Evelina Silveira, President, Diversity At Work in London

I have been working with New Canadians for many years, and as a child of immigrant parents, I grew up with a lot of anti-Canadian sentiments.  Usually, my parents’ complaints had to do with the leniency with which Canadian parents treated misbehaving children or the relative permissiveness of Canadian society that was a sharp contrast to where they were from.  While they would complain occasionally about Canada, they would always end the conversation about how wonderful  Canada is and how grateful they were to be here.

I hear similar statements now that I am working in a field with many New Canadians.  Grievances about the educational system, health care, judicial system, and so on.  I have often found myself sitting back and saying nothing, even though, at times, I feel offended or maybe even disappointed.  On the other hand, I have encountered similar comments, even ethnocentric ones, from Canadian-born individuals related to immigrants.  For whatever reason, it seems that it is easier to challenge a Canadian co-worker than a New Canadian about stereotypes or ethnocentrism.  Is this truly fair?

The truth of the matter is that both need to be challenged.  Oftentimes, the New Canadian makes these statements out of frustration with the whole acculturation process.  Sometimes, everything is so new that they wish it was the same as it was back home, where they understood everything and knew how to navigate everyday life.  Unfortunately, these expressions of frustration can also be expressions of racism, ethnocentrism and lack of appreciation for life in Canada.

My suggestions to New Canadians who are prone to “Canadian bashing” are to:

1.  Ask Questions – Why are things done this way?  What are the values behind these institutions?  Get to understand the country and its people before you criticize it.

2.   Get involved.  Isolation from mainstream society can make you feel more negative about life here.  You can do many things – take a course, do volunteer work, get involved in politics. Conduct research on Canada etc.

3.  Stop and think for a moment.  How would you feel if you heard Canadians or other groups commenting about your culture the way you do about them?  What would you call it?  Would you report it?

4.  Remember, just because you have not received a reaction or received a reprimand does not mean that your comments do not have an impact.  Canadians sometimes tend to be passive-aggressive with these types of views by avoiding direct confrontation and instead showing their resentment in other ways.

In this day and age when so much turmoil is going on in the world., where wars, hunger and intolerance dominate our media, we have so much to be thankful for living in a country that is a haven of peace and sanity in an insane world.