http://www.weeklyvoice.com/CNews/?CNewsID=527768


Canada's Best Resource - our Immigrants


By Raymond Chan
Minister of State for Multiculturalism

One of the major differences between Canada and the United States is that while their society is considered a cultural melting pot, ours is proudly composed of a cultural mosaic. This is a direct result of Canada's successful multiculturalism policy, something of which we're very proud. Unlike our neighbours to the south, Canadians are encouraged to maintain their ethnic traditions as part of their Canadian identity. This country was founded upon the ideals of protecting and supporting minority rights - initially in Quebec and now extended to groups of all stripes. Multiculturalism is this ideal in action.

Binoy Thomas, in his Weekly Voice column entitled "The Trouble With Canada's Action Plan on Racism," seems to favour a more American approach to helping our society - and its immigrants - succeed. Thomas would do away with cultural initiatives and protections in favour of employment programs for immigrants. "This is done by giving them an opportunity to work, and not granting them rights to pray," he writes.

Respectfully, Thomas is wrong. These two desires are not exclusive, as the initiatives of this Liberal government have proven. We can protect Canadians' cultural heritages while at the same time promoting employment opportunities.

On March 22, 2005, the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing, tabled the 17th Annual Report on the Employment Equity Act in the House of Commons. This report indicates that we are making real progress in promoting equality in the Canadian labour market. The findings of this report indicate that the overall results have been positive for federally-regulated employers and crown corporations in regard to employment equity in 2003; and that there is positive progress in the participation of each of the four designated groups. Since information was first collected in 1987, the representation in the workforce has increased by, 154 per cent for visible minorities.

The Government of Canada is furthering its efforts to support employment equity with the recently announced Action Plan to Combat Racism, which includes an element to promote fair workplaces and ensure the removal of discriminatory barriers. The 2005 federal budget provided $56 million over five years to support initiatives under the Action Plan; of this total, $13 million will go toward the Racism-Free Workplace Strategy

Employment equity is a fundamental component of the federal government's agenda of inclusion and economic success. We are committed to promoting the rights of all Canadians to equality in the workplace and community, and ensuring a fair and representative workforce. The Employment Equity Act reflects the diverse and inclusive workforce of Canada, which is becoming increasingly important as we move forward in the 21st century economy. It aims to remove barriers in the workplace faced by the four designated groups: women, Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and persons with disabilities. Unlike the U.S. model, the Canadian process is not based on quotas and instead requires the removal of barriers to the employment and advancement of designated group members without imposing numerical targets on employers.

Also, the 2005 Budget set aside a further $298 million over the next five years for immigration settlement and integration services. Another $75 million over the next five years is being provided to accelerate the recognition of foreign credentials. And an additional $125 million over the next three years is set aside to advance a more effective Workplace Skills Strategy.

All of this funding is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to ensure that Canada is an inclusive and caring society where fairness and equality of opportunity are the measure of our progress.

So while Thomas suggests that "Canada is no longer an oppressive or racist society," we know that many Canadians still experience racism in their daily lives. We seek a Canada in which there will be no sanctuary for hate and no refuge for racism, with equal opportunities for all.

Note: This column by the Minister of State for Multiculturalism, was written in response to an article on the same subject that the Voice carried in a recent issue. In the article we had questioned the usefulness of the current multiculturalism policy as it is practiced. Regrettably, the Honorable Minister might have misread some of the points we tried to make. It was not my view that we should not be allowed to pray but be given an opportunity to work and that 'both are exclusive' as Minister Chan says. What I said was that in today's Western society we do not need a government's permission to go to our places of worship and pray and please don't make this out to be a big concession bestowed upon us by the majority community. What we need today above all is a right and an opportunity to work, and all other cultural issues will be taken care of if given this opportunity. What I said was that when thousands of new immigrants feel cheated and let down, you can't soothe them by saying 'o, but we gave you the right to wear your clothes, and eat your spicy food'. That is a different kind of racism, Mr Minister! And by the way, the Indian, Pakistani and many other cultures thrive in the US, not because the government funded a few of them (read this friends or political supporters), but because they are valued in the work place and they make much more money and they can fund what is precious to them from their own pockets. That's a much more dignified way of retaining our culture and religion. And if Minister Chan needs confirmation, he can surf the Internet and see which community is doing well in the US and hold it against the depressing statistics that is compiled by our own StatCan which I am sure the Minister will agree is reliable. Do you know Minister that according to a report last year, the children of immigrants earned less compared to the children of the majority in Canada even when they had better post-secondary educational qualifications? Explain that to me and I will admit that multiculturalism in its pesent form, works for the communities it is meant to serve, and not just its 'managers'.

Sincerely

Binoy Thomas


Original Publication Date: Saturday, May 14, 2005

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May 18, 2005. 01:00 AM

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Visible minorities narrow salary gap since '96
Whites still 13% ahead, report says

Authors cite bias in employment


NICHOLAS KEUNG
IMMIGRATION/DIVERSITY REPORTER

The wage gap between Canada's visible minorities and their white counterparts has shrunk but remains in the double digits, a new report shows.

Non-white workers made on average 23.2 per cent less than white people in 1996, but by 2000 the gap had fallen to 13.3 per cent, according to the study jointly released yesterday by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and Toronto's Centre for Social Justice.

Based on census data and statistics from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the report found that the median after-tax income for non-white workers rose to $15,909 a year from $12,991, while that of white employees climbed to $18,348 from $16,922 in the same period.

The narrowing gap can be attributed to the improved Canadian economy in the mid- to late-1990s, where the dominant group in society was first to benefit from the initial recovery, with visible minorities lagging behind.

The gap might have shrunk further if not for the effects of increased immigration and a growing proportion of visible-minority workers.

"The time lag is an indicator of structural discrimination in employment. Things seemed to have improved, but systemic racial discrimination in employment still persists," said Ryerson University political science and public administration professor Grace-Edward Galabuzi, who co-authored the report with colleague Cherly Teelucksingh.

Visible minorities and immigrants in general had an unemployment rate twice as high as the national average of 6.7 per cent.

Galabuzi said the labour market is segmented along racial lines, with visible minorities over-represented in many low-paying occupations such as sewing-machine operators (46 per cent of the total workforce) and assemblers (42 per cent).

Minorities are under-represented in the better-paying, more secure areas such as management (8.2 per cent) and professional fields (13.8 per cent).

"We are holding these people on a sticky floor, let alone helping them reach the glass ceiling," said Karen Mock, the foundation's executive director.

The study said discrimination can show up in various ways: treating minorities differently in recruitment, hiring and promotion; employers relying heavily on non-transparent recruiting methods, such as word of mouth, that reinforce existing networks and unequally evaluating foreign credentials.
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From The Toronto Star May 18

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If I am not wrong Chris used to do telemarketing with me for a big Toronto newspaper @ CAD 6.85/hr a couple of years ago.I saw the best talent from around the world doing that S*&^ job for hours together on a predictive dialer trying to sell an unsaleable thing. Nobody ever said my English was poor or I had an accent ! Only when you sent ur resume for a good job, u got to listen to that.
Thank God, I am in the US after struggling to survive in Canada.Well done Chris !!

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Prabhuji
Architectural Labourer
Canada Sucks

Hi Prabhub

you are correct

Canada does suck.

I have a suggestion. Start a website to inform others about the realities about Canada.

I have one: http://www.CaribbeanMedicine.com/openletter.htm" rel="nofollow">LINK

And there two others like this:

http://thevoiceofcanadianimmigrant.blogspot.com/

and

http://www.CanadaImmigrants.com" rel="nofollow">LINK

making a website is relatively easy and it can be a great resource to spread your message.

Do it!

My now FAMOUS 'Top Reasons NOT to Immigrate to Canada' list has been published in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper.

I scanned a copy of it and you can read it here:

http://www.caribbeanmedicine.com/article31.htm

canuck 3000

Good going bud.

Now for those who ripped you apart, they should forward their observations to the Ottawa Citizen.

Or are they only good at ripping people apart on CD but have no guts to send their observations to newspapers.




BTW DIO, I sent your observations on Carol Goar's article to The Star. Her reply to me was that she doesn't receive enough letters citing the positive aspects of Canada from immigrants.

Perhaps if enough of you positive thinkers sent in your thoughts, some columnists will pick up the cue and write on it.

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