Last week I started this series with a common argument: that people who come to Canada should be prepared to become Canadian and “leave their ways at home”. If you missed it, you can read about the irony I highlighted last week here. This week I’m going to explore another phrase I heard recently: …
multiculturalism
Expand Your Mind – What School Doesn’t Teach Us
A few weeks ago I got into a taxi in Toronto. The driver was South Asian (no surprise.) He asked me where I was from and a lively conversation ensued in which he told me about Tamil Nadu, the part of India he is from, and some of its fascinating history and present. I learned that Tamil Nadu …
[Continue reading] Expand Your Mind – What School Doesn’t Teach Us
Our New Prime Minister
A few things have given me cause to be hopeful about the direction of our country, following this week's election (congratulations Justin!) Firstly, I feel like I can use his first name. It's nice to have a young PM that actually seems to be engaged with the Canadian public - shaking hands in a …
Incentives for Hiring Immigrants – friend or foe?
Thanks to the politicians, the debate rages - is it a hand-out or is it increasing access? (and don't get me started on the difference between "foreign workers" a la Tim Hudak and immigrants looking for work). Listening to Q this morning on CBC, I heard an interesting interview with 2 successful …
[Continue reading] Incentives for Hiring Immigrants – friend or foe?
After the UK Riots…
This past weekend I caught a brief story on CBC news about how UK Prime Minster David Cameron is considering assistance from New York Police Commissioner and Los Angeles police chief Bill Bratton to help address the violence that has shaken cities in England this month. Whether this partnership …
Connecting with People
Two weeks ago, I assisted at a workshop called The Mastery of Self Expression. One of the main themes of the workshop is connecting with others. At one point, Larry Gilman (the facilitator) spoke about how quickly we look away when we pass people on the street. The fact that few people say hello …