Canadian Immigrant November 2023

Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023 c anadianimmigr ant.c a

Publications mail agreement number 40011993 | $5.95

ARRIVE. SUCCEED. INSPIRE.

MULTIMEDIA VISIONARY OCAD University’s President Ana Serrano is playing a key role in shaping Canada’s arts and culture sector

‘YOU START TO BELIEVE IN HUMANITY AGAIN’ Canada continues to provide a warm welcome to refugees and displaced people

Award-winning scientist Dr. Housheng He is at the forefront of cancer research

BUILDING A CAREER IN SKILLED TRADES CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

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CONTENTS Volume 20 Issue 5, 2023

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FUSION PROFILE: Aldo de Jong is leveraging innovation to drive change HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO NEWS: Survey reveals shifting attitudes towards immigration in the country

COVER STORY Multimedia visionary: OCAD University’s President Ana Serrano is playing a key role in shaping the arts and culture sector in Canada

12 FEATURE

Building a career in skilled trades: Considered grunt work by some, a career in skilled trades can be financially and creatively rewarding

22 PROFILE

At the forefront of cancer research: Chinese-Canadian Dr. Housheng He is an award-winning scientist making significant contributions to the study of cancer

24 LIVING

Through its unique programs, Canada has provided a warm welcome to refugees and displaced people WELLNESS: Are you mindful or is your mind full?

28 MONEY AND BUSINESS

MANAGING YOUR FINANCES: Credit card vs. cash ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Entrepreneurs are vital for Canada’s economic growth

16 CAREERS AND EDUCATION

HIGHER LEARNING: Why internships matter and how you can find one CAREER COACH: Impostor syndrome in the workplace

19 SETTLEMENT

IMMIGRATION LAW: Significant Benefit Work Permits Societal approach to settlement is key to change says Samina Sami, CEO of COSTI

CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

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FUSION

People. News. Information.

ALDO DE JONG

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 5

2023 Group Publisher Sanjay Agnihotri Editor Ramya Ramanathan rramanathan@metroland.com

Leveraging innovation to drive change

Editorial Design Safi Nomani

By Ramya Ramanathan

Brand Manager Ricky Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 416 856 6304 Assistant Manager Laura Jackman ljackman@metroland.com General Inquiries: info@canadianimmigrant.ca Circulation/Distribution Inquiries: ljackman@metroland.com ISSN 1910-4146 Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher

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ldo de Jong is on a mission to make the world a better place through innovation and entrepreneurship. With experience in multinational organizations like Meta (formerly the Facebook company) and GE, he has spent most of his career creating and working with leading startups.

for brunch helped a lot. The Internations.org community [a website connecting expats] has been great as well. This is where I made most of my new best friends and it’s also how I met my new love and partner for life!

Another challenge was finding good and reasonably priced services, like banks and telecoms, since there’s Born in the Netherlands, de Jong lived in Spain for little competition leading to sub-par services compared over a decade and, in 2016, moved to Canada with to what I was used to in Europe. In real estate I was his family to establish a North American presence for lucky to contribute to changing this, serving as the CEO a company he had co-founded in Barcelona. He soon of Justo.ca for a couple of years to deliver the best-rated decided to make Canada home. A father of two kids, in service in the industry for half of the price. his free time he can be found walking his dog or playing the clarinet with the RCM Latin Jazz band at events How did your kids manage the transition? across Toronto.

The transition was quite easy for my children, who were eight and four years old when we moved here from Spain as they quickly made friends at their school. After What brought you to Toronto?

I’ve been an entrepreneur seeking to make an impact only seven weeks of living in Canada, my daughter, when by making the world better since high school in the asked by my mother whether she felt Canadian, Dutch Netherlands, where I grew up. Toronto is the best or Spanish, said “Canadian, obviously, grandma!”. The place to be for that. It is the fastest-growing tech hub funny thing is that a couple of months later I started in North America, and it has great talent coming out of feeling the same. Even though I lived in Spain for close the universities and to the city. I moved here with my to 15 years, I always was the “guiri” there, which is a family six years ago to continue building the product term they use for foreigners, a bit like “gringo”. innovation and strategy firm Claro Partners, a company I co-founded in Barcelona. Since 80 per cent of our What are you working on? work was for American clients, Toronto was the best I am one of the co-founders and the CEO of Paddio. choice for establishing a hub for serving clients across ca, a climate-fintech company. We finance and facilitate the US, for many reasons including the political and climate retrofits for homes, to help homeowners to social climate, the cost of living and ease of immigration reduce their energy bills and their carbon emissions by for ourselves and future colleagues. replacing the fossil fuel heating system with an electrical heat pump and improving the insulation, for example.

The single most important aspect of Toronto, that is With many different providers and government rebates, dear to my heart and core to my approach to building it’s complex to manage and finance, which is what we companies, is what I call inclusive diversity. Leaders do, free of charge to the homeowner! should work for diversity itself to be inclusive, where cultural and other differences between people are What keeps you going when things are tough? sought to be understood and celebrated. This not only What motivates me most is to see people grow. makes anyone feel more welcome, but it also fosters a That’s why I focus my leadership on empowering people work environment that is more enriching, creative and working with me to grow faster than they imagine productive! possible. This leads to great results from a high level of motivation and engagement as well as an organization that grows in capabilities.

What were a couple of challenges?

Making new friends was a key challenge. As a newcomer, it is very important to build a strong circle What is your advice for newcomers? of friends. The welcoming attitude of Canadians to pay Get out there doing whatever activity you like doing it forward, watching the cherry blossoms, bringing us to to meet people and make friends. Do this at least once do pumpkin and apple picking with them, and inviting us per week.

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023

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FUSION

news

Survey reveals shifting attitudes towards immigration in the country A national public opinion survey, conducted by the Environics Institute for Survey Research and Century Initiative, shows rising concerns about the extent of immigration in Canada.

This is largely driven by rising concerns about how newcomers may be contributing to the current housing crisis. Also contributing to this change is the fact that over the past year Canadians have become more negative about the direction of the country, the economy, and in governments’ ability to plan for future challenges.

However, there has been no corresponding change in how Canadians feel about immigrants themselves, how they integrate, and what they contribute to society. The public is much more likely to say that newcomers make their own communities a better place than a worse one.

Lisa Lalande, CEO of Century Initiative, points out that the research “shows that

Canadians have concerns about Canada’s ability contributing to the current housing crisis. to welcome the number of newcomers we have, but we are not seeing a rise in xenophobia or Only one in three Canadians are now satisfied with the way things are going in the country hostility to immigrants themselves.” today (down 13 percentage points from 2022) “The true significance of this latest shift in and the level of pessimism about the economy public opinion lies in the fact that it is the first is comparable to recessions over the past four time in many decades (if ever) that a growing decades. As in 2022, Canadians continue to number of Canadians are questioning how identify inflation and the cost of living as the many immigrants are arriving in the country, most important issue facing the country, along as opposed to who they are and where they with the economy and interest rates with housing are coming from,” comments Keith Neuman, a affordability now near the top of the list in 2023. senior associate with the Environics Institute.

A strong majority of Canadians continue to strongly or somewhat agree that “immigration Key highlights from the study The survey reports that more than four in has a positive impact on the economy of ten Canadians now strongly or somewhat Canada,” but this proportion has declined by 11 agree with the statement, “there is too much points over the past year and is now at its lowest immigration to Canada,” up 17 percentage level since 1998. Those who are positive about points from one year ago and the largest one- the impact of immigrants are most likely to say year change ever recorded on this question. this is because they add to the local diversity Those who agree with this statement are most and multiculturalism, with others emphasizing likely to cite concerns that newcomers may be economic and population growth benefits.

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023

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COVER STORY

MULTIMEDIA VISIONARY OCAD University’s President Ana Serrano is playing a key role in shaping the arts and culture sector in Canada

By Lisa Evans

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na Serrano was destined to have a career in the arts. Born and raised in the Philippines, Serrano’s parents, who were graduate students at Harvard and MIT, had planned to move the family to the United States. But when her stepfather received a job offer at York University teaching at the business school, the family decided to move to Toronto.

Serrano and her family immigrated to Canada in 1979 when she was 10 years old. Reading was always an important value in her family. “My grandmother spent a lot of money buying books from the U.S. for my sister and I,” says Serrano. “We had every imaginable type of encyclopedia and reference book about science, geography and history; and my parents were fiction and poetry lovers.”

She says her taste in literature was wide-ranging in her early years, from books about Victorian times to different planetary systems. “I think my passion for film and media was just a natural extension of my being a bookworm, devouring all the various lives I could inhabit.”

Serrano’s first foray into the world of the arts was in publishing. As a university student majoring in English Literature at McGill University, Serrano was the editor of the school’s literary magazine. Having been raised in a world of literature, Serrano also ran a successful reading series. “During my tenure running these various literary projects, I fell into desktop publishing. It made running a magazine more flexible and affordable and I fell in love with computers,” she says.

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023

While Serrano’s interest in art and publishing was informed by her childhood, her passion for multimedia was also encouraged and largely informed by her family. During the 1980s, the “desktop revolution” was led by several entrepreneurial writers who self-published zines using this new digital technology. Serrano’s father bought her a copy of Wired Magazine, a publication that focused on how emerging technologies affected culture, politics and the economy. “This is the future where you belong,” he told her. The magazine predicted that the publishing world would change once moving images and animation were added.

This sparked her curiosity and led to an exploration of new media as a way of telling stories. Serrano’s mother encouraged her to take a Commodore Amiga course with her, so they could discover the multimedia world together. Serrano’s grandmother gave her the funds to take post-secondary schooling at the University of Toronto in information technology and design.

That investment certainly paid off. Today, Serrano is one of Canada’s most well-known individuals in the realm of new media and has received numerous awards from the digital, media, film and theatre industries across North America including the 2021 Crystal Award for Digital Trailblazer from the Women in Film & Television in Toronto, the 2015 Digital Media Trailblazer Award from the Academy of Canadian Film & Television and the 2012 Best Canadian Feature Film Award from the International Reel Asian Film Festival.

THROUGHOUT HER CAREER, ANA SERRANO HAS ASPIRED TO “DESIGN WITH INTENTION EXPERIENCES THAT CELEBRATE OUR SHARED HUMANITY, CREATIVITY AND INVENTIVENESS.”

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COVER STORY While she holds numerous awards for her artistic accomplishments, Serrano’s entry into this new emerging field was unchartered waters. As a woman and an immigrant, Serrano knew she was going to stand out.

“I entered the new media industry before 1994, before Netscape took the World Wide Web and brought it to mainstream attention,” she says.

In those early days, Serrano was often the only woman in the room and more often than not the only racialized person in the room. She was also often the youngest. While some might have been intimidated, Serrano felt fueled by her difference. “I observed. I listened. And I cultivated allies,” she says. “I always approached my work in terms of how I could give value to others, how I could help provide solutions, and/or how I could enrich the experience of others.”

Throughout her career, Serrano has used these experiences to amplify her voice as well as that of others. “I think that’s what I have always aspired to do in my career; design with intention experiences that celebrate our shared humanity, creativity and inventiveness,” she says.

From founding the Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab and Canada’s annual democracy summit, DemocracyXChange, to being part of arts and culture boards across Canada and now as the first racialized President and Vice-Chancellor in OCAD University’s 147-year-history, Serrano has been a champion of progressive change and a creator and innovator in digital media.

Serrano is also co-producer of Prison Dancer: The Musical, which recently opened at the National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa. This award-winning stage musical and transmedia experience spanning

multiple platforms is Canada’s first-ever musical produced, created and performed by Filipinos.

Serrano has produced some of Canada’s most critically acclaimed works in digital media, including award-winning productions Body/ Mind/Change starring David Cronenberg, and the virtual reality experience Small Wonders in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario; co-produced Late Fragment with the NFB, which was the Board’s first interactive dramatic feature film within North America that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Serrano’s active creative practice reflects her commitment to shaping the arts and culture sector in Canada and advancing OCAD U as an emerging vibrant hub.

“OCAD U is more than a university; we are a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars. Our efforts reflect the cultural diversity of our community and society, and gives our students opportunities to experience different perspectives,” she says.

An advocate of hands-on learning, Serrano has also launched OCAD U LiVE, a digital streaming channel with content produced by students for students, enabling them to gain experience while contributing to Canada’s booming content creator economy, while getting paid.

“The role we play in the city and the country at large is to be that incubation space where we cultivate Canada’s next generation of leaders who as makers, thinkers and problem solvers will build the equitable, just and sustainable world we all dream of,” says Serrano.

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023

FEATURE

BUILDING A CAREER IN SK ILLED TRADES

Considered grunt work by some, a career in skilled trades can be financially and creatively rewarding. Given the acute shortage of workers in the sector in Canada, now seems to be a good time for newcomers to explore opportunities.

By Baisakhi Roy

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ratik Panchal’s first foray into the Canadian job market wasn’t quite what he’d expected. The automotive engineering graduate immigrated from India in 2015, hoping to secure a job commensurate with his education. Having to clean the company washroom during his first co-op experience with a company manufacturing consumer products was naturally shocking.

“It wasn’t really what I expected and was frankly a bit put off by the experience,” says Panchal, who was training to be a millwright. “A millwright is trained to fix everything that is mechanical. We are trained in

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023

pipe fitting, welding, plumbing and a bit of machining,” he explains.

Panchal survived the apprenticeship period and persevered, thanks to supportive professors at his college. Panchal now works at one of the oldest and most reputed steel companies in Canada, Stelco, and has more than five years of experience as a licensed millwright under his belt. He is also the proud owner of a home in the Greater Toronto Area.

“I wasn’t sure that I wanted to continue in the trades after my first experience, but my teachers at Mohawk [College] urged me to give it

and is already working towards certifications for the next step in his area of work.

Feeding the demand for skilled workers For a few years now, Canada has been facing shortages in several areas in skilled trades.

According to Statistics Canada, the demand for skilled trades workers like Panchal rose significantly in 2021 and 2022. Job vacancies in trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations more than doubled as did vacancies in trades-related industries such as construction. Other in-demand jobs include heavy-duty equipment technician, construction electrician, industrial mechanic (millwright), plumber, truck and transport mechanic, electrician, hairstylist and welder.

above Pratik Panchal another shot,” he says. “They educated me about the immense opportunities and superior pay scales in the trades and that was encouraging.

When I see many of my peers struggling to find jobs, I feel I made the right choice.”

Panchal is determined to rise in the industry

A recent RBC report finds that some of the most serious shortages will affect trades related to infrastructure, namely, industrial mechanics, welders and boilermakers, with 700,000 skilled tradespeople expected to retire by 2028.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is also projecting a need for over 256,000 new apprentices over the next five years.

In an effort to deal with this crisis of increased demand, in August this year, Canada announced

new pathways for newcomers with experience in trades, to fill specific labour needs by issuing invitations to prospective permanent residents with specific skills and training. In this scenario, newcomers with a skilled trade background have a number of opportunities awaiting them.

However, there are concerns about the lack of awareness amongst newcomers around the job openings in skilled trades.

“Newcomers might not be fully informed about the opportunities available in these sectors due to a lack of information or guidance,” says Sharvari Jois, the director of online services and mentoring at JVS Toronto, an organization providing pre-arrival supports for landed immigrants to complete their Trade Equivalency Assessment (TEA) among other services.

She also notes that there is some hesitation to pursue careers in skilled trades.

“The misconception that trades jobs are ‘underemployment jobs’ in some countries and among newcomers, increases the lack of interest to explore these jobs,” she says.

Breaking the stigma around skilled trades For some newcomers who come from a

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FEATURE

Visit MyConsultant.ca for Canadian immigration and citizenship information

above Sharvari Jois culture that equates success solely with a university education and a whitecollar job, a career in skilled trades doesn’t seem like a viable option.

“One of the most common misconceptions about working in the skilled trades is the belief that these jobs are primarily for individuals who may not have succeeded in university, possess limited education, or face restricted career prospects,” says Jois.

She also points out there is a stigma that roles in the sector are “unsuitable for women due to their perceived physical demands.”

These misconceptions are far from accurate, she says. “In reality, careers in skilled trades and technology demand critical thinking skills and training. This training may involve post-secondary education and on-thejob learning through apprenticeships. Importantly, the skilled trades sector provides numerous opportunities for women, offering competitive pay, avenues for advancement, and engaging challenges.”

Jois acknowledges that immigrants are also underrepresented in the skilled trades sector due to insufficient knowledge, language barriers, difficulty in obtaining recognition of foreign credentials, and the absence of ‘Canadian work experience’.

At the end of the day, clients are motivated by their own unique circumstances says Jois. “At times, we encounter newcomers who are currently engaged in a different field but aspire to transition their careers to a trade job in Canada. Some clients possess post-secondary education in a profession regulated in Canada and view a career in the trades as an alternative pathway to the licensure process. Recently, in our pre-arrival program, we worked with a client who, despite being a lawyer, expressed a desire to pursue a career as a carpenter in Canada. This client specifically articulated a preference for moving away from office work and expressed a keen interest in working within a more creative field. She was open to exploring opportunities within the skilled trades sector,” she says.

Panchal advises newcomers, especially international students who may be picking jobs that don’t interest them just so they can get their permanent residency, to pause and reconsider and look at their long-term career goals.

“You have to change your thinking, your perspective. When you first come to Canada, you need to complete your education and then look for a job rather than the other way round. It might take time, but it will happen, and the trades are a great way to establish yourself in this country,” he says.

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Explore up-to-date news on important issues, read in-depth articles explaining immigration and citizenship, and seek answers to your most pressing questions from a vibrant community of authorized immigration and citizenship consultants.

CAREERS & EDUCATION CAREER COACH

Imposter syndrome in the workplace Nine ways you can overcome these feelings

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hink back to the times when you studied all night and entered your job, out of the stress and worry. the examination hall, nervous and petrified. Maybe the very first According to Psychology Today, people with impostor syndrome question intimidated you, but you still ended up doing the exam struggle with self-efficacy, perfectionism and neuroticism. The article goes really well. on to say that impostor syndrome could come from personality traits. A However, instead of acknowledging your hard work, you were critical similar perspective shared in TIME Magazine suggests that, according to of yourself for not doing better. You became doubtful and questioned experts, it stems from childhood memories. your self-worth. This is what psychologists term “impostor syndrome.”

If you are struggling with this syndrome, you may be belittling yourself, Similarly at work, if you find yourself often getting frustrated attributing your achievements to mere luck instead of your work ethic, and anxious that you are not good enough and concerned that your talent or intelligence. Even after you go through a grueling interview co-workers may discover this, it may be nothing but your impostor process and get hired, you may feel like you didn’t truly earn it. You might syndrome working overtime. The downside of this? You may end up be saying any of this to yourself: I’m a fake, I’ll never be able to do this, I overworking, resent challenging assignments or even underperform at must not fail, I just got lucky, That was no big deal, I don’t deserve to be

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 20 Issue 5 | 2023

here, I’m not qualified to do this work and more.

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Accept failure as part of life. How would you challenge or

The Science Of People website (scienceofpoeple.com) lists the following five types of “Impostors”.

motivate yourself if you succeeded at everything easily? Acknowledge that failure is part of life, and it is only through failure you can learn where you can improve. Accept and appreciate your failures. Their lessons will push you to work harder on your goals.

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TYPES OF IMPOSTORS

The Perfectionist can’t tell when the job is done because they’re Journal your achievements. When you’re confronted by negative obsessing over minor details instead of finishing it. They have very thoughts, it may help to reflect on all the times when others have high standards for themselves, which at times may not be possible to appreciated you. It’s a good idea to document your success by writing accomplish. frequent notes to remind yourself of your small accomplishments over the years to look back on. Consciously appreciating compliments instead of The Natural Genius believes they should know and grasp everything ignoring them can help you recognize how hard you worked to get there. they’re taught immediately. They get frustrated easily and believe everyone else is finding a way to succeed while they continue to struggle Confide in a friend. In your close circle, find a friend, colleague or and fail. mentor you can trust. Often, just voicing your feelings can help you feel liberated. What’s more, a friend with an outside perspective can help The Expert believes they must always be perfect because there’s you see things in a different light and create more clarity to take decisions. always someone better. They try to learn as much as they can and are constantly trying to better themselves because they never think they Change your self-talk. If you catch yourself talking critically of are enough. yourself and immediately change your self-talk. For instance, if you catch yourself saying “I’m not qualified for this job”, you could correct The Rugged Individualist believes they can do everything alone yourself and change your self-talk to “I absolutely deserve this job. I was and don’t believe in asking for help because they see it as a sign of hired because I have the right skills to do the work.” Changing your selfweakness. talk won’t happen overnight. Keep at it, and each little win will begin to add up to something spectacular. Get ready to celebrate the real you!

The Superwoman/man believes in taking on more responsibility than they should because they can’t say no. They tend to work harder Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, life coach and than their colleagues and put work before their personal lives. best-selling author of The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening, The ACE Abundance and You Are HIRED! He is also chairperson SO HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME THESE FEELINGS? of CAMP Networking Canada. Learn how he can help unlock Fortunately, research has shown that once it is acknowledged, impostor your magic at unleashyourwow.com. syndrome can be changed. If you find yourself struggling with negative self-thoughts, here are some small steps you can take to combat impostor syndrome and think positively.

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ARE YOU A NEWCOMER TO CANADA?

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Acknowledge and accept your thoughts. As a first step, be aware of your thoughts and accept them for what they are. Once you identify the negative self-talk, you can confront them and take the right steps to deal with them.

2

Be non-judgmental. Analyze your thoughts without judgment.

This helps you paint an unbiased picture of situations. For instance, if you look at your career trajectory or business growth, you could look at stats such as the number of clients served, growth over the years, and even the awards received as evidence that your career or business is, indeed, a big deal. Or that you are actually good at what you do. Statistics don’t lie, so anytime you’re feeling less than certain, consider the facts for confirmation.

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Focus on the positives. Develop the ability to retrain your

thoughts. Only one of either — ­ faith or fear can occupy your mind, so make sure you turn your negative thoughts into positive ones. You can eventually train your brain to do this automatically.

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Don’t compare yourself with others. It will become hard to be

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Welcome constructive criticism. When you are struggling with

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appreciative of your achievements if you keep comparing yourself to others. This may not be the right approach as you have no idea of what others have done or been through to get where they are today. impostor syndrome, the last thing you want to do is to accept negative feedback from others. But remember that we all have areas that can be improved. Instead of taking it personally, practice active listening and consistently improve yourself.

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CAREERS & EDUCATION HIGHER LEARNING

Why internships matter and how you can find one

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Seize opportunities to gain meaningful, practical work experience

etting an education is an important step towards preparing for work in many fields, however, it may not be enough as employers often require experience as well. An internship provides an opportunity to learn on the job under the supervision of individuals with experience in the field.

if it isn’t a requirement, here are some reasons you may still want to get an internship and how to go about finding one.

tempting to forgo an opportunity that is low paid or unpaid, remember that you are getting free hands-on education that will help you access paid employment in the future. If you do not already have experience working in Canada, this can also give you some insight into the Canadian workplace culture. An internship is something that you can add to your resume.

Benefits of an internship An internship provides an excellent opportunity to go beyond the theory and apply what you have learned in the workplace environment. It may even increase your motivation to Internships are similar to learn as you start to understand how Through an internship, you will cooperative education (co-op) you are applying what you learn in opportunities, but more often class. Is this something you enjoy broaden your network by meeting take place during the summer or doing? Can you see yourself doing people in your field, you may gain references for future employment, even after graduation, while co-op this for a living? and you may be the first to know placements usually occur during the Internships also provide an about job openings for which you academic year. Internships can vary in length and are typically longer opportunity to gain relevant can apply. It provides an excellent than co-op placements. Some experience in your field of study opportunity for you to showcase internships are paid while others which can help you with future job your skills, knowledge, attitude and aren’t, depending on the field and applications. An internship typically work ethic and if you make a good the organization. They can be with does not require much experience, impression, you may be offered a job a range of different organizations: if at all, and the expectations are in the future. small or large, with businesses, typically lower than they would be nonprofits or the government. Even for an employee. While it may be How to find an internship If doing an internship is a requirement to graduate from your academic program, make sure you consult with your academic department first to determine the type of internship that you need. Find out if your educational institution has a process to help you find an internship or if searching for one is something you must do on your own.

If it is the latter, you will need to make sure that the opportunities for which you are applying are recognized and approved by your program. If you are not required to complete an internship but are choosing to apply for one, determine your availability, and the type of internships and the The CPA designation is your organizations of interest. passport to a world of

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If you are interested in an internship within a particular organization, you may want to contact them directly. Some organizations have more formalized internship programs with specific application dates, while others are more flexible and may take on students at different times of the year, based on their capacity.

Make the best of the internship You may not be getting paid or the level of responsibility may not be what you expected; however, if you think you might like to work in this field and/or for the organization, do not underestimate the importance of making a positive impression. This includes showing up on time, being helpful to others, being receptive to constructive feedback, and working hard to show your worth as a potential employee. Internships are not only opportunities for you to gain experience and learn; they also give employers a chance to see if you would be a good fit for their organization. There are never any guarantees, but if you impress the employer, you may land your first job in your field.

Some internships turn out well, while others may not; however, even a negative experience can be helpful. You may learn that the field or job you were pursuing is not right for you or that the organization is not a good fit. Positive or negative, Connect with people in your the opportunity will help position network, including your professors you for the future, whether that is to see if they are aware of any to continue to pursue your current opportunities. Your school may have field and access employment, or a Career Centre that lists internships, to rethink your career direction and they may also recommend and explore options that are better some external listings sites as well. suited to you.

career opportunities

As an internationally trained professional, you CPA don’tdesignation have to start The is from scratch on earning your designation. CPA Alberta Canada’s globally-recognized has established agreements with accounting business bodies around professionaland accounting credential provides the globe, that allowing you to streamline the professionals with the askills process of becoming CPA in Alberta. and acumen to be leaders, Build on makers, your previous hard-earned decision managers, credentials and open up all the entrepreneurs and more. possibilities.

Many schools also offer support with preparing your resume and cover letter, and practice interviews.

Be sure to ask if these supports are available at your school.

Learn more

Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students.

SETTLEMENT I M M I G R AT I O N L AW

Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026

O

A plan of backlogs

n November 1, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published its Supplementary Information for the 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan (Immigration Levels Plan). Under this, the target for new permanent residents to Canada for 2024 is 485,000. This number will increase to 500,000 in 2025. The permanent resident target will then stay the same in 2026.

The Immigration Levels Plan contains a detailed breakdown of planned admissions in several categories. What is somewhat remarkable is that not only will the overall admissions from 20252026 remain the same, but the planned admissions in each category will as well.

The Canadian government reportedly decided to freeze admission targets because of increasingly negative public sentiment towards immigration during the ongoing cost of living crisis, which was starting to be reflected in political polls. While the political rationale for freezing immigration levels may be understandable, unfortunately, it will likely mean difficulties for many temporary residents inside Canada who wish to become permanent residents, as well as application backlogs.

Difficulties for temporary residents inside Canada to obtain permanent residence

In 2023, IRCC introduced category-based draws to Express Entry, in which individuals with certain language or occupational backgrounds would be invited to apply for permanent residency with lower points than general rounds of invitations.

While qualifying individuals have benefited from this, many foreign workers in the Express Entry pool have essentially been left behind. Prior to the introduction of category-based draws, the Comprehensive Ranking Score threshold for general rounds of invitation was around 486, and trending downwards. Since the introduction of category-based draws the threshold for general rounds of invitation has been over 500.

The Immigration Levels Plan is likely to lead to a further increase in the number of Express Entry points required to qualify for a general around.

The Plan calls for increasing the number of French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside of Quebec from 26,100 to 31,500 to 36,000 in 2024-2026. With immigration levels largely staying flat during this period, it is not clear where these new French-speaking admissions will come from, other than Express Entry.

of these draws will likely need to increase in order to achieve the government’s new Francophone immigration targets. Because overall levels are largely staying flat, the amount of Express Entry spots for non-Francophones will correspondingly presumably need to decrease.

unchanged from previous plans, despite media reports of an increase in refugee claims. The number of resettled refugees planned for 2024 and 2025 also did not change from the previous 20232025 plan. This is surprising because in February 2023 Canada’s House of Commons unanimously voted to resettle 10,000 Uyghur refugees in 2024 and 2025. They do not appear to be factored into Backlogs The Immigration Levels Plan seems inconsistent the plan. with recent government press releases and The only way to reconcile the seeming gap announcements regarding new programs. Indeed, despite the announcement of these new programs, between the announcement of new immigration the 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan is largely programs with the fact that these programs do not unchanged from the 2023-2025 Immigration appear to be reflected in 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan is that IRCC does not plan on Levels Plan announced last year. processing these applications before 2027. The For example, from 2024-2026 the target for implication is backlogs.

“Total Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other” will decrease from 13,750 in 2024 to 8,000 Mind the gap per year in 2025 and 2026. This category not As with Canadian immigration levels plans, only includes Humanitarian & Compassionate there is a tension between the number of Class applications, but also the new public policy temporary residents and the number of permanent permanent resident programs for Hong Kong and residents admitted each year. Permanent resident Ukrainian nationals. As well, in October 2023, admissions to Canada are capped. Temporary Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees residence applications are not. and Citizenship Canada, announced that Canada would be welcoming 11,000 Colombians, Haitians One thing is clear. If Canada plans on freezing and Venezuelans through a new humanitarian permanent resident admissions and the number permanent residence pathway. The number of of temporary residents admitted to Canada people eligible to apply for this category is much continues to rise, then the gap between those bigger than the planned admission targets. who can come to Canada and those who can stay permanently will only increase. This gap Similarly, the number of people that IRCC will likely be the major immigration issue for plans on obtaining permanent residence after whichever political party wins the 2025 federal successfully claiming asylum in Canada is election.

Steven Meurrens is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact Express Entry already has a category-based him at 604-681-9887, by email at steven.meurrens@larlee.com, or visit his blog at draw for Francophones. The frequency and size smeurrens.com.

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SETTLEMENT

Societal approach to settlement is key to change

By Ramya Ramanathan particularly the dignity of employment, and education for newcomers… helping newcomers is always what I’ve done in my personal life. And I said, okay, I’ll take that leap.”

Since July 2022, Sami has been spearheading the development and implementation of the agency’s strategic plan. She emphasizes that COSTI’s strategic priorities place importance on key elements including digital transformation and fostering strategic and diversified partnerships.

“I want to emphasize partnerships,” she says. “The socio-economic ecosystem is so complex in settlement, the only way to do it is with partners. So, my vision is very much about building that ecosystem in collaboration with other agencies, with other partners and even with other sectors.”

She believes that partnerships with the private sector are also critical.

“I am delighted that employers and entrepreneurship opportunities are coming to us. That’s a game changer from years ago when we went to the employers,” she says.

above Samina Sami

Sami also stresses the key role of civil society in the settlement ecosystem. “We need a whole societal approach to settlement, civil society along with the settlement sector and the private sector,” she says. “We may lead in the sector, but we want to work with all these partners, right?”

I

She talks about COSTI’s mandate to accelerate engagement through n 2022, COSTI experienced a significant milestone. This communitybased agency, dedicated to supporting diverse newcomers to Canada innovation. “The digital realm presents COSTI with many possibilities,” and all individuals seeking assistance, celebrated its 70th anniversary. she says.

Additionally, Mario Calla, who had been at the organization’s helm for half Digitization has enabled COSTI to provide hybrid services in various of its history, retired, passing the torch to Samina Sami who assumed the critical areas, including education and training, confidential mental role of CEO. health support for families, assistance for youth facing crises, genderWith a proven track record of dynamic and visionary leadership of more based violence programming, and more. She further notes that even than 26 years in the public sector, Sami’s very first job was within the the innovative International Student Connect program, which offers settlement sector. She reflects on her motivation: “I’m an immigrant from information and guidance to students pursuing post-secondary education India, as are my parents. The issues around inequity, gender equity, and in Ontario, incorporates hybrid programming at its core. At the same time, COSTI is also seeing a return to in-person services. the experiences of displaced people have always driven me.”

Sami underscores the agency’s commitment to elevating its existing Sami went on to establish the HOST Program in Peel, under the auspices of the federal government. “I started with an intentional desire programs to a higher level of excellence. and deliberate focus to assist newcomers, and from there, my career “Employment and skills training is a huge priority for COSTI,” she says. followed diverse paths, “ says Sami, as she reflects on her journey.

“What we are seeing is the need for agile work placement programs, agile She worked in leadership roles with the provincial government for 16 skills training programs.” The organization is incorporating this agility, to years, followed by close to eight years in roles with a university. Sami meet the needs of clients and employers, through employment programs emphasizes that she carefully considered the opportunity with COSTI and sector-specific skills and language training programs. “We want to be when it presented itself. “I thought, this is the original passion. My love is innovative; we want to meet the needs of our clients. It’s a client first model.”

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SETTLEMENT An important part of the agency’s work is also advocating for its clients.

Sami elaborates, “We’ve stressed the importance of supporting refugees and immigrants in a world where we are seeing a significant increase in displaced populations. We need all levels of government working together to address crises in housing, health and skills shortages, working with federal, provincial, municipal, levels. This collaborative policy, funding and service ecosystem will take us forward.”

She speaks about the importance of tackling systemic racism to create an inclusive society. “Governments and the wider society play a pivotal role in promoting and facilitating welcoming societies. Achieving this requires deliberate policy measures and intentional design.”

Sami points out that COSTI provides comprehensive (wraparound) services. “We’re a full-service agency,” she explains. “Our approach is that if someone seeks our assistance for gender-based violence, they might have other needs like employment, mental health, or childcare. Our job is to mobilize our extensive network of partners and services to accelerate the [settlement] process.”

In 2021, COSTI became a partner of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, presented by Canadian Immigrant. “This prominent event celebrates and highlights the remarkable contributions that immigrants make to Canada’s social fabric and economy on a daily basis,” she notes.

Operating from 18 locations in Toronto, York Region and the Region of Peel, COSTI provides services in more than 60 languages, helping over 39,000 individuals. Learn more at costi.org.

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21

PROFILE

AT THE FOREFRONT OF

CA NCE R R E S E A R CH

By Lisa Evans

Chinese-Canadian Dr. Housheng He is an award-winning scientist making significant contributions to the study of cancer

D

r. Housheng He spent his childhood summers working in the fields in a small village in China.

“We had to get up very early in the morning at 5 or 6 a.m., go to the farm and work until 9 or 10 a.m., have breakfast then go back to the farm and work again,” he says.

Dr. He’s hard work paid off as it instilled in him a strong work ethic as well as lessons in planning and working as a team.

“Although it was very hard and we were sweating all the time, when I look back, it’s a time that I learned how to work together with others to complete a complicated task. I learned that you have to work hard to get what you want,” he says.

Throughout his career, when faced with a hard task, Dr. He thinks back to that time on the farm. “Nothing actually looks hard compared to those summers,” he jokes.

This humble beginning laid the foundation for a remarkable journey that has seen Dr. He evolve into an award-winning scientist making significant contributions to the study of cancer.

These days, Dr. He can be found in his research lab at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre where he is a senior scientist, or teaching at the University of Toronto in the department of medical biophysics. As an experimental and computational

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biologist, Dr. He has contributed to uncovering new diagnostic and treatment strategies for prostrate and other cancers. His research today focuses on cancer epigenetics and non-coding RNA in cancer.

“If you consider genetics as computer hardware, epigenetics is the software,” he says. The goal of his research is to identify epigenetic markers and target therapies to improve cancer treatment. For his work in this area, he received the Canadian Cancer Society 2022 Bernard and Francine Dorval Prize.

The journey from rural China to big city Toronto working at the forefront of groundbreaking cancer research wasn’t an easy one. The first time Dr. He found himself on his own was when he left rural China to attend Beijing Normal University. There he completed an undergraduate degree in physics and a graduate degree in biology.

Beijing was a big city that stood in stark contrast to his life on the farm. “The only way a child can get a better life is to get a better education and go outside the town,” he says. His parents were supportive of his pursuit of higher education. “Both my parents are farmers. They’re poorly educated; they can barely read and write. They have to work very hard on the farm and they didn’t want their kids to repeat their life,” he says.

Dr. He’s next step was to leave China and head to the U.S. He received postdoctoral training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard University in Boston. There he was recruited into his PhD supervisor’s lab and exposed to cancer research. “I really enjoyed working on cancer and realized this is a big issue everywhere and there

are lots of things we can do to improve treatment and lives,” he says.

In 2013, he received a job offer from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and went to Toronto to visit the hospital. While he was in awe of the world-famous scientists whose work he admired, names he’d only read in papers before coming to Toronto, Dr. He was also intrigued by the vision that Princess Margaret had put forward to cure cancer in our lifetime. “I was quite amazed by that, and I wanted to be part of it.”

Even more astonishing to Dr. He was how kind and helpful everyone he met was. “During my second visit here, I chatted with people and said I’m interested in moving here. People came up to me and gave me tips and even offered to help me rent an apartment,” he says. The help didn’t stop there. “My colleagues were so supportive; whenever I needed something, I could always get support and help. Often people would come to me and ask ‘what do you need, how can we help you’. It feels very touching and makes me feel like this is home.”

Dr. He admits that adjusting to life in Canada wasn’t without some struggle. During his first winter in Canada, a power outage caused by freezing rain left his family without electricity for three days. Realizing they’d have to find something to enjoy about Canadian winters, Dr. He discovered skiing. “Both my kids are in the ski club and my wife and I enjoy skiing. We spend our winters on the mountains,” he says.

Dr. He’s advice to newcomers is to take advantage of what Canada has to offer. “Be passionate about what you’re doing. The environment and the culture are really very collaborative... that you will not find elsewhere and that will be helpful for your personal success.”

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23

LIVING

‘YOU START TO BELIEVE IN HUMANITY AGAIN’ Through its unique programs, Canada has provided a warm welcome to refugees and displaced people like Anastasiia Seitaj and her family

By Vivien Fellegi

U

krainian Anastasiia Seitaj had never intended to leave her beloved pressure of finding work in the expensive new country was also stressful. homeland. When war broke out, she and her husband were visiting Canada’s spontaneously emerging host program, developed through Albania. Seitaj’s father begged her to stay put. “Please just hold on,” he said. “Don’t come.” Reluctantly, the couple decided to seek safety in a Facebook, proved to be a godsend. Seitaj’s hosts invited them into their homes indefinitely. Their hosts also helped them navigate everything country neither knew anything about – Canada. from obtaining a document to finding a doctor. The locals also became The duo and their daughter arrived in Ottawa in September 2022. The the Ukrainians’ cheerleaders as they tackled other challenges. “‘Guys, you can do it,’” they told the couple. relocation was challenging.

Two weeks following the family’s arrival in Canada, a deadly attack on “It was a completely new, unique experience for us,” says Seitaj. Most of all, she missed her family back home. “It breaks my heart,” she says. The Seitaj’s hometown of Kiev killed several of her friends. Her hosts rallied

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LIVING around the shocked family, staying close and listening. “My feelings were valued,” says Seitaj.

Over time the Ukrainian family merged with that of their Canadian hosts.

Both have children of the same age, who regard each other as siblings. Even after the newcomers moved out on their own, they’ve still been keeping in close touch. “We consider each other family,” says Seitaj.

Today Seitaj has fully integrated into her adopted country. She’s a settlement worker at the YMCA and is expecting the arrival of her Canadian baby.

Seitaj credits her successful adjustment not only to her host family, but also to the larger Canadian society who welcomed the couple so warmly.

“I’ve never ever seen this kind of generosity,” says Seitaj. “You start to believe in humanity again.”

Senior resettlement officer at UNHCR Canada, Michael Casasola, is not surprised by Seitaj’s warm reception. “Canada can be quite welcoming,” says Casasola.

Through the years, Canada has shown a knack for integrating refugees, says the expert. For those who meet the refugee designation, there are two main channels of assimilation: government-assistant refugees (GARs) and private sponsorship of refugees (PSRs). In the PSR program, humanitarian and religious organizations or a private group of Canadians pool their resources to support a refugee family financially and logistically for at least one year. The sponsors help their dependents find housing, furniture and clothing, locate language courses and enroll refugee children into schools.

Sponsors are also good sources of social capital, connecting refugees with above Anastasiia Seitaj and her family potential employers. Because of their personalized contacts, refugees who enter the PSR stream have better integration outcomes short term then two-year-old daughter, Shahd, saw blood on the streets, Ahmad and compared to GARs, says Casasola. In the long run, both streams of refugees his wife Nour knew they had no choice. “We were emotionally destroyed,” integrate successfully, with levels of homeownership and education says Alshamaly, who brought his family to Turkey and then Canada in 2016. ultimately reaching that of native Canadians.

Their group of PSR sponsors immediately made the immigrants feel The PSR program was established as part of the Immigration Act of l976, comfortable. One of them picked up the Alshamalys at the Toronto airport. a few years after Canada had signed on to the Refugee Convention. Refugees The sponsors helped them open a bank account, located a good school for from Vietnam, who were admitted to Canada in the late 1970s, were the first the children, and found language training for the adults. Another one to benefit from the program. The Syrians fleeing civil war in their country helped Alshamaly connect to several companies, helping him secure a job were the last large group of refugees admitted into the PSR program in 2015- in IT just a month and a half after landing in Toronto.

2016. Today several countries around the world have adopted Canada’s PSR The sponsors were also nurturing. Shortly after their arrival, the program, including Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK. Alshamalys were invited to their first Thanksgiving dinner, followed by But the Ukrainians’ situation was very different from that of most other supper on Halloween. Over many meals, the Alshamalys bonded with their refugees to Canada. In an effort to fast-track large numbers of people fleeing sponsors and created an alternate community. “Everything was new to us,” war, Canada processed the Ukrainians under the category of emergency travel. says Nour, “they helped us feel like we belong to this place.”

Without the refugee designation, these de facto refugees were not entitled to The advantages of these new connections were beneficial for both programs like the government assisted refugees or the private sponsorship of refugees. In response to their overwhelming needs, private Canadian citizens sides, says Alshamaly, who recently launched his own startup, Hyphonics stepped up to the plate, hosting Ukrainians for free in their homes, orienting Edugames, which teaches children a fun way to learn Arabic. Meanwhile, Nour opened a catering business, Jasmine Kitchen sharing her culture them to Canadian programs, and served as emotional supports. through her cooking.

The hosting program’s benefits overlap with those of the privately The couple’s two daughters, Sedra and Shahd, are telling the world about sponsored refugees program, says Casasola. Both sponsors and hosts guide refugees through the Canadian landscape, practice English with them, and Syrian children in refugee camps. The sisters paint scenes of refugee life befriend them. These personalized interactions propel refugees forward onto postcards that are filled with wildflower seeds, ready to bloom.. This enterprise raises both money and awareness of Syrian refugee children. with more assurance in their new lives.

For the Alshamalys, a refugee family from Syria, Canada’s PSR program helped them kickstart their shattered lives. The Alshamalys had never dreamed of uprooting their perfect lives in Syria — ­ Ahmad Alshamaly had a lucrative career as an IT engineer, they had a comfortable home, and family just minutes away. But when the war broke out in 2011 and their

Today the Alshamalys are fully integrated into the fabric of Canadian life – their children have music lessons and the whole family enjoys camping.

The family feels grateful not only to their sponsors but also to the wider Canadian public who greeted them with open arms. “Most of Canadians are welcoming,” says Alshamaly. “We feel lucky.”

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LIVING WELLNESS

Are you mindful or is your mind full?

Learning to live in the moment can reduce anxiety, stress and pain

W

e live in a society that has succumbed to the belief that if you are somehow not “busy” then you are not being productive. We wear fatigue like a badge of honour and complain about how busy and tired we are while others nod in agreement.

But how sustainable is this? Not very, if you read the research.

In 2022, Statistics Canada reported that over five million Canadians (18 per cent) aged 15 to 24, met the diagnostic criteria for a mood, anxiety or substance disorder within the previous 12 months. Additionally, 36 per cent of people living with a mood, anxiety or substance use disorder reported having unmet or only partially met health and mental health care needs.

One of the encouraging responses to this mental health crisis has been the rise of mindfulness.

Mindfulness has gained tremendous popularity during the last 30 years in large part to people like Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and author of Full Catastrophe Living.

Kabat-Zinn began applying the foundational principles of mindfulness of an uncertain future or the haunting refrains of a depressive past. The meditation to patients within medical settings, which produced notable result is that these feelings take you out of the present moment. results including helping to manage debilitating conditions like chronic pain.

When applying mindfulness, try to remember that your thoughts, emotions and sensations change from moment to moment. Try to focus Since then, thousands of people have completed his multi-week MBSR on what you are observing or feeling now and accept without judgment program and increased their ability to manage their responses to stress, attached. When your mind wanders try to bring yourself back to the pain and other conditions including epilepsy. present moment.

“When we practice mindfulness, we are more aware of our thoughts, emotions and actions as they occur,” says Rosie Smith, a registered psychotherapist and director of adult services with Epilepsy Toronto.

“It allows us to notice changes in our mood and feelings moment by moment. In this way, rather than push away negative thoughts and emotions, we can learn to accept them as is, with compassion rather than the judgements we often attach. In this way we can be more at peace with ourselves.”

Most importantly, be kind to yourself. You are no doubt going to experience disruptive thoughts and feelings, but these are just visitors.

They come and go. A compassionate attitude towards yourself can go a long way.

This is really just the first step in your mindfulness journey. There are many Canadian resources available to help get you started. One of these is the Canadian Mindfulness Centre (canadianmindfulness.ca).

Smith goes on to say that as more research is being done in the field “One of the areas of mindfulness that people often don’t realize is that of mindfulness, it is showing benefits for both emotional and physical it is not necessarily the same as meditation, which means you don’t always wellbeing: improving the health of those with high blood pressure, heart have to set aside 20 minutes of your day to practice mindfulness even disease, sleep issues and even weight loss. though you can,” says Smith.

“I have worked with many clients with anxiety and depression Smith says that mindfulness can be practiced through everyday and over the years have incorporated mindfulness in my Cognitive activities such as mindful walking, mindful eating or mindful breathing.

Behavioural Therapy (CBT) practice as well as taught mindfulness-based stress reduction strategies to those who need it,” says Smith. “I utilize “I believe our stress levels will be greatly reduced if we learn to do one mindfulness practices in my individual therapy sessions as well as in thing at a time thus enjoying the pleasant activities in a more meaningful group settings. I also try to live my life mindfully.” way while at the same time being more aware of our emotions so we can address them earlier. After all, we cannot change what we There’s no question that moving from one country to another and don’t notice.” starting an entirely new life can be disruptive and overwhelming. Whether it is people fleeing violence in their homeland or dealing with the crushing Carter Hammett is a freelance writer with two decades of feelings of trying to adapt to the rhythms of a whole new culture. Thus, it experience in social work, employment counselling and adult becomes easy for newcomers and immigrants to fall prey to the anxiety education.

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27

MONEY & BUSINESS BANKING

Credit card vs. cash

I

Upsides of using credit instead of relying solely on cash

n the day and age of digital everything, credit cards seem to be the more convenient and secure way to make purchases. However, some individuals still prefer to rely on cash transactions. Many financial experts ask that you use cash if you’re bad with money, so you can be mindful of your spending. However, if you have your expenses under control, there are several upsides to using credit instead of just cash. In this article, we will explore the reasons why relying solely on cash can be detrimental in various aspects of personal finance.

Credit score and history

Credit is one of those things that you never get when you need it. Your credit history and credit score are taken into consideration for major purchases like buying a home, getting a car loan or even getting a phone plan in some cases. Credit is something that you will inevitably need at some point in your life – and using cash is not going to help establish and build your credit score. If you are concerned about misusing credit space, pay off your credit card as soon as you make a purchase. This practice makes you mindful of how much you can pay off and allows the credit gods to see that you have used your available credit and paid it off. This end up crumpled and discarded. Cash transactions lack the traceability will build your credit history and improve your credit score, so you have and financial transparency that credit card transactions provide via their good credit when you need it. monthly statements. Credit card statements provide detailed records of purchases, making it easier to review and analyze spending habits. This Limited financial transparency level of transparency allows individuals to develop sound budgeting Another drawback of cash over credit is the lack of traceability. I don’t strategies and identify areas for potential savings. know about you, but cash seems to vanish from my wallet and receipts

Points for rewards

Who doesn’t want to make money by spending money? Numerous credit cards offer enticing rewards programs, including cashback, travel miles, or points redeemable for merchandise. By utilizing credit for everyday expenses and promptly paying off the balance, responsible cardholders can accumulate rewards and maximize their spending power.

By solely relying on cash, consumers miss out on these potential perks and fail to make their money work for them.

Consumer protection

Many businesses will offer discounts for cash transactions that often come without a paper trail. However, this means you do not have any consumer protection on the purchase. Unlike credit cards, cash does not offer any safeguards against theft or loss. If you misplace cash, it is nearly impossible to retrieve it. On the other hand, credit cards provide fraud protection, allowing consumers to report unauthorized charges and dispute fraudulent transactions. In the event of theft, cardholders are generally protected against unauthorized purchases, while using cash means the funds are lost forever.

Now I would be remiss if I didn’t say that credit card use comes with responsibilities. Credit card companies make money by consumers not being able to pay off the balance; so, they will often offer credit increases or supplemental cards. You can follow the principles of the crash diet by only spending (on your credit card) what you can pay off immediately.

Keep your credit limit low, and reasonable, and don’t fall for the incentives to increase the credit limit beyond what you know you can handle. By showing some self discipline, you can successfully build or rebuild your credit while meeting your savings goals.

Shalini Dharna is a CPA and Investment/Insurance Advisor at Dharna CPA Professional Corporation.

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MONEY & BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurs are vital for Canada’s economic growth

D

An opportunity for immigrants to maximize skills for success

espite a population that has reached 40 million, Canada has 100,000 fewer entrepreneurs than it did 20 years ago, finds a study conducted

by BDC, Canada’s Bank for entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the Université de Montréal Innovation Centre and Millénium Québecor.

Alarming decline, but immigrants may provide a solution

This general trend is alarming. By 2022, only 1.3 out of 1,000 people had started a business, compared to 3 out of every 1,000 in the year 2000.

“This is worrying because entrepreneurship is crucial to the economy, fueling innovation and economic growth,” points out Pierre Cléroux, BDC’s vice-president of research and chief economist.

The report identifies several factors contributing to this decline, including low unemployment, high wages, an aging population and a more complex business environment.

Cléroux highlights an important opportunity for Canada’s economy: immigrant entrepreneurs. He says, “Business ownership rates are generally experts. For tips on how to become a better leader, how to communicate higher among immigrants than among the Canadian-born population. more effectively, or how to grow a business network, visit www.bdc.ca/ So, their contribution continues to be vital to our economy, contributing entrepreneurial-skills. to its diversity, innovation and competitiveness.”

Jean Philippe Nadeau is Senior Advisor, External Crucial skills Communications, with BDC. The report also highlights a sad fact: one-third of new businesses close their doors within five years. “This situation shows the gap between the intention to start a business and entrepreneurial success,” says Cléroux.

“To close this gap, it is important for entrepreneurs to acquire essential OSGOODE skills to launch and grow their businesses, especially in an increasingly PROFESSIONAL complex business environment.”

DEVELOPMENT

The report identifies four distinct groups of skills needed to succeed in business: the most crucial being grit and relationship skills, which prove essential at all stages of a company’s growth.

1. Grit and relationship skills 2. Marketing and finance 3. Leadership and people skills 4. Operational administration skills For Daniel Jutras, rector of the Université de Montréal, this shows how important it is to better prepare those who want to start a business. “With the work that has been done by BDC and Université de Montréal, we now have solid and valuable information with which we can develop training programs that address the concrete challenges faced by entrepreneurs, and that meet the needs expressed by our students. And that’s what all academics do: use reliable data to generate knowledge and pass it on,” he adds.

It is worth noting that BDC’s research carried out in collaboration with Université de Montréal has shown that business success is not linked to innate abilities, but that these skills can be actively developed and nurtured.

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Free resources to develop key skills

For business owners looking to develop key entrepreneurial skills, BDC curated a collection of insightful articles with input from industry CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

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GUIDED BY US. POWERED BY YOU. The creation of the Blueprint career services program was driven by market, and environmental scans that we conducted in late 2021. A key insight that we gained from this market intelligence, as well as the data on groups that were impacted by the pandemic, is that there is a high need to support individuals who are making career transitions. We have launched a transformative career management offering that emphasizes a strengths-based approach and gives participants an opportunity for self-reflection and action planning as they navigate a reintegration into the world of work.

Blueprint career services seeks to encourage a lifelong learning mindset among learners and is equally accessible to individuals of diverse life and career paths, and equity-deserving groups such as youth, immigrants, Indigenous, Black, and racialized people.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SUPPORTING YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY Blueprint Career Services Portal Available to all those interested in exploring our library of career development and self reflection resources, the Blueprint Career Service Portal provides complementary access to hundreds of employmentrelated resources. These include alerts on upcoming events, access to recording of previous events, and exercises to encourage reflection and career mapping activities.

Industry Insights and RealTalk panels Join us for opportunities to learn from industry experts and past learners on their career paths, trends, insights and advice on how to apply these learnings. In addition to the moderated panel sessions, informal networking opportunities are embedded. As with our portal, this is a service that is offered to all those with a curiosity to learn how to confidently determine, direct, and action your next career path and or career goals.

CliftonStrengths Workshops CliftonStrengths programming is a pillar or our Blueprint career services. CliftonStrenghth is an assessment tool developed by the Gallup Organization that measures naturally recurring patterns of thought, feelings, and behaviours. Gaining insights into these areas are important to help you raise awareness of your own strengths. This part of our services begins with a three-hour workshop and includes a coaching session to help empower you to understand your strengths and how you can apply them in your personal and professional decision-making.

Career Wayfinding Series We appreciate that sometimes the first challenge is just determining “where do I begin?” If this sounds like something you struggle with, you may want to consider this three-part cohort-based program for those in career transition. Each of the three sessions is three hours in length and are interactive sessions that use principles of design thinking to tackle those complex challenges that can sometimes cause us to struggle what are my first steps? These are often referred to as the “wicked problems” of life and career navigation.

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