Here! Magazine Fall 2013

Fall 2013

Victoria BC INTRODUCING NEWCOMER MAY ANN THORNTON JOB EXPLORATION AT INN AT LAUREL POINT INSIDE THE SHOE PROJECT YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR

1st

i ssue a language & culture magazine for women new to Canada

341 Cook Street, Victoria, BC 250-381-0050 www.bigwheelburger.com

Big Wheel Burger Wins Climate Change Award!

In our first year of operation, Big Wheel Burger produced 80% fewer carbon emissions (67 tonnes) than the average fast food restaurant of similar size.

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www.heremagazine.ca Publisher | Functionall Books Editor | Fiona Bramble Associate Editor | Christy Sebelius Contributing Writers | Nadya Bondoreff, May Ann Thornton, Ben Holt, Kedsanee Broome Design and Layout | Fiona Bramble Production | Black Press get here!magazine at your home or office: subscribe@heremagazine.ca advertise in here!magazine: ads@heremagazine.ca

jAnuAry to mArCh 2014

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All contents copyrighted. Written permission from the publisher is required to reproduce, quote, reprint, or copy any material from here! magazine. Ideas and opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or advertisers. The publisher neither endorses nor assumes any liability for the contents of any advertisement in this publication.

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ISSN: 2291-8582

letter from the editor For over 15 years, I have had the joy of teaching adult English language

learners here in this multicultural wonder that is Canada. My classrooms have been full of both laughter and tears as my students have struggled to improve their language skills and understand the new culture in which they have found themselves.

This magazine is a window into the funny and serious sides of

language, newcomer life , and Canadian culture. Its language lessons, personal stories, and community information will help you develop your language skills as well as help you build a strong cultural connection to your new community.

Each language lesson has been created with the help of “word mentors”, women in

your community who have special knowledge of a subject and want to share their insight and expertise. This issue highlights word mentor, Dr. Silvia Schriever (read about her on page 11), as she helps us learn new vocabulary for discussing health issues with our family doctor.

This magazine is a meeting place for all Canadians , new and “old”. Each story

and article is another Canadian reaching out to welcome you here and share in your experience. Make yourself at home.

Fiona Bramble, Editor

2nd-generation Irish-Scottish Canadian

This issue is dedicated to

May 20, 1934 August 15, 2013

mother, wife, sister, friend, entrepreneur immigrant to Canada, 1957

Content

feature article

read about the remarkable women who found common ground in a new country and overcame their fears and challenges through storytelling and performance.

newhere page 9

meet May Ann Thornton, health worker, from Iloilo City, Philippines.

May Ann arrived in Victoria B.C. in 2012. She shares the joys and challenges of being a newcomer.

The Shoe Project a new life, one step at a time

share your own story

9

learnhere page 10

learn new vocabulary and practice your grammar and pronunciation in this issue’s lesson: “all about my family doctor” with word mentor, Dr. Silvia Schriever.

18

learn new words and practice your English

workhere page 15

meet Ann Reeves, Human Resources manager for local employer, Inn at Laurel Point.

Ann tells us why the Inn is a great place to work and gives tips on how newcomers can join the team at the Inn.

10 explore opportunities

homehere page 13 Minding the gap

by Kedsanee Broome

readhere page 16

The Encyclopedia of Me

by Karen Rivers

16

moneyhere page 20 Making a budget

by Ben Holt

ourmulticulturalcommunity page 21 hereinCanada page 22

6

heremagazine.ca

connect with your community

M

any of us came from somewhere else. Some of us arrived 100 years ago, some of us 100 days ago. Now we are here, working, living, and learning together. We may have

arrived in different ways and may have come for different reasons. We may be going down different paths but one thing is the same: here is home.

heremagazine.ca

7

on foot

discover Victoria 2 SHOES

2 STATUES 2 FAMOUS

CANADIANS Whose shoes are they?

Where in Victoria are these statues?

check your guesses and find out more about these famous Canadians at: www.heremagazine.ca

8

heremagazine.ca

newhere

May Ann Thornton

HEALTH WORKER

hometown Iloilo City, Philippines mother tongue Tagalog

“

I remember telling myself once I got off the plane: Wow, you finally made it!

Your life begins here.

reason for coming here: for career advancement and to start a life in a country I had dreamed of living in. getting here: I applied as a Federal Skilled Worker.

“

lol

“

500

using English here: I’m learning every day from my interaction with people. favorite thing to do here: go to the beach, the lake, the park.

Victoria BC is so beautiful; I feel blessed to live here. most helpful person here: My sister showed me around and helped me adjust to life here.

days

Canadians don’t use a spoon to eat rice! Ha ha!

“

Do your research and

To stay connected

I miss my family, my

The hardest thing is

connect with the right

to my culture, I go to

Mom in particular.

getting my education and

people. You have to

Filipino gatherings,

we were always

credentials recognised in

be ready to embrace

go to church, and

together and it’s

Canada. I would need to

change and accept

chat with friends and

hard not having her

go back to school and get

everything as it comes.

family online.

around to talk to.

“Canadian Experience” to get work in my field. heremagazine.ca

9

learnhere

all about my family doctor

1 scale

/skeIl/ a doctor uses a scale to check a patient’s weight. A doctor tells you how much you weigh in pounds (lbs.) or kilograms.

2 swab

/sw ɒb/ a doctor uses a swab to collect mucus from a wound or a patient’s mouth, throat, vagina, or anus. A doctor sends the swab to a lab to be tested for infection.

3 stethoscope ˈ ɛθəˌ

/ st skop/ a doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to a patient’s heart and lung sounds as well as to check a patient’s blood pressure.

A doctor places part of the stethoscope on your chest and back.

5 blood pressure cuff

feeling sick or just going in for a check-up? your doctor might use these tools to check you over!

4 thermometer θə ˈ ɒ

/ r m mɪ tər/ a doctor uses a thermometer to check a patient’s temperature. Your temperature is measured in Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F). A high temperature, over 37.5 °C or 99.5 °F, is called a “fever”.

6 speculum

/ˈspɛkyələm/ /blʌd ˈprɛʃər k ʌf/ a doctor a doctor uses a uses a speculum to open a patient’s blood pressure cuff to measure a patient’s blood pressure. A doctor wraps the cuff around your upper arm. An ideal blood pressure reading is vagina during a pelvic examination. A doctor takes a swab to check for cancer or 120 over 80. infection.

10

heremagazine.ca

at the doctor’s office not feeling well

“

I am a medical doctor. I was born and trained in Canada but have also worked in New Zealand, the Arctic, and the Sudan. I see all kinds of people in my office and am always impressed when patients who have English as their second language manage to come and share their concerns so eloquently.

“

DOCTOR: Hi, Sue, what can I do for you today?

PATIENT: Well, I’ve been having

___________ and I’ve been feeling kind of __________.

DOCTOR: How long have you had the

__________?

(noun) substance

created from fungi to kill bacteria and treat infection. example: penicillin

contagious /kənˈteɪdʒəs/ (adjective) can

spread from person to person

cramps /kræmps/ (noun) sharp

pains felt in the stomach or abdomen

discharge /ˈdɪstʃɑrdʒ/

PATIENT: A few days.

DOCTOR: And the nausea?

(noun) wet or liquid substance that can come out of a girl’s or woman’s vagina

itchy /ˈɪtʃi/

PATIENT: About the same.

DOCTOR: Can you tell me when your last

__________ was and if you have had any other bleeding or ___________?

(adjective) makes

you want to scratch it with your fingers

(adjective) feeling

sick to your stomach

nauseated /ˈnɔziˌeɪtɪd/

over-the-counter medication /ˈoʊvərðəˈkaʊntər ˌmɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/ (noun phrase) medicine

PATIENT: Um, I think my period

was about four weeks ago and yes, I have had some white discharge.

It’s a bit smelly actually.

I’m quite ___________ too.

anyone can buy without a prescription

pain /peɪn/ DOCTOR: Ok, I’m just going to

take your temperature and check your blood pressure and pulse.

PATIENT: What do you

think is wrong?

(noun) physical

order a urine test to rule out pregnancy, then I can recommend some ___________ that should help.

___________? What caused it?

DOCTOR: No it’s not a

___________; it’s usually caused by an overgrowth of vaginal yeast, sometimes because of ___________ use. Don’t worry, it’s not serious. You’ll be fine in a few days.

PATIENT: Thanks, Doctor. I’ll wait to hear from your office about the results.

suffering or hurt caused by injury or illness

period /ˈpɪəriəd/ (noun) a

time of month when girls or women lose blood and tissue from the uterus; also called menstruation

sexually-transmitted disease (STD) /ˈsɛkʃəli trænzˈmɪtɪd dɪˈziz/ (noun phrase) a

disease or infection, such as HIV/AIDS or herpes, which people can give each other during sex.

DOCTOR: It’s probably a yeast infection. I’ll exam you and

PATIENT: Is it

dictionary

antibiotic /ˌæntɪbaɪˈɒtɪk/

1 2

fill in the blanks 1-10 in the conversation with the words above. what doctor’s tools

would this doctor use

in her examination? answers on page 20

heremagazine.ca

11

learnhere

all about my family doctor describing your symptoms

A family doctor is also called a “G.P.” or “General Practitioner”. Most Canadians have a family doctor and make an appointment with him or her when they have health problems.

I am...

You also need a G.P. to refer you to other types of doctors, such as specialists for specific conditions like broken bones, skin problems, or pregnancy.

If you need to see a doctor quickly, you can go to a walk-in clinic and see any doctor. If it’s a health emergency, you should call 911 or go the Emergency Room of the closest hospital.

1

10

tired

exhausted

lethargic

warm

hot

feverish

sniffly

stuffed up

congested

queasy

nauseated

sick

A doctor will sometimes ask:

How bad is your pain on a scale of 1-10?

Some words for pain include: E XC RUC I AT I NG PA I N F U L S OR E T E N DE R Next to each word, write a number from 1-10 on the pain scale that best matches the word.

12

answers on page 20 heremagazine.ca

911?

if you or someone you are with is having a health emergency, you can call 911 or go to the Emergency Room at one of Victoria’s two main hospitals: Victoria General Hospital or Royal Jubilee Hospital

Emergency Entrance, Royal Jubilee Hospital

1952 Bay St., Victoria B.C.

250.370.8000

Emergency Entrance, Victoria General Hospital

1 Hospital Way, Victoria B.C.

quiz yourself 1 1) A headache is contagious.

T F

2) A scale checks your weight.

T F

3) Your nose can be stuffed up.

T F

4) A G.P. is a specialist.

T F

5) You need a prescription for over-the-counter medication.

T F

6) A urine test can show if you are pregnant or not.

T F

7) ‘Queasy’ means ‘exhausted.’

T F

8) A speculum is used in a pelvic examination.

T F

9) Your stomach can be congested.

T F

250.727.4212

10) You should go to a walk-in clinic in T a health emergency.

F

answers on page 20

How does a newcomer find a family doctor in Canada

? A:

In some cities in Canada, it is difficult to find a family doctor, especially a female G.P., unless you already have family here, in which case most doctors will welcome family members. In Victoria, contact the Victoria Medical Society to get a list of doctors who are accepting new patients. phone: 250.598.6021 online: www.victoriamedicalsociety.org heremagazine.ca

13

minding the gap homehere

by Kedsanee Broome

One of my good friends shared with me her experience speaking with a native speaker at Tim Hor ton’s, where she was tr ying to order a dozen doughnut s. She is Thai and immigrated to V ic toria in 20 06.

Ser ver: “What can I get for you?”

Kob: “I wan ta-wef donut peece” Ser ver: “Sorr y?”

Knowing that the ser ver didn’t under st and what she s aid, she tried harder to s ay “t welve”.

Kob: “ta-waol-f” Ser ver: “??”

She thought maybe if she s ays “dozen” instead of “t welve” he will under st and. So she s aid:

Kob: “do-sen” Ser ver: “Sorr y?”

With a smile on her face, this time she counted the number s on her finger s to tell him.

Kob: “You know won, to, tee, fo, fie….eelewen..and ta-wou-lf f f” The Tim Hor ton’s ser ver didn’t know what to s ay and just st ared at Kob with a puzzled look on his face. Kob didn’t get what she wanted and walked away. She wasn’t upset but rather laughed at her self with a lit tle “lost in translation” moment in Tim Hor ton’s.

You may have experienced something similar. Some situations make you laugh at it like Kob did, but some make you feel frustrated.

Sometimes you don’t even have to s ay any thing bec ause your appearance s ays you are not from here. I remember a conver s ation with a C auc asian C anadian boy at a swimming pool. He was about 8 year s old. During a shor t conver s ation, he stopped mid- sentence, as if he was wondering whether he should ask me a question. His curiosit y led him to s ay:

The boy: “I’ve been to Chinatown you know” Me: “Yeah?” (with a smile on my f ace a s I knew w hat he w a s going to s ay nex t ) The boy: “Are you from Chinatown?”

Me: “No.” He looked at me like a deer in headlight s, full of bewilderment.

My experience tells me that just my look alone c an show that I’m a newcomer here.

How do I feel about it? C an I change it? How do I feel about speaking English with an accent or broken English sometimes? These questions and their answer s are vit al to me as a new C anadian who has already decided to make C anada my home.

Read Kedsanee’s advice on how to not get discouraged when negotiating the language and culture gaps in your new home: www.heremagazine.ca

14

heremagazine.ca

Kedsanee Broome immigrated to Canada from Thailand in 2004 and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, specializing in cultural diversity. She is a mother of two and wife of a Caucasian Canadian in a mixed-cultural marriage, raising her children in two cultures.

1

Inn at Laurel Point is an independent, Pacific Rim-inspired waterfront hotel located downtown on the edge of Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

workhere Ann Reeves | Assistant Human Resources Manager

Inn at Laurel Point

“

2

We look for a passion for guest services and the ability to work well within a diverse team. Flexible availability, including weekdays, weekends and statutory holidays, is also required.

Inn at Laurel Point values

diversity and welcomes all candidates to apply for available positions. We offer a workplace culture that is friendly, respectful and that values innovation and open-door communication.

“

MINIMUM L ANGUAGE LE VELS

for current job postings, visit:

www.laurelpoint.com/careers and/or contact Ann at ann.reeves@laurelpoint.com connect with Inn at Laurel Point:

InnatLaurelPoint speaking: intermediate listening: intermediate writing: level depends on position reading: level depends on position

innlaurelpoint @ILPVictoria

3

In order to be considered for employment, candidates must have a valid work permit in place prior to applying.

4

Ask us about co-op and internship opportunities.

5

We offer many types of positions, including Banquet Servers, Front Desk Agents, Room Attendants, Restaurant Servers, and Bellpersons, as well as management opportunities.

heremagazine.ca

15

readhere

Canadian Literature books & stories by Canadian authors Aaron-Martin, Isadora (Tink) That’s me.

Tink Aaron-Martin.

I am an exotic mystery of mixed heritage, half Dad’s and half Mom’s. Obvi. (My mom is a white redhead. She’ll come up later, as Jenna Martin under the Ms. Sorry. I cannot help it if my family is alphabetically inconvenient. If you are dying to know all her details, you can skip ahead. I don’t mind.)

When people ask me what I am, I usually say, “I’m a human being.” Then when they say, “I mean, what RACE are you?” I say that I am African while fixing them with a patented look that I like to call my Are You a Racist? Face. Then I point out condescendingly that we are all African. I mean, think about it!

Cradle of civilization? Look it up if you don’t know what I’m talking about! Use the Internet. I’m sure you have access to it and are free to use it with reckless abandon.

meet

Tink, “aged almost thirteen”. Tink has been grounded and (worse!) is not allowed to use the computer.

Tink decides to write an encyclopedia from A-Z about her life, friends, and family.

about the author Karen Rivers

& Tink’s Dad >>

Karen Rivers writes rich and funny novels for

Aaron, Baxter (Dad)

middle-grade readers,

Dad is British, and yes, he has an accent. He is AfricanAmerican, except not American. In Britain, they say “African-Caribbean.” Dad would never say “African-CaribbeanAmerican-Jamaican” or whatever. “Black” is an OK thing to say, at least in our family. Other families feel differently, or so I hear. The worst word is “colored.” Don’t ever say that unless you want to get punched directly in the stomach by me. I’d punch your nose, but I likely can’t reach it, especially if you’re tall, unless I stand on a chair, and you’d probably escape before I got properly positioned.

And NEVER say the n word. Not even jokingly. If you’ve ever said it, shut this book right now and get out of here. OUT.

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heremagazine.ca

young adults, and the occasional grown-up. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with her two children. Visit her online at www.karenrivers.com and @karenrivers on Twitter.

What do you think of Tink? Share your thoughts with us and you could win a signed copy of The Encyclopedia of Me! email: ideas@heremagazine.ca

Fiona’s CanLit Book Pile

advertise in

Advertising in here! magazine is more than just reaching 20,000 homes and businesses in Saanich and Victoria and showcasing your amazing organization or product.

A s an ad ver t i s ing and c ommunit y par t ner, you demonstrate your commitment to cross-cultural awareness, education, employment , self-empowerment , lit erac y, and inclusivit y.

Now that’s something to advertise.

Ta l k t o u s a b o u t j o i n i n g the here! community:

ads@heremagazine.ca

In honour of Canadian author, Alice Munro, and her 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature, send in a picture of your pile of Canadian literature or image of a Canadian title on your e-reader, plus a short description of your thoughts on the book. You could get published in here! magazine and win a $50 gift certificate to spend at Victoria’s own Munro’s Books!

heremagazine.ca

17

The Shoe Project

- a ne w l i f e,

b y Nadya Bondoreff

On a Thursday night,

just before 6:00 p.m., twelve women sit together for their first day of a writing workshop in Toronto, Ontario.

Tea and cookies sit on a sidetable. As the women wait for class to begin, they make small talk with each other, uncertain of what to expect for the next eight weeks. The women are of all ages and origins, from Panama to Croatia to Eritrea to Japan. They are journalists. Mothers. Students. Business owners. Refugees. All Canadian newcomers. They are here to learn how to become better English writers. Except this is no ESL classroom: it is the basement of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, a unique museum dedicated to the history of footwear, from ancient Chinese slippers to modern-day Uggs. This writing workshop would come to be called The Shoe Project.

“

Immigration is a traumatic experience but living in Canada is like living in many cultures at the same time...and we all live peacefully together.

Filiz Dogan was there for that first workshop in the basement in the autumn of 2011. Filiz was a successful psychotherapist in Instanbul, Turkey when she and her husband permanently immigrated to Toronto in 2002.

“Immigration is a traumatic experience,” Filiz remarks. “But living in Canada is like living in many cultures at the same time. I have people in my neighbourhood from Italy, Holland, Greece, Lebanon, and we all live peacefully together. We need to focus on the benefit of immigration, not the negativity.”

“

Through the advice of one of her former ESL teachers, Filiz agreed to participate in The Shoe Project, meeting with other immigrant women every Thursday night at the Bata Shoe Museum for eight weeks. Shoes were their common ground and became the key to expression, emotion, storytelling, and improving language skills on all levels. This opportunity to acquire skills, discuss their lives, and share ideas came with one condition as outlined by their facilitator, Katherine Govier: each woman had to write one 800-word essay related to shoes by the end of the session.

18

heremagazine.ca

one step at a time Katherine Govier was not only the guide and facilitator of the workshops, she was the driving force behind the creation of The Shoe Project itself.

Katherine, who lives in Ontario, is an award-winning novelist, scriptwriter, essayist, lecturer, black-belt martial artist, Tai Chi practitioner and someone who had always wanted to “work with immigrant women” and give them an opportunity to build their confidence and English communication skills.

At a dinner party in 2011, Katherine met Elizabeth Semmelhack, the curator of the Bata Shoe Museum, and discussed her plan to create a writing group for women. “Elizabeth always wanted an exhibition about shoes and immigrants,” says Katherine, explaining the link between her writing class and shoes. Semmelhack generously offered some space in the museum for a workshop; a private sponsor helped with the funding; and the writing workshop became a reality.

any shoe is interesting... the most banal object can be linked to our histories.

Katherine Govier

It was not called The Shoe Project at first - this happened when Katherine and Elizabeth realized that shoes would be the perfect focus for the women’s essays, and proved that “any shoe is interesting...the most banal object can be linked to our histories.”

When asked how The Shoe Project impacted her life, Filiz immediately replies, “It improved my self-confidence.” Filiz notes that her English also improved dramatically during her first Shoe Project session: “I learned a whole different way to speak, to listen, to write, everything. When I came to The Shoe Project I thought I was a very bad writer, but it was interesting to discover that I enjoy writing in English.”

The Shoe Project developed into a four-week exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum in February 2012, with the women’s real-life shoes accompanying each story. This eventually evolved into live performances at Toronto’s Arts and Letters Club under the name “Standing Room Only”, with the women reading their shoe essays for large audiences. Katherine refers to the event as “the leap from page to performance” and Filiz says she never could have imagined standing on stage, performing in English, “in front of one hundred strangers!”

Like many newcomers to Canada, Filiz was also aware of her accent and mistakes.

However, she learned that, as an immigrant, “Communication is so important. I need to express myself. We need to stand up for ourselves. We are holding ourselves back.”

learn more about The Shoe Project at: www.govier.com/shoe

We would love to hear what you think about The Shoe Project!

What other “banal objects” could be “common ground” for a diverse group of people to talk about and share experiences? Tell us at ideas@heremagazine.ca or upload your story at www.heremagazine.ca heremagazine.ca

19

answers to activities on pages 11, 12, 13, 22 page 11 not feeling well 1) 1. cramps 2. nauseated

moneyhere /ˈbʌdʒɪt/

budget a list of

all the money you receive (your income) and all the things you pay for (your expenses). Usually a budget includes one month of income and expenses.

3. pain 4. period 5. discharge 6. itchy 7. over-the-counter medication 8. contagious 9. sexually-transmitted disease (STD) 10. antibiotic

2)

Why h s ould I make a budget?

1. a thermometer to check her

Ben Holt

temperature

Investment Specialist with Vancity

2. a blood pressure cuff to check her blood pressure 3. (maybe) a stethoscope to check her heart rate and pulse 4. (maybe) a speculum to do a pelvic examination

page 12 how bad is your pain EXCRUCIATING 9-10 PAINFUL 6-8 SORE 4-6 TENDER 2-3

page 13 quiz yourself 1. F (False) 2. T (True) 3. T (True) 4. F (False)

Because making a budget will help you manage your money and plan your spending. Making a budget should help you feel less stressed about money because you know exactly where your money is going.

Some people think that they can’t make a budget because they don’t have much money, but it’s the opposite! You should be keeping a budget especially if: you have limited income you have money goals

40%

you are trying to pay off debt you want to save money

of Canadian women manage the daily household budgeting and spending.

BMO study

you want to invest money

hhow to start your budget >>>

5. F (False) 6. T (True) 7. F (False) 8. T (True) 9. F (False) 10. F (False)

page 22 So you want to be a Canadian citizen, eh? Test

Canadians spend

$337

on junk food each year!

Write down all your expenses. Separate your expenses into things you need, like your rent and phone bill, and the things you want, like eating at restaurants or going to a movie.

Maclean’s Magazine

1. a - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

2. c - 1867.

3. d - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada.

4. a - Freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

5. d - Natural resources, manufacturing, and services.

6. b - Approval by a majority in the House of Commons and Senate and finally the Governor General.

47%

of Canadians keep a budget. practicalmoneyskills.ca

Write down ALL the money that your household receives each month, including child tax benefits, support payments, and income assistance.

Subtract your expenses from your income and you will find out if you have enough money to pay for everything. If you don’t have enough money, you can take away some of your “wants”. If you have extra money, you can put some of it into a savings account. use Vancity’s online budgeting tool at :

www.vancity.com/Investments/InvestmentCalculators/HomeBudget

20

heremagazine.ca

OUR MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY Victoria has a vibrant and growing multicultural community! These organizations celebrate culture and diversity with annual events like the Dragon Parade, Flamenco Festival, Greekfest, and the Highland Games and Celtic Festival. They also offer support and services to their members and newcomers, including language support, health and wellness activities, networking opportunities, and work-related skill development.

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) helps individuals and organizations to connect across cultures. We provide information, support and tools to help immigrants reach their goals. By engaging people through networks, education and arts programming we create a welcoming community. www.icavictoria.org

The Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) is excited to offer “Citizenship 101”, a pilot project funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, to help all newcomers across BC gain a better understanding of their role as citizens and prepare better for the Citizenship test. Contact:

Keri

Greenidge

at

keri@vircs.bc.ca

Victoria and Vancouver Island Greek Community Society Victoria Canada-China Friendship Association White Eagle Polish Association Institute for Canadian Citizenship (Victoria Chapter) Ukrainian Canadian Cultural Society of Vancouver Island Victoria Highland Games Association Sons of Scotland The Royal Commonwealth Society Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Victoria Native Friendship Centre Victoria KoreanCanadian Women’s Association Victoria Filipino Canadian Association Victoria FilipinoCanadian Caregivers Association Victoria Filipino Canadian Seniors Association Victorian Croatian Community Leonardo Da Vinci Centre India Canada Cultural Association Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island Victoria African Caribbean Cultural Society Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society Vancouver Island Thai Association Newcomers Connect please contact us at ads@heremagazine.ca if you would like to highlight your organization or event in here! magazine heremagazine.ca

21

hereinCanada

Newcomer or not , answering some of these questions would be a challenge, even for long-established Canadians!

Taken from the Richmond Public Library’s online Practice Citizenship Test, the questions are samples of what newcomers need to know before they SO YOU WANT TO take that all-important next step of BE A C NADIAN becoming a Canadian Citizen.

See how well YOU do!

CITIZEN, EH? TEST

fun & facts

With the exception of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples, we all came from somewhere else. Patterns in immigration are sometimes called “waves”. Canada’s first wave of immigrants came from France and England. Below are some immigration patterns. Did you or your family arrive in one of these waves? Why did these immigrant groups come to Canada at these times? Do these immigrant waves have anything in common?

answers on page 20

1. What are the three main groups of Aboriginal Peoples? a. First Nations, Métis and Inuit. b. Acadians, Métis and Inuit. c . United Empire Loyalists, Métis and Inuit. d. Inuit, Métis and Acadians.

2. When did the British North America Act come into effect? a. 1871. b. 1898. c. 1867. d. 1905.

3. Which provinces first formed Confederation? a. Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. b. Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Alberta. c. Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. d. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada.

4. Name two fundamental freedoms protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. a. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech. b. Equality rights and to care for Canada’s heritage. c. Basic freedoms and obey laws. d. Aboriginal peoples’ rights and to volunteer.

5. What are the three main types of industry in Canada? a. Natural resources, tourism and service industries. b. Tourism, services and manufacturing. c. Natural resources, tourism and manufacturing. d. Natural resources, manufacturing and ser vices.

6. How does a bill become a law?

2012’s Top 7 newcomer groups

a. The Lieutenant Governor must approve the bill. b. Approval by a majority in the House of Commons and Senate and finally the Governor General. c. The Queen must sign the bill. d. Approval by the Members of the Legislative Assembly. more practice at: www.yourlibrary.ca/citizenship

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Filipino 32,747

Iranian 6,463

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Pakistani 9,931

Indian 28,943

Canadians on Citizenship is the result of a collaboration between the Environics Institute, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, the Maytree Foundation and RBC to further the national dialogue on citizenship. Join the conversation by following the ICC & Maytree on Twitter @ICCICC and @maytree_canada.

More information about the survey, including a summary report and videos from new citizens can be found at: www.icc-icc.ca/en/news/citizens.php

2,300

Canadians were asked what it means to

FEEL THINK ACT like a Canadian Citizen.

Do you agree with these answers? How do YOU feel, think, and act like a Canadian Citizen? We would love to hear your thoughts and citizenship experiences! Tell us at ideas@heremagazine.ca or upload your story at www.heremagazine.ca heremagazine.ca

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