FUSION

People. News. Information.

VOLUME 18, ISSUE 6 2021

Group Publisher Sanjay Agnihotri

Editor Ramya Ramanathan rramanathan@metroland.com

Editorial Design Safi Nomani

Sr. Ad Manager Ricky Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170

Assistant Manager Laura Jackman ljackman@metroland.com

General Inquiries: info@canadianimmigrant.ca

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ISSN 1910-4146

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Canadian Immigrant is published six times a year in print. Canadian Immigrant welcomes submissions, but is not responsible for unsolicited material. Canadian Immigrant is a publication of Metroland Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Entire contents property of Canadian Immigrant.

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THABO CHINAKE

The power of the spoken word

By Ramya Ramanathan

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Thabo Chinake (who calls himself KTheChosen) came to Calgary in 2015 as an international student. He has “chosen” to create music that is both enlightening and entertaining. As a hip-hop and spoken word artist, he has used his voice to share the experiences of those around him. This year, he received a nomination for the Zim Achievers Canada Awards in the Young Achievers category and the opportunity to perform and speak at a TEDx event. He was also selected as the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI) artist of the month for October 2021.

What are you currently working on?

I just released my latest album +Vice on October 22. It's a concept project that looks at grief, gender equity and mental well-being. I've been performing live shows to promote the release and am also working on new visuals (short film and music videos) to support the music.

What are your future plans?

My long-term plan is to work with creatives in the artist development field and help them build their brand and marketing strategies.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by the conversations I have with friends, family and strangers. We all have such unique perspectives of how the world works, which fascinates me and broadens my views on life. I am also inspired by other art such as paintings, animations and books. I find sometimes my songs are just the audio representation of another art form that I've experienced.

Any first impressions when you arrived in Canada?

The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Canada was that most people that I saw suffering on the streets or sleeping on public transit tended to be Indigenous folk, which didn't make sense to me. It's something that has stuck with me and inspired me to not only read more about Indigenous culture and Canada's history, but also to make a song called LONO, that discussed colonialism with two Indigenous artists, Blackfoot rapper TRIBETheArtist and Cree singer and hand drummer Chantal Stormsong Chagnon.

Tell us about your work as an artist.

I'm a strong believer in the power of storytelling and community, so I often collaborate with artists to share their experiences and perspectives with different communities. As well as self-releasing three albums since 2018, I have also performed at multiple immigrant-focused events including the Ethnik Culture Festival for Black History Month and the Woezo Africa Cultural Festival.

I spoke at a TEDx event in July on the importance of authentic leadership in the digital age as social media campaigns have been the driving force behind global movements such as #MeToo and #BLM. I enjoy youth work and this year I had the opportunity to be a Science Genius ambassador in the Beakerhead program, where we taught grades 7 and 9 how to rap and create songs based on what they were learning in their science classes. I also led a three-part workshop for Antyx Arts, mentoring teenagers on freestyle rap and the importance of storytelling in music and marketing.

What are some challenges that have come your way?

Calgary’s art scene is still developing; so, in the earlier years there were very few options when it came to performance opportunities and events to meet other creatives. I had to take it upon myself to explore the city and make friends with those in the community to learn more. It was daunting at first, but now I'm blessed with so many creative friends and opportunities to contribute to Calgary's growing art scene.

What is your advice to other immigrants?

Be proud of who you are and your story. It’s what makes you special and, if you can, share it with the world. There are so many people who can't even imagine the life you've lived, and for those who can, hearing you speak to their experience can help them feel understood and less alone. The uniqueness of our experiences is what unites us no matter how far we are because we all have a story to tell.

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Role of immigrants as essential workers

To what extent are immigrants and temporary residents overrepresented in essential occupations and sectors? How can the government and employers ensure immigrant skills match essential jobs?

These are questions that are tackled by a new report Valued Workers, Valuable Work: The Current and Future Role of (Im)migrant Talent, released by the Conference Board of Canada.

Canada relies on immigrants and temporary residents in many essential sectors such as health care and agriculture. But the immigration system has a strong focus on highly educated immigrants, which does not always correspond to the need of the labour market. This leads to highly qualified immigrants working in essential roles that don’t make the best use of their education and skills, limits their career prospects and leads to lower job satisfaction.

The study finds that this is particularly common among newcomers working as nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (45 per cent); transport truck drivers (28 per cent); and process control and machine operators in food and beverage processing (34 per cent).

The report offers various recommendations to address Canada’s labour shortage in the essential sectors and provide quality opportunities for immigrants and temporary residents. These include turning essential jobs into better paying, higher quality opportunities and inviting immigrants with the right skills and experience to fill vacancies in the essential sector.

The study also calls for effective and rapid credential recognition to help fill vacancies with the right talent. Full report available on conferenceboard.ca.

10 things you might not know about Christmas in Canada

Whether you join a cookie baking party or enjoy the beautiful lights, music and celebration around you, here are 10 things to know about the holiday.

1. While Christmas is a Christian religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, for many Canadians, it is more of a secular celebration, with a focus on Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gift-giving and family. So, join in and have some fun!

2. Many may refrain from wishing you a “Merry Christmas,” so as not to offend those who don’t celebrate. If someone does wish you a merry Christmas, feel free to say, “Merry Christmas” back or the more generic “Happy Holidays” in return, or simply “thank you.”

3. Canadian children send letters to Santa — and he may write back, thanks to Canada Post. Letters should be mailed to SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE H0H 0H0, CANADA. Send your Santa letters no later than December 10, 2021, to receive a reply before the holidays.

4. Checking out a production of The Nutcracker, complete with Sugar Plum fairies, mice and soldiers, is a family holiday tradition for many. Due to COVID, some versions of this production could also be available online.

5. The traditional Christmas dinner found at many Canadian dinner tables is turkey, much like Thanksgiving, complete with all the fixings like mashed potatoes, gravy stuffing and vegetables like peas, corn and yams. Most stores will be closed on Christmas Day, so make sure you have everything you need, including groceries, by Christmas Eve.

6. If you have kids in school, not only will there be a Christmas or winter concert, but you may also be asked to contribute to classroom Christmas activities, like building gingerbread houses. Parents often give a small gift to their child’s teacher as well (check to see if this is allowed by your school). 7. Your children get to see Santa Claus at the local mall (check COVID regulations in your neighbourhood). Parents dress up their children in their finest and stand in line to visit the big guy. Photos are taken for a fee, but these are optional. You are allowed to just go for a visit, but it’s a no-no to try to snap your own pictures without paying for the official portrait.

8. The Christmas tree is the centerpiece of holiday decor, along with stockings along the mantle and colourful outdoor lights on the house. Have fun — there’s no right or wrong way to decorate.

9. Exchanging gifts is a big part of Christmas, very similar to other major celebrations, such as Hanukkah and Eid. There's often Christmas stockings hung by the fireplace, ready for Santa!

10. Eggnog is a popular holiday drink in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, more than 5.9 million litres of eggnog were sold to Canadians in December 2018.