'You Cannot Smell Racism, But It Does Exist'


Visible Minorities Face Subtle Impediments to Career Advancement

Organizations use terms like "lack of fit" to exclude talented visible minorities from senior positions, according to participants in Conference Board focus groups. Immigrant visible minorities face particularly daunting barriers to achieving career success - from lost opportunities because they speak with an accent to non-recognition of their work experience or credentials.

"Racism is not something readily discernible by the senses: you cannot see it, hear it, smell it, or touch it, but it does exist. It is subtle, invisible and ethereal," said Senator Donald Oliver, the champion for the Conference Board's program of research and education to help organizations maximize the talents of visible minorities. The briefing, The Voices of Visible Minorities: Speaking Out on Breaking Down Barriers, summarizes seven focus group discussions with successful immigrant and Canadian-born managers and professionals.

Immigrant participants said becoming proficient in Canada's official languages and adapting to Canadian cultural norms are required ingredients for success. But many immigrants felt that even speaking with an accent gave employers an excuse to screen them out of job competitions.

Canada's failure to fully recognize foreign credentials and work experience prevents many talented immigrants from working in their fields-even in professions where labour shortages already exist. These restrictions are particularly frustrating for newcomers classed as skilled immigrants. "If Canada needs cab drivers, then Canada should get cab drivers, not professionals," said one participant.

"These are examples of systemic barriers," said Prem Benimadhu, Vice- President, Organizational Performance at the Conference Board. "Organizations that allow barriers to remain will lose access to this growing talent pool. Immigration will provide all of Canada's labour force growth by 2011, and three-quarters of immigrants are visible minorities.

"Employers can signal that they offer a welcoming environment to visible minorities by having strong representation of diverse people at all levels," added Benimadhu. "Organizations also need to hold managers and leaders accountable for achieving diversity goals and objectives. Participants viewed supportive managers as critical to their success. Those who believed that employers and managers were fair were less likely to perceive other barriers to advancement."

Focus group participants discussed the strategies they used to achieve success. They took charge of their careers by using networking and mentoring opportunities inside and outside their workplaces, fostering a "can-do" attitude and not turning down opportunities to demonstrate their skills. Immigrant participants made a conscious effort to take any job, while they continued to apply for work more in line with their credentials. Many also obtained credentials from Canadian educational institutions.

The Board's comprehensive project includes an analysis of the economic contribution of visible minorities, a Leaders' Summit on Visible Minorities held in May, and an employers' guide, Business Critical: How to Maximize the Talents of Visible Minorities, that will be produced later this year.

Project supporters include several of Canada's leading public and private sector organizations, as well as labour: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, BCE Inc., BMO Financial Group, Business Development Bank of Canada, CAW-Canada, Canada School of Public Service, Canadian Heritage, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Canadian International Development Agency, Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Emera Inc., George Weston Limited, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada/Labour Program, IBM Canada Ltd., Industry Canada, Power Corporation of Canada, Public Service Commission of Canada, Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, RBC Financial Group, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Scotiabank, Statistics Canada, Sun Life Financial, TD Bank Financial Group, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Unilever Inc. An advisory committee of leaders from these and other organizations is contributing to the project.


Original Publication Date: Saturday, September 25, 2004

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The above is from The Voice. As one who has interviewed many people- I would say that more than racism it is qualification. If someone is qualified here, you stand a better chance than one who is qualified overseas.
Our company once employed a SRi Lankan qualified in Toronto over 3 other shortlisted candidates. One from Dubai with Pakistani degrees, another from HK with Hong Kong degrees and a munji from Alberta( qualified in Canada but not Toronto).

But yeah racism exists- whoever says otherwise needs to have his/her head examined but it is not always the deciding factor.

BKB

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Get what you want by helping others get what they want

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Orginally posted by the-entrepreneur

Quote from Jago-desi

You are the one super- complaining- what have you contributed to amend the situation? Have you volunteered for an org to address this issue?
Have you written to your MP? Visited Judy Sgro or Joe Valpe? Or are you just chaabi lagaoing the people? I am doing my fair share- whatever time I can devote.
Here's anothe r FYI- I wrote to the MP in my riding who is South Asian signing my own name which is Indian sounding and got no reply. I rephrased the letter and sent different back-up ( articles in newspapers, mags etc) and signed it Michael Dudeskrio and would you believe it , within ten days I got a reply from the MP's office. Indian MP's do not want to help Indian brothers but will help other national people in their riding. The strange thing is that I was told this MP replies to all letters and does his best to help anybody of any nationality. However, my experience says he is biased. But then maybe my original letter didn't reach him. Canada Post can fail sometimes too.

Bas, bahut hogela bai!
BKB

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Try overtaking child's imagination

For BKB if you can write to politician and wait for him to act, it will be better if you could help person in trouble. Infact you have power to narrate incident effectively

above quote from jago-desi

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Yeah jago-desi- I have helpled several people get entry level jobs in the financial field while a supervisor with a financial company. Not one person but several. Some even because of the entry level job were able to show Canadian experience and get better jobs elsewhere. I have done my share to help individuals but am also active in trying to help immigrants on the whole, not just desis.
I understand the people who you fought and are fighting for are your immediate family. That is great. Nothing like it. Action starts there. Hope you will continue to do your good work and help others as well.However do not expect everyone to thank you. Many I have helped only later to hear that what i got them wasn't what they were looking for. No thanks for getting them out of Mcdonald's or gas stations to an office job paying $14-$17 an hour where they could mingle and learn about the candian culture, experience Canadian corporate culture etc. I know $14-$17 an hour is not much but atleast it was better than the 8-9 CAD jobs they had.

You may feel I am begging, but I don't. I feel I am part of an org that is trying to do something positive about getting overseas credentials recognised here, but it is a long and winding road. Like I said some are going the tough route and taking it to court.If I were a Canadian citizen I would be a signatory, but the lawyers they have engaged for some reason only wanted citizenships to sign the petition.

It was wrong for Crenshaw to jump on you for your English. Anyway, it's his trip. Last week I went to a school to explain about RESPs to the parents and teachers. There was an Indian teacher there who could speak English for nuts, still she was a math and science teacher for middle school there. I told my wife that there is a lady I admire. She did not let her poor command of the English language deter her. She still applied for the job and got it. By the way, it was a private school which is not hindered by regulations of community schools.

Anyway, keep up the good work, sock it to them but good!

Hang loose buddy., but don't never give in!

BKB

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Get what you want by helping others get what they want

If someone is not satisfied with 14-17 as a first job in office and does not like it.. then that person is just being thankless .. there r many many such persons.
but we should always keep helping

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trying to find real persons

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Orginally posted by bally minhas

If someone is not satisfied with 14-17 as a first job in office and does not like it.. then that person is just being thankless .. there r many many such persons.
but we should always keep helping

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Try overtaking child's imagination

I would say if BKB got somebody job in the field of interest. Money should not be the factor to thank him. It is important and difficult to get into your field.......


Above quote from Jago-desi

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Most of the people I got into entry level positions were from the financial field, but a number were asst mangrs or mangrs in Govt banks in India and I got them jobs as CSRs to GIC and RRSP processors, but they wanted jobs as asst mangers. managers in banks. Two to three have left those positions and joined banks as personal banking officers earning $18-$20 an hour. They are more at home there, even though there are not asst mangers/managers. I guess what they really wanted was to be in a bank atmosphere.
I remember even getting people jobs as CSR in the financial field who were travel agents/engineers in India. These people were miserable, but at least the salary was better than their menial jobs and these people literaaly begged me for the job and then told me that the job stank.
Oh well you can't win them all.
Please note I was only instrumental in setting up the interview, the rest was upto them. Not every person who was interviewed was selected, but at least I set up the interview. It was a two- person team effort, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
Basically, they got their break for an office job, which in my opinion opens up more avenues for better white collar jobs in whatever field.
Actually, besides doing my entrepreneur work with vending machines and insurance and investment, I am teaming up with someone to open a placing agency only for office jobs at an entry level. We are trying to rope in some companies. The two financial giants I worked for have agreed in principle to help us out. Also the other companies my partner has worked for are also going to back us up. I will keep you CDs posted on this development. Unfortunately 5 companies is not enough. we are looking for more. Any suggestions who we should approach?

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Get what you want by helping others get what they want

Mr. Enterpreneur,

I would like to hae office job interview arranged for my wife.
She is Science graduate from Mithibai college, mumbai and i dont want her to work in any factory.

Pls. help if you can.

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Do or Die.....