The statistics revealed in class regarding immigration and deportation were very suprising. Throughout this course we have discussed how multiculturalism is defined and what it means to be inclusive of all cultures. We have drawn conclusions about how multicultural Canada really is through its everyday actions. I will outline the statistics and make assumption about why I believe this is occurring and how this affects our image of Canada as a diverse and accepting country.
A new section in the Temporary Foreign Work Program outlines that migrants are unable to apply for permanent residency no matter how long they have lived in Canada (Leroux, 2010). I know that if I were in this position I would feel resentful as I have spent ‘x’ amount of years working for a country that will never allow me to become a citizen of it. It is also estimated that migrants of colour earn 40% less than white people living in the same area (Leroux, 2010). I realized that this statistic used to be a normal occurrence but I could have never imaged that this type of racism could still be happening. It was discussed in class that more than half of poor families living in Canada are families of colour (Leroux, 2010). I have to wonder why this statistic is true. Are people of colour struggling to achieve higher paying jobs due to racism amongst people doing the hiring? How can our diverse country still inhibit people from all backgrounds from experiencing equal rights?
A list exists which outlines 38 professions that individuals must have worked as for atleast a year before immigrating to Canada (Leroux, 2010). After researching what occupations this included, the list is pretty inclusive of all professions. I think this rule is put in place to ensure that migrants new to Canada can offer a skill to contribute our society. However, many countries value different skills and who are we to decide what skills are more valuable than others. Also, the acceptance rate for refugees continues to decrease annually and the number of accepted refugees is much lower than the number of migrants coming for the temporary work program (Leroux, 2010). Is this because refugees are given the opportunity to become permanent residents when work program migrants are not? Therefore, the Canadian government seems to be more concerned with excluding people while also maintaining the multicultural image.
There is a negative discourse surrounding immigrants and/ or refugees that they are associated with violence. Many Canadians also have the idea that immigrants are taking jobs from deserving Canadians. I am conflicted in my opinion on this topic as I understand the need to ‘protect’ Canada as in protect from criminals and protect jobs and housing for Canadians. However, I do not believe the stereotypes about immigrants. I believe they are trying to leave a violent situation or trying to find a job to support their family. The statistics regarding immigration and deportation show that Canada is regressing in its efforts to accommodate people from other countries. If we are the most multicultural country, what does that say for the rest of the world? I think at one point it is possible that Canada was the most accepting and multicultural country in the world and maybe not; however, I feel we do not have the right to claim this title anymore.
References:
Brown, R. (2010). Deportation and removal in Canada article. Retrieved on October 14th, 2010 from http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/deportation-and-removal-in-canada-879501.html
Leroux, D. (2010). Multiculturalism [Power point slides]. Retrieved October 14th, 2010 from http://webct6.carleton.ca/webct/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
(2010). Citizenship and immigration Canada. Retrieved on October 14th, 2010 from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp
Emma Liz
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