordeeva at 778-558-3397 or email alla@canadianimmigrant.ca. www.canadianimmigrant.ca 30

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February 2016

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CPA

Choose a Path that’s right for you.

The CPA—Chartered Professional Accountant— is Canada’s preeminent, globally respected business and accounting designation.

But many exciting career opportunities in accounting and finance do not require a professional designation.

The advanced Certificate in accounting and Finance (aCaF) offers a solid career path for those interested in working and advancing in accounting and finance, but not as a CPA. The online ACAF program qualifies you for intermediatelevel accounting jobs in business, not-for-profit, government and public practice firms. This program is designed to enhance your existing education and experience with additional skills employers value.

And if you later decide to pursue the CPA designation, your ACAF training will be recognized toward the undergraduate degree and specific knowledge requirements needed for admission to the CPA Professional Education Program.

Learn more at:

CPA ACAF_Ad_CDN-Immigrant_Jan16.indd 1

CPACanada.ca/ACAF

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