even though vancouver isn't the canadian city with the highest population of immigrated hong kong chinese, it is still known as "van kong" or "hongcouver".
before i launch into this post, these are just my thoughts. i believe the world was once one continent, and that no man is an island. my beliefs. i know very little of what it is like to have my family's life or safety affected by a flood of immigration, and if i did, i would possibly have a very different viewpoint than the one i have now.
many people are unhappy about how the chinese (and other racial groups, but mainly asians, because little italy's and portugals have been established long enough to be cool and they're english speaking...) are now the main residents of some of vancouver's suburbs. (i can hear the brahmins trembling in their shoes...being lumped with and accepting the irish and italians because there is a greater evi!)
major complaints? the numbers of people crammed into a house ruining the neighbourhood, how asians in their 30-40's come to canada, bring their parents over, get them into the local healthcare system, and then head back to hong kong to work, leaving taxpaying canadians to pay for the medicare. chinese speaking schools built with taxpayer money. pregnant hong kong women flying over to canada at 36 weeks, giving birth and therefore giving their child a canadian passport, then heading back to hong kong three days later. people are unhappy about this. i am not a canadian taxpayer, but if i were, chances are i would be unhappy as well.
but should we be unhappy with the asians, or the government that hasn't created approprate laws?
canadian immigrants are the hardest working lot i have seen. they get accused of "stealing all the jobs". lots of people say, "look at the vancouver airport, there's only immigrants working there." oh, okay, do you think the people who are cleaning the toilets and scraping gum off the floors beat out thousands of other applicants, or do you think the have the job because they're the only people who applied for it? according to airport stats, it is the latter.
i am caucausian. by the grace of God i have been born into the cultural and skin group that is highest in most countries hierarchy. the only language i speak is the language everyone currently wants to know. i was born into a country offering free healthcare and no obstacles to success for those who are willing to work hard. my parents won't disappear in the middle of the night, i don't have to worry about government sponsored violence, i can practise the religion i choose.
once when a friend of mine was grousing to my dad about immigration into canada, frugal blake responded, "you're not parents yet, but one day you will be. and you will want your child to have a better life than you had. canadian politicians aren't perfect, but the corruption is nothing compared to what so many of the immigrants encountered, and they can build a better life for their children. if i were in their shoes, i would immigrate as well. thank god i am not."
the canadian government isn't perfect, and a lot could be done to prepare immigrants arriving into canada about what life in canada is like. and patrolling to see if people are taking advantage of the system. without a doubt. something needs to be done, and that is for elected officials to do. yet it is easier and faster to take out frustration on the immigrants, instead of the people who took them into the country. how can people know that queuing is the way of life, that tipping in restaurants is appropriate, that public nosepicking isn't accepted, unless someone tells them? (then there are others who when i make this point say, "but who are we to change them? that's not what canada is all about!" - which is another argument althogether). as for the racial gang violence...that's a huge one....what is the government doing about it?
if charles and i were chinese, we would be trying to come to canada, to give our children a future with options and hope. if we were living here, we would be making sure our elected officials were doing something about the situation.
We have similar issues in the US and I completely agree with you. Most of the jobs taken by immigrants are ones ones you can't find Americans to fill- and its not just "unskilled" labor at the airport. Some doctors in our inner cities are from other countries because many doctors in this country don't want to serve the Medicaid (health coverage for the poor in the US) population.
I think sometimes people forget that at one point, all our ancestors were immigrants. Yes, there maybe abuses that occur, but most people are just trying to build a better life for themselves and their families.
Posted by: Leggy | July 24, 2005 at 05:32 AM
i live one exit from mexico, outside a military helicopter base.
they do runs to check on the people coming in from the other side.
everything you stated about canada californians complain about also.
i don't even know where to 'draw the line'. is it wrong for a human being to want to live like one? to have their children registered as nationals when it will give them a better ife?
i don't think so.
but at the same time, i hate supporting the welfare mindset.
Posted by: bp | July 24, 2005 at 06:04 AM
Hmmm, this is a bit of a ticking time bomb.... I have seen first hand how the asians bring their parents here ,,, dump them in the health case system and leave us to pick up the tab. We the taxpayers then spend $$ on translators, housing, medical aid, as well as providing them with beds and amenities that were paid for by other seniors who worked their whole lives to secure a comfortable future for themselves. I have seen cases where a foreigner has gotten a private bed in a nursing home over a vetran Canadian, and cases where foreigners have obtained better access to MRI's, CT scans and such and have left those who have been waiting for months,, fuming as they continue to wait their turn in line.
I do agree that yes we need to have immigration active, BUT much more STRICT policy and ENFORECEMENT needs to be put into place to try and stop the abuse that we witness in this day and age.
I am rambling... maybe one day I will be able to write what I am thinking.. until then its just a cloudy dreary Sunday morning,....
AP
Posted by: Auntie P | July 25, 2005 at 01:11 AM
Ditto to what Leggy said.
Posted by: Maggs | July 25, 2005 at 11:10 AM
Hi Tess - I was just reading about a Canadian miniseries about immigration called "Human Cargo" that's supposed to be very good. Not sure if it's available on DVD, but you might like it.
Posted by: becca | July 25, 2005 at 10:41 PM
That's a tricky one - to what extent do you want/force immigrants to become Canadian? How does Canada handle honour killings and veiled women?
And to what extent have you and Charles adapted to Hong Kong culture?
perceval
Posted by: perceval | July 26, 2005 at 06:29 PM
Ah - but that is the Canadian way, isn't it? It's what makes this country so diverse and tolerant!
From my experience living here in Vancouver, I think that some people get frustrated because a lot of immigrants do not embrace the Canadian way of life. They move here and remain segregated from society and attempt to recreate Hong Kong right here in Vancouver. I'm all for diversity. And I am thrilled for immigrants to maintain a connection to their roots, keep their customs, and teach their children their culture. I would love to learn about their culture. However, I DO think that they need to become somewhat integrated into the Canadian culture. And they DO need to learn the language.
Being an immigrant myself about 11 years ago from a little country down under on the continent of Africa, I can see both sides of this story. I am deeply connected to my culture and my roots, but I am also very proud to be Canadian, and am fully immersed in the Canadian way of life (including contributing to taxes and healthcare!).
I guess it's a matter of where you consider home is. Is home your new country or your birth country? It can be both. But when you don't feel that your new country is really home, then you try to recreate your birth country within your new country. And it really doesn't work too well!
Posted by: Jess | July 27, 2005 at 12:34 PM