1/5 of Canada is made up of foreign born immigrants

[Pierre the Great]

Be nice to us immigrants, we're the ones breaking our back for this country, i think as a whole we are more grateful to be here, the native pop seems to have this pull towards the states. I'm shocked we (immigrants) still come considering Canada doesn't accept our college degrees like the rest of the world does. One of the main reasons why the school i go to exists mainly because of this flaw in the system.

When the Queen dies and nobody wants to put Charles on the 20, lets make it the people of Canada bill, the multiculturalism bill, if you will, the face of Canada. With every update of the bill, the bill will change to reflect the cultural diversity of Canada.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/071204/...mmigration_main

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7128172.stm

Anyway that's my two cents. Granted I don't really feel like an immigrant(i speak the language, look like the "white canadian") even though I am, until the locals learn i'm an american (missouri i.d.), then I might as well be east indian to them (kids my age are hostile, older generation thinks i'm just a draft dodger) viewed with scepticism. lol

only time I feel like an immigrant is when i'm in immigration lines, international get togethers at school, and even me the white immigrant from america doesn't have any "white canadian" friends. I've tried, but most of the time they blow me off or never move past the "i only know your name" stage.

Only place i've fit in is the Student Union (which wherever country i move to is where I'll go first if I'm in university), if it wasn't for that I wouldn't know any "white canadians" other then my two roommates who are also dualies of the uk and holland. All my friends are internationals, coincidence?

Who's the one not accepting here? (just throwing it out there) If me the american born assimilated white kid from missouri isn't fully accepted into the "white canadian" society group, then who freaking will be.

In my opinion the chinese immigrants here are lucky, they've got bigger numbers so they have a bigger support group. I'm the lone wolf basically (13 americans are here all from the pacific northwest, which means that's another country in and of itself, for which i cannot relate to) so I've coped by melding into the asian groups and the russian groups ethnically.

Cafeteria is very segregated by nationalities which i find fascinating (i eat alone so I'm paying more attention to the room). Russians sit together, chinese, japanese, spanish speaking, then the "white canadians". Only time it intermixes is if you're not white but were born here. Those people seem to be "accepted" and have friends from the "white canadian" group. Then its split by cities, toronto people sit together and hang out for example.

Hopefully this changes when I get to Vancouver but somehow I doubt it for some reason. Even if I transfer to UBC. Again this doesn't completely bother me, but its frightening to think that me Pierre, who has way more in common with the "white canadian" can't get accepted into the overall general society outside of a small political group.

If I can't, who can?

you can blame all of us for your problems all you want, but gosh dang it guys, look in the mirror will yeah. Everyone acts like an exclusive group and you're not really welcomed.

So Canada is like two worlds. There's the immigrants who mingle with each other, (went to a russian birthday party, not very many "white canadians" or "born here people"). Then if you look at relationships, and I've been in this situation, all the "immigrants" date each other, the "born here people" tend not to, the mostly stick to "born here people" with a few excepts

Other then the troubling yet fascinating signs that I see everyday, it's still a great place to live, better then where we all came from or we wouldn't be here.

So go Canada, hope you "born here people" feel the same way.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Pierre the Great

[Dutch_Habs_Fan]

arent Immigrants always Foreign Born??

[Pierre the Great]

yeah. good point. lol

although there's inter-migration between provinces prime example everyone leaving Atlantic Canada for Alberta.

[Colin]

Why not just a statue in the vestibule of every Canadian embassy around the world with some slightly-out-of-style gentleman holding up two signs saying "Please and Thank you" in one hand, and in the other hand, in big, bold, red letters, "Sorry!"

[markierung]

Be nice to us immigrants, we're the ones breaking our back for this country, i think as a whole we are more grateful to be here, the native pop seems to have this pull towards the states. I'm shocked we (immigrants) still come considering Canada doesn't accept our college degrees like the rest of the world does. One of the main reasons why the school i go to exists mainly because of this flaw in the system.

Aren't you from St-Louis? Don't tell me that Canada doesn't recognize your education.

Also, maybe the education of certain countries is not accepted for good reason. Is it so imposible that Doctors from the Middle East of Africa are less qualified than North American trained doctors? I know that Indian doctors often come to Canada to find jobs. We accept their education because India is well known for its well educated society. Maybe doctors from Camaroon simply don't have a strong educational backround. Think about it. Quebec has a shortage of doctors and educated specialists. Why would they then not recognize the medical degrees of certain states around the world. I don't think its impossible that the Canadian Government is simply looking out for our own well being.

There is no reason why Canada would not want more educated immigrants in Society. Don't tell me that Canada wants more PHD taxi drivers. We aren't trying to generate a manufactory economy here. It's clear that Canada is trying to establish a well-trained work force (especially in Quebec where the high-tech industry is given a serious boost from the government).

Finally, please, spare me the bs that imigrants are breaking their backs for this country. My family is of Italian origin. Yes, we all work hard. But we're not pompous enough to think that we are the only ones supporting this country. Native canadians work as hard and contribute as much proportionally as immigrants.

Finally, we're plenty nice to "you" immigrants. Canada has a long tradition of accepting immigrants from economically inferiror countries, offer cheaper education, well fare programs if they have trouble finding jobs and although we're not perfect, don't begin to argue with me that compared to many countries around the world, Canadian society is much more open to immigrants. I know we're not perfect, i know that discrimination exists, but it's not god-awful here.

[markierung]

and no offense, i don't think you eat alone because you're American. Maybe it's because you complain about Canada and how underprivaledged children from St-Louis are oppressed by the Horrid Canadian system of White Men oppressing the coloured peasant.

[kenadian]

Aren't you from St-Louis? Don't tell me that Canada doesn't recognize your education.

Also, maybe the education of certain countries is not accepted for good reason. Is it so imposible that Doctors from the Middle East of Africa are less qualified than North American trained doctors? I know that Indian doctors often come to Canada to find jobs. We accept their education because India is well known for its well educated society. Maybe doctors from Camaroon simply don't have a strong educational backround. Think about it. Quebec has a shortage of doctors and educated specialists. Why would they then not recognize the medical degrees of certain states around the world. I don't think its impossible that the Canadian Government is simply looking out for our own well being.

There is no reason why Canada would not want more educated immigrants in Society. Don't tell me that Canada wants more PHD taxi drivers. We aren't trying to generate a manufactory economy here. It's clear that Canada is trying to establish a well-trained work force (especially in Quebec where the high-tech industry is given a serious boost from the government).

Finally, please, spare me the bs that imigrants are breaking their backs for this country. My family is of Italian origin. Yes, we all work hard. But we're not pompous enough to think that we are the only ones supporting this country. Native canadians work as hard and contribute as much proportionally as immigrants.

Finally, we're plenty nice to "you" immigrants. Canada has a long tradition of accepting immigrants from economically inferiror countries, offer cheaper education, well fare programs if they have trouble finding jobs and although we're not perfect, don't begin to argue with me that compared to many countries around the world, Canadian society is much more open to immigrants. I know we're not perfect, i know that discrimination exists, but it's not god-awful here.

HERE HERE.............

If you don't like us GO HOME!

And GO HABS, after all HABSWORLD.net is 1st and foremost a forum for the HABS............not a platform for your political/social/economic views.

Just wondering when/if you've ever even posted in a game day thread?

[markierung]

HERE HERE.............

If you don't like us GO HOME!

And GO HABS, after all HABSWORLD.net is 1st and foremost a forum for the HABS............not a platform for your political/social/economic views.

Just wondering when/if you've ever even posted in a game day thread?

Buddy, this is the lounge. Anything can be posted here. Also, i don't think he should go home. Everyone is intitles to their opinion. I for example think he's wrong. We don't shut people up in this country.

And he does post in game day threads, maybe not often, but he does.

[JLP]

Why not just a statue in the vestibule of every Canadian embassy around the world with some slightly-out-of-style gentleman holding up two signs saying "Please and Thank you" in one hand, and in the other hand, in big, bold, red letters, "Sorry!"

I support this idea but it should have blinking lights that buzz.

Also, seriously, there's a little Guy Lafleur statue in the lobby of the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. I wonder, if I tried to steal it, what country would arrest me?

Being an immigrant in Japan is different, you are not allowed into public baths and the real estate agents consult the "Pets OK" listings when you try to rent an apartment.

[kenadian]

And that's MY OPINION....................

Speaking of Student Visa's etc...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071205/ap_on_...qSgnm3_l2pvzwcF

On applying to a US school:

"There are so many tedious and seemingly unneeded requirements in visa regulations and so forth," he said. "I think that still puts people off, so they end up going other places."

[Zowpeb]

The onus is, and should generally be, on the immigrant to prove that their education is equal to the standards of the country they are moving to...

I've met MBA grads, dentists, engineers and doctors from under-developed countries and I can legitimately say that I wouldn't have wanted many of them as my doctor/dentist/boss/bridge builder...this is not to say that they are unintelligent, nor is it to say that they couldn't become those things here. It's just that they need to pass the right tests and prove they can perform to the standards set within our country. If they can pass those tests then by all means allow them to ply their trade.

As far as people "hanging out" within their own ethnic groups...why does this surprise you? People gravitate towards people with similar interests, languages, religions, cultures, etc. You seem to imply that because "white Canadians" don't hang out with visible minorities, and yourself, that they are shunning people, or that the minorities are outcasts. Have you considered that perhaps they don't have anything in common and there is little reason for a friendship that goes beyond acquaintance?

[Pierre the Great]

lol you did you guys not read the last little paragraph? I'm not going home, I like it here.

"it's still a great place to live, better then where we all came from or we wouldn't be here.

So go Canada, hope you "born here people" feel the same way."

the breaking our backs line: Canada cannot sustain itself if it didn't have immigration, therefore, we (immigrants) get the lower end jobs (most of the time just like in the states) while canadian employers always pick the canadian born first. The problem with this (in the future) is that immigrants will outnumber "born here" people.

I'm not going to talk about the people who say if you don't like it leave. That's an irrational response. The reason why people think this way is that immigrants when moving to ANY country usually find a group that they can relate to. We as a people tend to stay together in a new world. Look at history, Acadians, Quebecios, Chinese in the west, germans in the midwest u.s., you stay where you are the most comfortable.

This is why most immigrants move to Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver which also eventually creates conflict and strain on the people already there in those communities. This isn't a Canadian problem, I'm not signalling out Canada but for the most part Canadian politicians and politicians all across the world in countries where they need immigrants, only see us as numbers and quotas. If the politicians don't change we very well see major backlashes against immigrants, again not just a Canadian problem but more of a Western World problem facing us in the 21st Century.

Where the countries low birth rates mean that the only way to keep going economically is through immigrants. How do we balance the two, get people to move to places like Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Ottawa, London, Quebec, Halifax etc. instead of just the big three.

The federal government has to promote immigration to other cities other then the big three.

peace out

[Pierre the Great]

It doesn't surprise me its just different, I'm used to people sitting by race, instead its split by nationality. What I do like is that nobody is hating on each other, although people do have their opinions they just keep it to themselves. You don't have oh look at the black people over there as I saw back in the states. I'm just studying how groups are interacting, nothing negative about it, I'll probably write a paper about it next semester,as like I said the "canadians" mingle has nothing to do with colour of the skin.

I'm just finding this all fascinating, although the first nation people are a bit frowned at, but not in a mean way, more like jokingly at least among the first nation people i know. I've heard stories of being pulled over while being native and then the big controversy of "how many indians on a bridge" facebook group about a bridge in Duncan.

Its a different kind of racism in a way, the people saying it won't say its racism, but it is, but its more of fear which is nothing new. Fear is different then hate but they can fuse together, but i don't see that happening here, people are too laid back in B.C.

[Pierre the Great]

Aren't you from St-Louis? Don't tell me that Canada doesn't recognize your education.

You'd have to go through months of verification to see if you're qualified. I'm not talking about people from Cameroon, I'm talking about places like Australia.

[markierung]

You'd have to go through months of verification to see if you're qualified. I'm not talking about people from Cameroon, I'm talking about places like Australia.

but that's normal. Verification is fine. We have to make sure that a foreigner's education is at par with our own