Celebrating New Beginnings in Canada

OTTAWA—Canada marked its 142nd birthday yesterday and The Epoch Times mingled with the crowd that gathered for the festivities on Parliament Hill in Ottawa looking for people who left their country of birth and crossed the world to come here.

We wanted to know why they came and if their new home was what they had hoped.

Four and a half years ago Pankaj and Rubi Dev came to Canada from Nepal because they heard it was “a great country.”

“We have human rights, the quality of life is great, that’s why I immigrated to Canada,” said Mr. Dev.

Mr. Dev met with many challenges in the beginning but he overcame them. “Even in the best place in the world, if I go there, there are a lot of things I need to be familiar with. All the realities, I was not scared of that, I think that’s part of life.”

Grace Wangongu, from Kenya, has lived in Canada for more than seven years.

“I came to Canada because of opportunities and Canada is a beautiful country. I am happy to be Canadian. I enjoy being a Canadian,” she said.

“It is one of the best countries to be in. I visited other countries but Canada is one of the best in terms of development and policies.” For example, Ms. Wangongu noted that during the current recession “Canada is better placed than other countries.”

The only challenge she faced was language. “Canada is more or less bilingual. I had studied everything in English in my country, so when I came here I had to study French.”

Ms. Wangongu learned French and was able to enter the labour market “pretty well.” “I am an accountant. Right now I am working for the government of Canada. That is the reason I am so proud to be Canadian. I am an internal auditor with the Treasury Board office.”

Olive Wairimu, also from Kenya, came to Canada eight years ago for school and job opportunities. “I immigrated with my whole family for economic reasons.”

“Initially the first year was very challenging—the culture shock, getting used to the culture, [getting] a job in Canada, getting to know our way around. We didn’t know anyone …things were really tough,” she said.

Ms. Wairimu hopes she can one day become the Minister of Immigration or the Governor General so that “I can help make it easier for immigrants to settle. “At the moment I work a lot in the community to help people integrate into the society easier,” she said.

“You can do it, even if you work hard, you come and take awhile to settle down and eventually you are going to be able to make it. When I make it then for sure others are going to make it. You can open up doors for other people.”

Khaled Djidi came to Canada from Algeria just two months ago, joining his older brother, Youcef, who came years earlier for the opportunity and liberty that Canada offers.

Khaled is 23 years old and studying at a university in Quebec. He is happy to be in Canada and said “things are very good.”

Maria Reyes came to Canada from Columbia seven years ago for better job opportunities and a higher quality of life.

What she likes most about Canada is that “I’ve had all the opportunities I was expecting.”

She said she has been able to progress in her studies and career and even change careers. It has been a challenge but a challenge she said she enjoyed.

One way Canada could improve as a country is to provide better social services and employment insurance coverage at lower insurance rates, Ms. Reyes said.

Mr. Wu Jianguang, a software developer at IBM in software development, came from Malaysia 14 years ago. He decided to stay because of Canada’s “peaceful and open society.” “Here there is no political dictatorship like in Malaysia and mainland China,” he said.

While his life improved, Mr. Wu has had his challenges, especially eight years ago.

“At 30 years old, I lost my job two times. In 2001 I was laid off by Nortel. Fortunately Canada has a social welfare system and unemployment insurance benefits. From 2001 to 2002, I did not have employment for almost one year.”

Mr. Zhao came from Changchun, China and has lived in Canada for eight years. Several years ago he graduated from Memorial University in Newfoundland.

“I decided to stay in Canada because my educational background and work experience are quite suitable for development in Canada. I like the multiculturalism and environment here. Also, we have many friends here,” he said.

Mr. Zhang Yaojin came to Canada in 1980 as a refugee from Cambodia, leaving behind war and communist totalitarianism. Currently he works in a government department. He has a family of six and his whole family is very happy to live in Canada, he said.

Alvaro Eobyogi from Brazil has been living in Canada for three years and plans on obtaining Canadian citizenship. He likes that Canada is a multicultural country that has “nice values and respect for other cultures.”

Lamia Wasses, a family physician, is from Egypt and has been living in Canada for over ten years.

“I like Canada because it’s a free country, it’s safe, and there are opportunities for people to get jobs,” she said.

“Canada is doing well and has a good future despite the fact that right now it’s hard for people to find jobs with what has happened all over the world, but hopefully in the future it will be better.”

She said her family came because they had relatives and were told Canada offered freedom and the opportunity of a better life for themselves and their children.