OPENING DOORS TO YOUR FUTURE
Every year, Canada welcomes people who move here to
begin a new life. The Chinese have been immigrating to
Canada since the 19th century. Cities like Vancouver,
Toronto and Montreal have large Chinatowns. Recent
political events such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square
protest and the return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in
1997 have also increased Chinese immigration to Canada.
The most well-known and revered Canadian in China is
Norman Bethune, a medical doctor who worked with the
revolutionary army, training doctors and treating
soldiers during the Chinese Sino-Japanese War
(1937-1945).
Immigrants from India have been settling in Canada
since 1904. Since then, thousands have made Canada their
new home, bringing with them their talents and skills,
and the hope of contributing to their new country. Many
have come directly from India; others migrated to Canada
after living in places such as Africa, Britain or the
Caribbean -sometimes for generations. Indians moving to
Canada will want to know how to find work, what schools
their children should attend, how to get around and what
their new community is like.
The majority of Guyanese immigrants have come to Canada
during the past 30 years. Economic and political
instability that began in the 1960s led to a wave of
migration that continues to this day. These immigrants
are mainly of East Indian and African origin, the two
largest ethnic groups in Guyana. Guyanese from the other
four ethnic groups (Native, Chinese, Portuguese, and
other Europeans) have also immigrated to Canada. While
the cultural profile provides insight into some customs,
it does not cover all facets of life. The customs
described may not apply in equal measure to all
newcomers from this country.
The word Guyana takes its name from a Native word,
Guyana, meaning, land of many waters.
Relations between Canada and Jamaica go back over 300
years. Jamaican Maroons (slaves who had fought their way
to freedom) lived for some time in Halifax on their way
back to Africa; they built the citadel there. Many
Jamaicans joined the Canadian Forces during World War
II. A regular flow of skilled workers also emigrated to
Canada to find employment or join their relatives and
friends here. Over 400,000 Jamaicans now live in Canada,
many of them in Toronto. The
colours of Jamaica's flag are symbolic. Black signifies
the strength and creativity of the people; gold, the
natural wealth and beauty of sunlight; and green, hope
and agricultural resources.
Young Pakistani immigrants are usually students who
come here for education and better job prospects. Many
of the older Pakistanis are married and well educated in
their own country. Other newcomers from the poorer
economic areas may have difficulty with English, and
have limited education. The people who speak English
will have little trouble adapting to Canada and finding
jobs although they may be frustrated that their
qualifications are not accepted here. They often take
jobs for which they are overqualified, while others
start their own businesses.
People from different parts of the world come to Canada
in search of new opportunities. Most of them plan to
stay in Canada. In recent years, there has been an
increase in the number of Nigerians who have come to
Canada. While some of the Nigerians come to work or
study, some come as refugees. Although most Nigerians
are familiar with English, they will find Canadian life
very different from life in their own country.
Russians have been emigrating to Canada for more than a
century. Recently, economic and political instability in
Russia has led to increased emigration. Many Russians
who come to Canada are highly educated and skilled. When
they arrive, they may have difficulty finding work,
learning the language, or getting their professional
qualifications recognized. The decision to live in a new
country is not an easy one for new immigrants because
many things will be unfamiliar. For instance, they will
want to know practical information such as where to find
work, what school to attend, where to shop for food or
how to find a doctor. Present-day Russia has 149 million
people representing more than 100 nationalities.
Ukrainians have been moving to Canada since the 1890s.
They helped to open up and settle the Canadian West.
These immigrants can also find strong Ukrainian-Canadian
communities in many Canadian cities. New Ukrainian
immigrants to Canada will find many reminders of their
home in Ukrainian churches, schools, newspapers,
television programs and community groups.
Like all new immigrants, Ukrainians will find much in
Canada that is new and strange. Ukrainian-Canadians have
made an enormous contribution to this country, from the
Prairie settlers to Governors General Ed Schreyer and
Ray Hnyatyshyn, Supreme Court justice John Sopinka,
artist William Kurelek, writer Myrna Kostash, comedian
Luba Goy, hockey goalkeeper Terry Sawchuk, marathon
runner Gayle Olinekova and skier Steve Podborski.
The Ukrainian flag of blue and yellow symbolizes a field
of yellow grain with a blue sky overhead.
Singaporeans of most ethnic groups and religions will
find similar groups in Canada. This can help make their
transition a little smoother. However, it is important
to remember that any move to a new country and culture
can be difficult. Mynah birds,
with their yellow beaks and black and white wings, are
as common in Singapore as sparrows and pigeons are in
Canada.Many beautiful orchids grow in Singapore. The
Vanda Miss Joaquim, an indigenous hybrid, was first
discovered in the Singapore garden of Miss Agnes Joaquim
and was chosen in 1981 as the national flower of
Singapore.
Although Bangladesh is a young country, its people look
back on a rich and ancient heritage. They are proud of
their language, culture and customs. Bangladesh faces
many challenges including political upheaval, natural
disaster, poverty and disease. Some Bangladeshis who
come to Canada are educated people who were well
established in their native land. When they come here,
however, they sometimes must search for work or spend a
long time renewing their academic qualifications in
their new country. Their standard of living may drop
while they work to establish themselves here. Some
aspects of life in Canada will probably seem strange to
the new arrivals from Bangladesh, Canadian winters, for
instance.
Most South Africans in Canada today came as independent
immigrants in search of political stability and economic
opportunities. Generally, we should expect to see
representation of all South African races immigrating to
our country. While there are White, Mixed Race, Asian,
Indian and Black South Africans currently residing in
Canada, 90% of the immigrants are white. The political
and economic conditions of South Africa before 1990 made
it very difficult for many disadvantaged groups to
emigrate. Few of the South Africans who left did so in
opposition to apartheid or to escape persecution.
Moving to a new country and becoming acquainted with
the way things are done in this new environment is
difficult and takes time. New immigrants may have to go
through a formal process to have their degrees or
professional qualifications recognized. They may not be
able to seek jobs in areas for which they are trained,
or they may be required to take further schooling or
certification in Canada before pursuing their careers.
