Canadian Immigrant Septemer 2020 Issue by Canadian Immigrant

Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020 c anadianimmigr ant.c a

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANTS of 2020

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

CONTENTS Volume 17 Issue 4, 2020

FUSION

PROFILE: Nina Perez explores the relationship between dance, relating and connection NEWS: Building connections through virtual offerings during COVID-19, Study compares mental health of immigrants and refugees with Canadianborn population HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO

RBC TOP 25 CANADIAN IMMIGRANTS

The 12th RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2020 are announced

24 SETTLEMENT AGENCY AWARD

Presenting the third annual Settlement Agency Award

IMMIGRATION LAW: Preparing a strong application WELLNESS: How do you rate your listening skills?

26 SETTLEMENT

29 CAREERS AND EDUCATION

CAREER COACH: Using LinkedIn to connect with recruiters HIGHER LEARNING: Study tips for in-class and online learning

CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

FUSION

People. News. Information. VOLUME 17, ISSUE 4

2020 Group Publisher Sanjay Agnihotri Editor Ramya Ramanathan rramanathan@metroland.com Editorial Design Safi Nomani Digital Media Developer Kamil Mytnik Sr. Ad Manager Ricky (Kawaljit) Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170 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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NINA PEREZ

Exploring the relationship between dance, relating and connection By Ramya Ramanathan

ina Perez is founder and director of Baila! Dance Today and a social dancer and Latin dance instructor in Vancouver. Perez is also a connection coach and helps people enhance their relationships through the lenses of dance and other modalities. Born and raised in Argentina, Perez started dancing ballet, flamenco and national folklore from a very young age. She now has over 37 years of dancing experience and has been teaching for the last 20 years. Perez discovered Argentine tango in her teens and performed for the likes of Nestor Marconi at the Vancouver Orpheum Theatre with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. At the age of 19, she was introduced to Salsa and her instructor asked her to become part of his dance team. This is when Perez fell in love with teaching and embarked on a journey of personal development. Her focus was on accelerating learning and removing the blocks to connection with others and enhancing the communication in relationships. Perez has taught many workshops and trainings, from somatic disciplines to designed conversations and has merged her dance expertise and personal development to a brandnew way of looking at dance, relating and connection.

Tell us about your journey to Canada.

I was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, until the age of seven when we immigrated to Vancouver. I was young enough for it to be a smooth transition, I learned English and made new friends quickly. During the recession of ‘91 we actually moved back to Buenos Aires because my father was laid off. This was a very eye-opening time for me. I was a young teen and we were there until I was 15 which allowed me to see how different life was between the two countries. When we returned to Vancouver in 1995, I decided that I wanted to stay in Canada. I still visit my homeland but my life, my present and my future are in Canada.

evolution of your passion. This is how Thrive Today! was born. We hold interactive workshops that involve dancing and teach the deeper skill of connection. Our newest expansion to our business has been Give Today! which was launched during COVID where we give back to the community in different ways, with free dance classes, wellbeing workshops and an impact club, where we partner with our students and donate part of our sales to a charity to be launched in 2021.

Tell us more about the relationship between dance, relating and connection.

Connection is something we all crave and are wired for, but often people don’t know how to obtain, maintain, enjoy and grow it in ourselves, in our relationships, and in our lives. When we feel connected to ourselves, to others, and to our community at large we feel we belong. We feel less loneliness and isolation. Our sense of confidence grows and with that, our happiness. People can learn so much from dance because they are sometimes bypassing the intellectual mind and are entering into feeling. Which is a much faster teacher. There is a great Zen Budhism saying that goes “how you do one thing is how you do all things.” Dance is a great vehicle that can quickly teach us the principles needed in everyday life when relating to others. In dance, when something is not working you will feel it and, vice versa, when something is working you will feel it and then be able to replicate that feeling. The same principle applies in conversations and relating to other people.

What inspires you?

What inspires me through my work is giving people new experiences that provide an opportunity for them to transform from the inside out. Dance is a fun way to learn so much about yourself and how you relate to others. Dance is very generous in the rewards it gives. It is great for your life, your immune system, your confidence, your Tell us about your work. social life, but best of all it’s fantastic for teaching lessons I have had the pleasure of sharing my Latin heritage by that spill into other areas of your life and improve all your opening a dance school over 20 years ago, called Dance relationships, conversations, and moments. Today! We specialize in Latin partner dancing: salsa, bachata and Argentine tango. We hold indoor, outdoor What is your advice to other immigrants? I would encourage immigrants to embrace their roots, and online lessons for singles and couples, and provide group and private instruction. Our slogan is No Partner! bring their culture with them and combine it with all the new things that they have learned in their lives and share No Rhythm! No Problem! When a person has done something for a long time, it with the world. This is why Vancouver, and Canada at I believe it ultimately evolves into something deeper large, is such a beautiful melting pot of diversity. and the desire for expansion is part of the growing and Learn more at ninaperez.ca

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

news Building connections through innovative virtual offerings during COVID-19 With more than one million immigrants scheduled to come to Canada in the next three years, and many more arriving as students and temporary workers, Canadian Immigrant is continuing to provide support through a range of innovative virtual offerings during COVID-19. A Web Conference Series – free, live industry-specific virtual events, sponsored by Windmill Microlending – was launched in July 2020 to assist newcomers and immigrants with information and inspiration in their specific professions. Events have been held for internationally educated or trained nurses, lawyers and IT professionals. Upcoming events in the series are Web Conferences for accountants and engineering professionals. These conversations will provide an overview of options available and a roadmap of how to get there. In addition, as we put our large-scale signature fairs across Canada on hold until Spring 2021, Canadian Immigrant has gone virtual – bringing together a dynamic career fair, tradeshow and speakers’ series all under one roof. On November 20, skilled immigrants, newcomers, temporary students and other new Canadians who need help looking for jobs, going to school and settling into their new home are invited to attend the Ultimate Career Fair sponsored by Bank of Montreal. This interactive and informative opportunity will connect you success in Canada. More information about pre-registering for the event, with employers, recruiters, immigrant service providers, educational and for sponsors, exhibitors and recruiters interested in participating, is institutions and government services that can help in your journey to available at canadianimmigrant.ca.

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news Study compares the mental health of immigrants and refugees with Canadian-born population Studies have shown that overall, immigrants are found to be healthier upon their arrival to Canada than the Canadian-born population â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a phenomenon referred to as the healthy immigrant effect. However, due to the stress and integration challenges, often, this initial health advantage seems to disappear. A study released by Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in August 2020, examines the mental health outcomes of Canadian-born individuals on a national scale compared with immigrants by admission category. The report titled, The mental health of immigrants and refugees: Canadian evidence from a nationally linked database, looks at the self-reported mental health of immigrants by admission category and other immigration dimensions (e.g., region of origin and duration since landing) and makes comparisons with Canadian-born respondents. According to the study, the self-reported mental health status among immigrants varies based on their origin and time spent in Canada. Immigrants who arrived within 10 years of the survey, for example, were more likely to report high levels of self-reported mental health, while those who had been in Canada for 10 years or more reported lower levels of mental health, similar to their Canadian-born counterparts. These results support the healthy immigrant effect and its loss over time in the area of mental health. The full study and findings can be accessed on the Statistics Canada website.

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

It’s time to announce the

RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2020 By Margaret Jetelina

t goes without saying that the 12th year of the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards has been drastically different than in previous years. Just as we were about to announce the Top 75 finalists, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In those uncertain first days, Canadian Immigrant, along with our title sponsor RBC Royal Bank, put a pause on the awards to give us all time to adjust to the measures needed to keep Canadians safe. As we adjusted to our new reality, we decided that a little light and inspiration was something we could all use. So, with just a few months’ delay, we were happy to present our 75 finalists on canadianimmigrant.ca/ rbctop25. After all, these prestigious awards, the only national awards celebrating immigrant success, have always been a symbol for diversity, resilience and the importance of coming together as Canadians. And the pandemic has shown how strong and interconnected we truly are, regardless of our culture or country of origin.

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

Now, after our online voting phase — which saw more votes than ever before at a record 72,000 — we are pleased to announce the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners of 2020, along with our special youth, entrepreneur and settlement agency awards. This year, our sponsor RBC will be donating $50,000 to Windmill Microlending, a charity that helps internationally trained newcomers pay for the Canadian credentials they need. The donation will specifically support re-accreditation of 50 internationally trained immigrants in the health care profession who are helping on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19. Our gratitude also goes to our judging panel made up of past winners, and everyone who took the time to nominate and vote this year. We wish you all health, safety, happiness and success, as we move forward together. Now, let’s discover this year’s Top 25!

Celebrating 25 exceptional individuals. We are proud to congratulate and celebrate the RBC® Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners. Their stories of perseverance and courage are motivating and inspiring to all Canadians. Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate and vote for these remarkable individuals.

Visit canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25

® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. VPS104943

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Ajibola (Jibs) Abitoye Giving back by design

ust five years after immigrating from Nigeria, Ajibola (Jibs) Abitoye was elected as a councillor for the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, in 2017. “I just wanted to serve and give back somehow,” says Abitoye, who credits the support of her loving husband. “That’s why, right from when I first got here in 2012, I started volunteering.” Soon, she found herself on two boards, including serving as chair of the Fort Saskatchewan Multicultural Association. She took giving back to the next level by running for city council. “We set priorities in the community, make policies and represent the public. It’s our job to ensure the citizens of our community are being served as they should,” she explains. While her background was in economics and banking in Nigeria, Abitoye has been fearless about change. She even went back to school at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to become a power engineer. And, last year, while juggling her civic duties — and three children under six! — she started her

Shahab Anari Motivationally speaking

hahab Anari, M.D., is a bestselling author, motivational speaker and owner of personal branding agency North Star Success in Toronto. He has helped close to 5,000 people through coaching, training, events and book publishing since immigrating from Iran five years ago. Most of his accomplishments were really achieved in just the last three years. “Like for most immigrants, the first two years were really hard. I was trying to pay the bills, trying to get my business off the ground,” Anari says. “I knew nobody here and I didn’t know that much about how to build a business in North America. I went through a lot of ups and downs, physical illness and emotional turmoil.” But he says he “managed to figure out what to do and it’s been really good ever since.” How did he do it? “I had a strong

belief in my ability to change my situation,” he explains. “I have overcome hurdles in the past. I have made this big move half way around the world to start a new life with my wife — a move a lot of people only fantasize about — but immigrants are those courageous people who actually make it happen. So, I thought, if I was able to make this big move, then I can do anything I set my mind to.” The mission on his mind today is to help professionals, especially from immigrant origins, continue in the face of adversity and achieve success. “I have a mission to accomplish, I want to help people tap into their untapped potential,” says Anari, a contributor to Forbes. “One of the projects I’m working on now is to publish a compilation of inspirational immigrant stories that can help newcomers get motivated to build a successful life in Canada.”

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own fashion business, Divineity Fashion Inc. “Divineity is a social enterprise because we empower women in Africa through employment, training and mentorship,” says Abitoye, who designs the clothes and has them produced in Nigeria. “By bringing business to them, we help women send their kids to school or put food on the table. We also support victims of domestic violence in Alberta, through partnerships with organizations and donations.” In February 2020, Abitoye had the privilege of showcasing her collection at the prestigious New York Fashion Week, only three months after starting her fashion line. “Now, we’re currently working on a program called Turning Point Entrepreneurship Mentorship program, where we find 45 marginalized women who have been in some sort of domestic violence situation and are interested in fashion. We mentor them into owning their own business.” Her advice for other newcomers? “Be fearless.”

Samer Bishay Connecting the unconnected

nlike many Canadians, Samer Bishay has had the opportunity to see diverse and remote parts of this vast country all the way to the Arctic. “I feel like I actually saw parts of Canada that I would have never thought even existed in Canada,” he says. “Having done that brought me closer to what Canadian really means, and it’s really all about diversity.” Bishay, who was born in Egypt and came to Canada at the age of 12, adds, “The different vantage points you get by simply interacting with other Canadians, whether they grew up here or grew up in different countries, it’s really a nice way to see the world differently.” But you can’t interact if you can’t connect. And connection is Bishay’s focus today as CEO and founder of Iristel, a telecommunications service provider, which also owns Sugar Mobile. “We help bridge that digital divide connecting rural and remote Canadians. So, we have communities — Arctic

communities — that run and leverage our service on satellite, on microwave,” he explains. “Obviously, we service the Torontos, the Montreals and the Vancouvers, but it’s not as interesting for us as helping connect the unconnected.” And now, as we find ourselves physically distanced in this global pandemic, digital connection is more important than ever. “We’re continuing to bridge that digital divide,” says Bishay, who is also a licensed jet pilot. “Canada has a lot of families who still do not have access to broadband internet.” But the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has mandated the internet as an essential service. “So just like water or utilities, these are needs that have to be met and provided to our fellow Canadians,” Bishay says. “You’d be surprised that some communities are still dark in terms of connectivity. Our plans are to try to connect all these communities and advance them to the 21st century.”

Serena Chan Fintech leader

s a professional in the technology business, Serena Chan is always evolving. She’s curious and looks for ways to innovate. “I have a strong growth mindset. My career evolves and I learn new things every day,” says Chan, a partner in Toronto-based IBM Financial Services Sector in IBM Global Business Services in Canada. “I believe that a person’s true potential is unknown and you’ll be surprised what can be accomplished.” When she first immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1989, she couldn’t have known she’d be named one of Canada’s Top 50 Women in FinTech in 2019. She also couldn’t have predicted she would be the first Chinese woman to become a partner in the Financial Services Sector at IBM Canada. “Being an Asian woman in tech in North America is a badge of honour,” Chan says. “I wear it proud, loud and continue to help lead the way for others.” Her job itself is about digital reinvention.

“I am an end-to-end digital reinvention leader helping my clients solve their most complex problems every day through the lens of design, business and technology,” she describes. “Knowing that what I am doing every day is making an impact to my clients motivates me.” And she passes along that motivation to others. As the leader of the Technical Women Guild at IBM Canada, Chan enjoys supporting diverse technical talent. “I have a number of mentees from diverse ethnic backgrounds. It is important for people to aspire to be something, and it helps if they can see other people who are in that role.” She also had the opportunity to take part in a three-month trip to Mexico City where her team helped build an online platform to enable low-income youth find employment. Her advice to those who look up to her? “Always stretch yourself on every assignment and you will come out stronger on the other end.” CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

Kanwar Dhanjal In control

bout a year after he arrived in Canada from India, Kanwar Dhanjal launched Just Instruments Inc., which provides services in process control and laboratory instruments, offering calibrations, validations, sales, repairs, installation and rental services. “My background was as an instrumentation engineer, and [when I first arrived] I was looking for a job in my field only,” Dhanjal says. “I didn’t want to work at gas stations or warehouses — not my cup of tea. But it was a challenge to get into my field; I waited two to three months to get into it.” Dhanjal also dreamed of starting his own company. “Since 2009, we have been running the company and thank god have became quite successful,” Dhanjal says. “I started the company in the basement and gradually we’ve grown, 15 to 18 per cent every year. Now we are four employees. And every day we have growth, keep increasing our strong customer base, and introducing more equipment and more product lines.”

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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

Dhanjal is particularly proud that, in 2017, the company received ISO 9001:2015 certification. “We started manufacturing of weighing scales last year. Next, I want to get accredited with Measurement Canada. That’s next year’s target.” Dhanjal also volunteers his time with various causes, boards and committees. He is involved with the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), serving as its 29th president in 2017–2018. “As a board director, we spend at least 100 to 200 hours a year volunteering,” says Dhanjal, who also served as its director for trade and commerce, and director of SME and trade, and led a business delegation to different parts of India. More recently, he is a director with the Brampton Board of Trade, chairing its trade and investment committee. “For me, Canada is a land of opportunity,” Dhanjal says. “You dream. You work. And you can achieve your dreams. It doesn’t matter which caste or country you come from. You’re equal here.”

Sharmarke Dubow Voice for change

harmarke Dubow fled civil war in Somalia at the age of eight and spent 20 years as a refugee seeking safe haven in eastern and northern Africa until Canada offered him a home in 2012. He was grateful and wanted to figure out “where he fit,” he says. “When you are a refugee for 20 years, living with restricted rights and movement, you don’t know what your life will be. You become very resourceful, patient and hopeful.” Once in Victoria, B.C., he started making connections to find community. “I always try to understand where people are coming from, what their life experiences have been like, and to try new things and ask questions,” he says, adding that a newcomer can’t be afraid to take risks or raise their voice. Dubow kept engaging with the community, both in his work with nonprofit organizations helping immigrants and refugees, and in his volunteer work with the Canadian Council for Refugees,

the Victoria Coalition for Victims of Torture and tenancy rights’ organizations. “I thought the best gift I can give to my new country is to be critical in terms of how to improve the lives of everyday people, and how to create more equitable, just and inclusive communities,” says Dubow. So, in 2018, a year after becoming a Canadian citizen, he cast his first vote in an election, and also ran for and won a city council seat in Victoria, B.C. Dubow is the first Somali-born Canadian elected to city council in Canada and the first Black city councillor in Victoria in 152 years. Since the election, Dubow has been an active voice for an affordable, inclusive, thriving city, with a focus on equitable communities in these difficult times. “We are living in historic times where two major things are happening, the COVID-19 crisis and the civil rights movement,” he says. “The question is now, how do we reimagine communities that are equitable and inclusive, so we don’t leave anyone behind?”

CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

Isaac Garcia-Sitton Higher education leader

hen Spanish-born, Panama-raised Isaac Garcia-Sitton was named an RBC Top 75 finalist this year, he was the director of International Education and English Language Institute at York University, which became the largest university provider of academic English programming in Canada during his tenure. With his proven leadership in higher education, and experience in international relations (he served as a diplomat for Panama in Canada before immigrating in 2010), it’s not surprising that Garcia-Sitton was selected to take on an exciting, new role this September. He is now the inaugural executive director, International Student Enrolment, Education and Inclusion at Ryerson University. “It’s a brand-new portfolio and role where I’ll lead efforts to create and support a learning ecosystem that understands and advocates for international students, their needs and trends. And ensures the delivery of services and programming for students to become responsible and engaged global citizens,” he

Virginia Guiang-Santoro A true legacy

irginia Guiang-Santoro, O.M., is enjoying her retirement — and it’s well deserved. The Philippines-born immigrant has been working hard to make a life for herself and others in Canada since her arrival in 1969. “I didn’t know very much about Canada when I applied, so I was faced with anxiety about how I was going to start my life in a new country and especially about finding a job,” says Guiang-Santoro, who established a 30-year career as a library professional at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. But it was her dedication to volunteering and advocacy that saw Guiang-Santoro build a true legacy as a Manitoban — honoured with the Order of Manitoba — and Canadian — the first Filipino awarded the Citation for Canadian Citizenship — and now as an RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant. “It’s truly a great honour to be recognized for all that I’ve contributed to the community, especially to newcomers and foreign domestic workers in their struggle

to be considered part of our society and free from abuses and mistreatment. That’s why I organized FIDWAM,” Guiang-Santoro says. FIDWAM, or Filipino Domestic Workers Association of Manitoba, has been advancing the rights of live-in caregivers in Canada for 35 years. Guiang-Santoro was also president of the Philippine Association of Manitoba, a representative to the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada, founding member of the Coalition of Filipino Canadians on Violence Prevention, a board director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and executive director of the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba, to name maybe a third of her influential roles. Even in retirement, she continues to give back in her church as a communion minister, volunteer teacher and more. “Being accepted for who I am and what I am capable of doing as a contributor to a new country and society has been my favourite part of being a Canadian.”

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says. “Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be promoting Canada — and Toronto — as an education destination.” Garcia-Sitton knows coming to a new country, whether as a student or a skilled worker like himself, is not always easy. “The biggest struggle for me was transitioning into the workforce. I applied for hundreds of jobs before finding my first. Many places require Canadian experience, so it feels like a closed door for new immigrants who have left their country for a better life.” Garcia-Sitton says building relationships and community building, especially in the Hispanic community, is what helped him. “I would not be successful without the partnerships I have built along the way,” he says. “Diversity is really our biggest strength. Professionally, that means contributing to ideas, building partnerships, but ultimately helping others. If there is anything we can learn from the pandemic, now more than ever, is that we should be connecting with each other and coming together.”

Tareq Hadhad Sweet success

n 2012, Tareq Hadhad was studying to be a doctor in Syria, and his family owned a successful chocolate company. Things changed in an instant when bombs destroyed their home and chocolate factory. The family fled to safety in Lebanon, and three years later, were welcomed to Canada as refugees. They settled in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, a town of 5,000 people, who rallied around the family. “I had a lot of great expectations of enjoying the freedom and human rights and all the values this country stands for,” he says. “But, as a newcomer, there were also barriers with language, skills and recognition of qualifications.” Facing too many challenges to return to medicine, Hadhad had the idea to reestablish the family chocolate business, but with a new purpose and new name — Peace by Chocolate. It’s chocolate with a message of peace, acceptance, resilience and love. “Peace is the noblest

value that everyone should fight for,” he says. “Everyone loves chocolate, but when you merge peace with it, it’s even sweeter.” “I found myself able to switch my path from medicine into entrepreneurship right away and we got a lot of support. We knew if we faced trouble, we could sit down and complain about it, or dig down and find solutions,” says Hadhad, who now shares such advice as a sought-after motivational speaker. “We have big plans to become one of the top five chocolate companies in Canada in the next few years,” says this year’s RBC Top 25 Entrepreneur Award winner. “We have even bigger plans on the family side. We have a Peace On Earth Society, the charitable side of the business that gives back three to five per cent of our profits to community organizations. We feel if we are successful, we have the moral responsibility to lift others up to success with us.”

Basavaraj Halli Going for it

ndian-born technology professional Basavaraj Halli first arrived in Toronto in 2011 on a temporary work permit. “I was scheduled to come work here for eight months and then go back to India,” Halli says. “It was supposed to be a temporary visit, but Canada is our home now.” But becoming a permanent resident in 2015 was, in fact, just the start of Halli’s journey. The next steps in his journey were entrepreneurial ones as the CTO and co-founder of GoFor Industries Inc. in Ottawa. “GoFor is a company that provides last-minute, last-mile logistics solutions for the construction industry,” Halli explains. “I co-founded this company along with my good friend, Brad Rollo. Coming from the construction industry, it was his idea, and I built the technology that was needed.” Since their launch, the company has grown tremendously, raising millions in capital. “We have grown from coast to

coast and operate in 60 major markets with very big customers in the construction space, like Home Depot, and a number of other lumber yards, paint stores and many construction material retailers. It’s been a very successful journey in Canada.” He credits that success to tenacity, knowing how to build good relationships and a little luck. “I tend to go after success,” he says. “We’ve worked hard and we’ve been very lucky.” Now, they are looking to do a big push into the United States, having already launched in a number of U.S. cities. “There is lots to be done. We have seen success, but our current focus is to become a world leader in the logistics space.” What advice does Halli have for other entrepreneurial immigrants? “Essentially, dream big. Do not dream small. It has to be big. What I’ve seen with most of the people like me in Canada is you can achieve it here if you try.” Just go for it! CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

Hamza Haq On a screen near you

t’s not every day a racialized actor becomes the lead of a North American television show. And it’s definitely not commonplace for the main character to be a newcomer to Canada. Last year, CTV launched a Canadian drama that hits both marks. Called Transplant, the medical series centres around an ER doctor in Toronto who fled Syria. Born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents, Hamza Haq is Bashsir Hamed, the show’s lead. Haq says being an immigrant has not only defined who he is, but is the reason he risked a career as an actor. “Coming at a young age and trying to adjust to a change in environment and figure out my identity within that world was a challenge,” Haq says. “I spent years trying to fit into what I believed it meant to be Canadian. But I came to the realization that the culture I was born with is just as valuable and the melding of the two is

Mayor Mike Hurley Community leader

n 2018, firefighter Mike Hurley set his sights on becoming the mayor of Burnaby — and he surprised many by defeating the longtime incumbent. Hurley, who immigrated from Northern Ireland in 1983, says, “Canada is such a wonderful country with so many opportunities. I mean you can basically do anything you want if you set your mind to it.” But he admits that a newcomer’s initial years are tough. “Looking back, it was probably the loneliness and feelings of isolation that were my biggest struggle. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for people with language barriers, because for me it was difficult,” he says. “You try to take all the right steps, but you step on some wrong paths along the way.” By 1988, Hurley found his path when he joined the Burnaby Fire Department, starting as a driver and moving up to captain and acting assistant chief. He also served the Burnaby Firefighters

Association as vice president and president, as well as the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association as president. “I believed in myself,” says Hurley. “And, once you build a network and build relationships, you can move your life forward.” You can also give back. Hurley volunteered with the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society and was president of the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. “We were able to raise $16 million to build a nice building — doing great work — in Vancouver that houses burn survivors and their families.” Hurley says he built a lot of relationships through these efforts, which helped propel him to Burnaby City Hall, where he’s now focusing on leading the city through the pandemic and the opioid crisis. “It took a whole community to build me to be the person I am today, and I owe a lot to those people who’ve helped me in that journey.”

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an absolute asset.” He also sees his family’s choice to immigrate as validation for pursuing an artistic career. “If I was just supposed to be an accountant and do all the things I was going to do back in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan anyway, then what would have been the point to come to a country where we had opportunities we didn’t have before?” Haq is now waiting for Transplant to start filming its second season, paused due to the pandemic. “And now both Canadian and American audiences will get to enjoy the show,” he grins. “Season 1 starts on NBC in September.” He’s also looking forward to filming a script he wrote about a group of immigrants that was selected for a development project for emerging filmmakers. “I have nothing planned until January,” he laughs. “I’m an actor, so I’m used to not having anything to do.”

Shanthi Johnson Working for public health

ndian-born Shanthi Johnson, Ph.D., dean at the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, came to Canada as an international student. “It was a big change moving from a place where I had a deep-rooted community and family, to a place with a lot of unknowns and no family at all.” But she focused and studied hard. “One thing I value is hard work and I give the very best in everything I do,” she says. Johnson’s long list of academic and research accomplishments between her time as a student to her dean appointment in 2018, are a testament to that hard work. For starters, Johnson is an internationally renowned researcher, spanning the disciplines of kinesiology, nutrition, health studies and gerontology. She is particularly well known for her research in the area of aging and health. Her research focuses on health promotion, falls prevention in seniors, as well as social isolation among immigrant and refugee seniors. Johnson

has delivered more than 300 presentations and published more than 150 articles and reports. In 2007, she became a professor — and later associate dean — in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. In 2012, she was asked to be a member of the National Seniors Council, which advises the Government of Canada on aging issues. “Now, as dean [at the University of Alberta], I have the honour to lead, support and build teams in the area of public health. I work with many inspiring students, staff, faculty members and community partners. Our research is cutting edge, our education programs are leading the country and our impact is felt throughout the world,” Johnson says. “My future goal is to work even harder and with others, to bring creative solutions to the complex problems we face, such as the pandemic, racism and climate change. We can do this if we can do it together.”

Meryam Joobeur Montreal filmmaker

writer and director in Montreal, Meryam Joobeur has received worldwide acclaim for her short film, Brotherhood, about a rural Tunisian shepherd who is torn when his estranged eldest son returns home from Syria with a mysterious young wife. The film won the Toronto International Film Festival Award for Best Canadian Short Film in 2018, and was nominated for a 2020 Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film. The Tunisian, U.S.-raised Joobeur also won Best Quebec Short Film at the 2019 Prix Iris awards. “That was extremely meaningful for me because the movie was set in Tunisia, and here I am a filmmaker who is multicultural — Tunisian, American and Canadian,” says Joobeur, who came to Montreal 10 years ago to study at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. “As an immigrant, there’s always the fear that it might feel like home to me, but will the community accept me as part of that home? So, to

have been awarded this by voters from the Quebec film community was really meaningful.” Joobeur adds that “Montreal was the first place that felt right for me,” but her experiences growing up in the post9/11 environment in the United States definitely shaped her and her film, which has themes of Islamic radicalization. “I was exploring how issues within family — lack of self esteem, lack of confidence, lack of security — can lead a young person to do something extreme,” she told Canadian Press. With the film, now being adapted into a feature-length film, she has also been able to give back to her homeland. “We’re shooting in a very rural village in Tunisia, and the team is comprised of people from the village itself so it’s a way for the locals to learn skills and have jobs.” As for any other scripts in the works? “There’s always a bunch of projects in development,” Joobeur laughs.

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Conny Lo Fundraising for a cause

onny Lo came to Toronto in 1997 with two suitcases, limited funds and tons of advertising and broadcasting experience from Hong Kong. “I came to Canada by myself, because I was young and naïve and always wanted to experience life in a Western country,” she says. “But when I arrived, the reality wasn’t as good as I had imagined. Even though I was an award-winning creative talent from Hong Kong, in Canada I wasn’t able to work in mainstream advertising because of cultural and language barriers. I didn’t know what my future would look like.” With depleting savings and feeling unfulfilled, Lo decided to try volunteering. “My volunteer experience opened doors and paved the road for my career as a fundraiser. This is a career I never considered, but I’m loving it.” Today, she is the associate director of development at SickKids Foundation, the fundraising arm for the Hospital for Sick

Jakub Martinec Conducting his way to Canada

tanding in front of a choir, Jakub Martinec commands attention. He’s the conductor after all, and it’s his job to direct singers to deliver some truly harmonious music. “My business is music,” says Czech-born Martinec, who has performed in some of the world’s most famous concert halls and cathedrals as a choral conductor and artistic director of the Czech Boys Choir. But that matter-of-fact statement doesn’t do justice to the passion and musicality that emanates from him as he leads young musicians in song. Martinec came to Canada in 2012 to complete his doctorate at the University of Western Ontario, after which he moved again, but only as far as Atlantic Canada to be the director of choral studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s. “Here, I direct choirs and work with undergraduate and graduate students in choral conducting.” While he admits he struggled a bit with

the difference in Canadian and Czech culture, music definitely helped. “I think the biggest struggle for any newcomer is the difference in culture, but the language of music is universal.” Determination also helps. “Even when there were difficult moments, when one would pack their bags and return home, I was stubborn enough to keep going.” That’s good for Canada. Martinec built upon his world-class experience to cofound and direct the Atlantic BoyChoir, the only provincial choir of boys and young men in Canada. “I also work with boys from across Canada, with the National Boychoir of Canada.” With COVID-19, choral singing has been put on pause, but Martinec is hopeful. “We are planning a tour to Europe where we will be performing at a festival in Italy next summer, and the National Boychoir will be performing in Prague, my homeland,” he says. “Fingers crossed. We were supposed to be there this year.”

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Children in Toronto. And, this time, her culture and language is a definite asset. Her role is to reach out to the Chinese community, both locally and overseas, with fundraising efforts. “My job is a very big passion of mine because our family is a SickKids family,” says Lo. “In 2012, I gave birth to identical twin boys, Caden and Jaden, but Caden was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. The doctors and nurses did everything to give him a chance to live, but, sadly after six months, he passed away,” she shares emotionally. “After he was gone, we set up an endowment fund to support families and kids who are facing end of life or suffering chronic illness. Our desire is to help parents to get through the darkness and help families stay strong, so they don’t fall apart,” she says. “And to date, the Baby Caden Koo Memorial Fund has raised almost $200,000 for SickKids.”

Adeola Olubamiji Scientist of possibilities

s a young girl growing up in the slums of Nigeria, Adeola Olubamiji remembers telling her father, “I want to be a professor someday. I want to have a Ph.D. and I will get a scholarship and move out of Nigeria.” It all came true. In 2017, Olubamiji became the first Black person to obtain a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, from the University of Saskatchewan. “When I graduated, the story kind of went viral because I was the first Black person to get a Ph.D. [in this field] from the university,” she says. People were asking her questions on why she was the first and what the field was all about. It inspired Olubamiji to launch Ontario-based STEMHub Foundation, which provides mentorship and STEM skills programs to underserved and underrepresented populations. “We want the youth to know that people who look like them can be successful professionals in STEM,” she says. “I also want to help educate people on the new

areas [of scientific study] that kids can focus on to be more competitive today.” One of those areas is 3D printing, which is Olubamiji’s specialty. She’s currently working with U.S.-based Cummins Inc., an engine manufacturing company, to help them explore new 3D technologies. “The possibilities of 3D printing cut across multiple industries,” she explains. “Can you imagine having someone waiting to get a kidney transplant; imagine if we could get a biopsy from that person and create a new kidney for them from their own cells? Can you imagine a world where something like that is a possibility? There are many manufacturing opportunities that were not possible before, and we’re making them possible,” says Olubamiji, who also offers career advice and mentorship through Instagram. “For that girl who migrated in the middle of nowhere to Saskatchewan to pursue her education, I’m very indebted to Canada.”

Fariba Pacheleh Making Canada better

hen we speak of immigrants making Canada a better place, a dynamo like Fariba Pacheleh comes to mind. Since coming to Vancouver in 1998 from Iran, Pacheleh has been blazing trails for women, immigrants and anyone who, like her, wants to make a difference. “It’s not easy to immigrate. You leave behind everything that you know and throw yourself into the unknown,” she says. “But the amazing way that I was greeted at the airport — they said ‘Welcome to your new home’ — melted away a lot of my fears. It was a feeling of being accepted for who you are.” Still, technology professional Pacheleh was surprised that gender equality wasn’t as advanced as she had expected it to be in Canada. “I didn’t see women in leadership roles in technology, or many people with accents in the boardroom. I thought, OK, I’m a woman and I have an accent, and I want to challenge the status quo,” she says. “What makes me happy to be a Canadian is that no matter what the shortcomings are,

there is a possibility we can fix them. We have a voice.” Pacheleh used her voice to break barriers in her own career, rising to the director of corporate projects at BC Liquor Distribution Branch, an organization that contributes more than $1 billion annually to the Province of B.C., helping to provide financial support for vital public services such as health care and education. She has also spoken up to support other women through organizations like Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) and Gender Equality Network Canada, which brought together 150 women leaders in Canada to advance gender equality. “I have been able to present in the House of Commons and talk about issues close to my heart like gender equality, equity, and diversity and inclusion — and I have seen success,” says Pacheleh, who is also chair of the program advisory committee at BCIT’s School of Computing. “We can influence the direction that Canada moves and that’s an exhilarating feeling.” CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

Bruce Poon Tip Opportunities abound

orn in the hot climate of Trinidad and Tobago on the equator, Bruce Poon Tip says his parents “really didn’t do their research on what winter was” when they chose Calgary, Alberta, for him and his six siblings. “All of us kids didn’t even own long pants,” Poon Tip laughs. But the family came for the opportunities, not the weather. And, as the founder of G Adventures, the world’s largest small group adventure travel company and a pioneer of community tourism, Poon Tip certainly made the most of what Canada had to offer. “When your parents sacrifice everything to give you the gift of ‘opportunity,’ you have a natural chip on your shoulder to make sure that they know you made the most of the opportunities they sacrificed for. It gives you an unnatural drive and determination,” says Poon Tip, who calls it a natural fifth gear. That philosophy of determination has

Dr. Henry Reis Visionary innovator

r. Henry Reis, an ophthalmologist and surgeon in Brazil, first visited Canada on an epic coast-to-coast trip with his wife, Daniela. On their last day in B.C., they looked at each other and agreed, “It felt like home,” says Reis. Back at work in Rio de Janeiro, Reis was leaving the hospital one night, when he experienced an episode of violence. That incident confirmed to him it was time to look for new opportunities elsewhere, and Canada beckoned. He could have moved to Portugal, where his professional credentials would have been recognized immediately, but Vancouver was his choice, despite having to complete an optometric relicensing process in 2012. “Here, we wanted to achieve things fast, but it takes time because no one knows who you are or what you can do,” he says. Their goal was to work for someone for a few years first, but an opportunity came up to buy a practice from a colleague a

year and a half after immigrating. “Before we knew it, we were there, struggling to understand everything,” he laughs. As owner of Integra Eyecare Centre, Reis has grown the business from six thousand to 42,000 patients, and is currently building a second eyecare centre in Vancouver, albeit delayed due to COVID-19. Reis has also become a soughtafter consultant, advisor and speaker, especially on cornea and glaucoma innovations. It was, in fact, after a speech at a conference in Vienna that he was approached by the CEO of a pharma company sitting in the audience who asked if he would like to start a company with him. The company, OSDx, is now developing the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) corneal imaging device. “We have the technology and we’re on track to launch next year,” he says. “I’m super excited. It’s all about the AI company.”

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helped Poon Tip as an entrepreneur. “We have offices in 20 countries so we’re truly a global company now with 2,500 employees.” And while the pandemic has greatly affected the travel industry, Poon Tip is focusing on the opportunities ahead. “Since we’ve gone through the hard part of making tough decisions to right size our business and prepare for a hibernation period for travel, there is great opportunity on the other side for us,” he says. “Last year, I bought four large travel market-leading brands in the U.K., so we’ll continue to be aggressive, and you’ll see quite a bit of stuff from us over the next year and 18 months.” The philanthropist, who was honoured as one of Canada’s Most Admired CEOs in 2018, among many other awards, also remains committed to his Planeterra Foundation. “We do community development work and have over 100 community projects around the world to lift people out of poverty, using tourism as that vehicle.”

Arlene Ruiz Family matters

t’s fair to say that family is central to Arlene Ruiz’s life. Not only is she a busy mother of two boys, but “Helping Families Fulfill Dreams” is the slogan of her immigration consultancy firm in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “I want to make a difference in the lives of people,” says Ruiz, who knows firsthand how challenging the immigration and reunification process can be. “You go through a series of mixed emotions,” she explains, recalling her own journey as a young immigrant from the Philippines. “At first, everything you see is exciting, but then you also feel sadness and isolation. I missed the family and friends we had left behind.” These experiences led Ruiz to go back to school for an immigration consultant diploma from Ashton College, before launching Alexene Immigration & Employment Services Inc. “For me, it’s about following your passion, not a paycheque,” she says. “When I see families

get reunited, it’s so rewarding!” Not only does she help her clients come to Canada, she ensures they start off on the right path. “For example, I offer a pickup service from the airport, and help them apply for their health care card and social insurance number, and even open a bank account.” She also connects them with Saskatchewan employers looking to fill labour shortages in their organizations. Her desire to help others also extends to volunteering with organizations like ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor) Make-A-Wish Foundation and Children’s Wish Foundation. “Coming from a poor family, I believe in advocating to help the needy,” says Ruiz, who also encourages her boys, aged 10 and 12, to become engaged and help fundraise, too. The entrepreneurial Ruiz is now looking to expand her company, with a second location in Regina. “My goal is to have two main offices in the two major cities in Saskatchewan,” says Ruiz.

Krishana Sankar Scientist with a message

rishana Sankar is a scientist with a lot to say. It’s not every medical researcher who has their own website, blog and public speaking roles. But Sankar, who came to Canada from Guyana as a teenager in 2002, does — and she’s becoming an influential ambassador for science in Canada. Sankar recently completed her doctorate at the University of Toronto, winning more than $100,000 toward her scientific research. “My Ph.D. research entailed combining biology and engineering in order to figure out the next steps in one of the treatments for type 1 diabetes, which is islet transplantation,” she explains. While continuing in diabetes-related research is her long-term vision, she’s now focused her attentions on the COVID-19 pandemic, combining her medical and communications skills for COVID-19 Resources Canada, a grassroots organization that helps those involved in COVID-19 research and development. “I’m in charge of the internal and external

communications that goes out to our different stakeholders,” she says. “I also contribute to the daily and overall functioning of the initiative, and I’m team lead of community programming into inclusively dispelling misinformation around COVID-19.” The doctoral fellow says she has had to be resilient to get to where she is today. “Where my peers were moving ahead, I was feeling like I was being penalized for coming from a different country. Being able to pick myself up, with the support of family and close friends, has been a mainstay in my journey.” She shares that lesson of resilience through various volunteering efforts, including as founder of GradWriteSlack, a global academic writing and mental health support group. “Sixty per cent of active users have defended and completed their dissertation, so that’s been extremely exciting.” She says it’s important, especially as a newcomer, to seek out such help. And good communication is always key: “Boldly speak out about your goals!” CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

Harsh Thakkar Communication for all

ulticulturalism is one of the things Harsh Thakkar loves most about Canada. But it comes with its share of challenges, like language barriers. That might explain why Thakkar, head of DIVERSEcity Interpretation and Translation Services in Surrey, B.C., is so passionate about communication across cultures. “Language should never be an obstacle in a country as diverse as Canada,” he says. Thakkar oversees a team of more than 300 interpreters and translators who help clients communicate, especially in the health care and court systems, in more than 88 languages, including rare languages, Indigenous languages and American Sign Language (ASL). And the kicker is that it’s all for a good cause. Profits from the social enterprise go toward its parent organization DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, a registered charity that helps newcomers settle into Canada. Knowing his work is helping immigrants is important to Thakkar, who came to Canada from India as an international student in

Halia Valladares Montemayor Brilliant in business

usiness is her passion, but teaching is in Halia Valladares Montemayor’s blood. With an MBA in international trade, master’s in international logistics, and Ph.D. in business and economics, Valladares Montemayor has a lot of knowledge and wants to share it — currently as a business instructor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. “In Mexico, I first worked in the private sector, and was the traffic, shipping and receiving supervisor for Caterpillar, a Fortune 100 Corporation,” she says. “I always liked to train people in their job. I come from a family of academics, so I knew I had a passion for teaching.” She then got an opportunity to become a business professor at a university in Mexico in 2003. “But my husband and I were looking for other opportunities. We are an interracial family, he’s originally from Holland, so we wanted to live in a country where it was more acceptable, and we had

just had a baby.” She got a job teaching business at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, in 2009, after which she became chair of the department. Coming from a hot climate, the long Calgary winters were tough for her, so when she was recruited for a senior administration position with Capilano University in North Vancouver in 2016, she made the move to the more temperate province. She never stopped teaching, however, and today that’s her primary focus at various universities. She’s also a managing partner of Global Trading & DS, Inc., which specializes in importing and exporting between the United States, Canada and Mexico. She is also a volunteer director of nonprofit Casa Mexico in Vancouver. “We promote the best of Mexico, from culture to art to any Mexican or Mexican Canadian who does something good.” Valladares Montemayor can count herself among that list.

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2001. He faced his own challenges, juggling his business studies with being a peer mentor, while trying to gain work experience, even though international students were then limited in their ability to work off campus. “This motivated me to run for campus student representative and I went to the Parliament of Canada to speak out about allowing international students to work off campus.” Thakkar, who’s thrilled the rules have improved since then, says, “It’s important to stay positive in the face of challenges.” The same lessons apply in business. Professionally, Thakkar has developed a reputation as a charismatic, optimistic leader with organizations like the Vancouver International Marathon Society before coming to DIVERSEcity. “Honestly, we are so blessed to be in a country where people care about each other, so all you have to do is go out there and talk with people,” he says. And if they speak a different language, Thakkar can help you with that!

Maryam Yaqoob Future with no limits

s a young girl in Iraq, Maryam Yaqoob idolized women scientists like Marie Curie. But, noticing the gender inequality in her home country, she questioned if she’d ever be able to follow her dreams of being a doctor. Life took a turn when her family had to flee Iraq in 2008. While their journey as refugees via Syria to Canada wasn’t easy, she quickly adjusted to her new life in Alberta and excelled. She received 15 scholarships to study cellular and molecular biology in university, becoming valedictorian upon graduation. “My biggest struggle was fighting off stereotypes,” says Yaqoob. “The stereotype that was portrayed by my community is that a woman from a third-world country is not up for higher education. But my family believed in me. Then I had more people recognize my hard work ethic and talent.” And she was persistent. “I didn’t take no for an answer,” Yaqoob chuckles. Now in her 20s, Yaqoob is completing

her last year at medical school at the University of Calgary. “I’m thinking of choosing internal medicine or psychiatry. Either way, I want to provide welldiversified care, especially for vulnerable populations like immigrants and refugees.” Yaqoob, who is this year’s RBC Top 25 Youth Award winner for a reason, adds, “in the future, there is no limit. I may consider running for a government position provincially. Advocacy is something I’m interested in and want to incorporate into my future career.” It’s, in fact, something she’s already doing. Yaqoob has been volunteering her talents to help others, including cofounding a Calgary Stem Cell chapter to encourage people to become stem cell donors. She also tutors and mentors refugee youth. “Canada has opened up many doors of opportunities for me. It’s also made me free to express myself as a woman and feminist. It’s a huge step in equality that I was looking for.”

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Presenting the third Settlement Agency Award winner: TNO – The Neighbourhood Organization

or a third year, Canadian Immigrant and RBC are recognizing the amazing work by immigrant and settlement agencies to help newcomers integrate and succeed in Canada. So, we invited our readers to nominate settlement agencies from across the country for this national award. After an online voting process, concurrent to the voting for the RBC Top 25 awards, one agency rose to the top: TNO – The Neighbourhood Organization. “We are very touched and honoured to receive the RBC Top 25 award,” says Ahmed Hussein, executive director. “At TNO, we have always been proud of all that we accomplish in our communities but to have our work recognized at a national level is an incredible achievement. This is a true testament to the impact our services have had on the community.” Established in 1985 as a family and newcomer support organization, TNO has more than 170 staff and 300 volunteers. The organization’s services and activities support low-income, marginalized and newcomer communities across Toronto, in more than 50 languages and at no cost. Services offered include language and employment training, child and family programs, violence against women prevention program, youth services, housing, senior services and other complementary programs. The organization offers a broad range of programs to serve communities in Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, St. James Town, Crescent Town and the surrounding communities. Both Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park are Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIA) in the City of Toronto and are multicultural communities with high unemployment and a prominent low-income population. TNO’s services extend outside the Thorncliffe neighbourhood encompassing the Don Valley West area and beyond. TNO also boasts a presence in more than 143 schools from the Toronto District School Board as well as the Toronto Catholic District School Board. “We have settlement workers at elementary, middle and secondary schools, colleges and universities, various Toronto Public Libraries as well as across several City of Toronto sites to assist newcomer families,” says Hussein. “We are the first stop in our neighbourhood for information, services and support. TNO is committed to building a safe

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and healthy community through supporting and strengthening the quality of individual and community life in Thorncliffe Park and surrounding areas.” TNO is a leader in sector capacity development including trusteeing smaller settlement services and developing and disseminating HR systems for the sector. TNO has piloted a number of IRCC initiatives including Settlement Workers in Schools and Library Settlement Program. In 2011 and 2017, TNO was awarded the United Way Spirit Award for Excellence in Community Giving. What enables the organization to carry out their work with much success? “TNO’s core strength lies in the diversity of our staff and volunteers, who represent the cultural and linguistic traits of the communities that we serve. Furthermore, TNO has expertise and experience in managing complex, multi-year projects in partnerships with diverse stakeholders and community partners,” says Hussein. During COVID-19, TNO immediately responded to community needs and began

distributing its first of many food hampers to seniors. This led to the establishment of the ‘TNO Food Collaborative’ to provide monthly hampers of food to households in need, a joint effort by TNO, community groups, local businesses, and concerned neighbours. “Despite progressive reopening of the province, we have continued to see a steady increase in requests for food, with the total number of households increasing by 16 per cent since May,” says Hussein. “We have been working with United Way as part of a network of many agencies across the Greater Toronto to address this evolving of need.” Hussein encourages newcomers to take advantage of the support offered by TNO and other settlement agencies. “Immigrating to Canada is rewarding yet challenging. The best advice we can give to newcomers is to reach out for help when navigating these challenges. Whether you need help entering the job market, learning English or just want to learn more about your community, you are not alone and TNO and similar agencies are here to help,” he says.

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

Preparing a strong application Key advice and tips

s the immigration implications of COVID-19 continue through the summer and into autumn, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website changes daily. These frequent changes have generally left most people confused. However, what has remained remarkably steady are the principles behind what makes an application strong, and what to do if an application is refused.

Preparing a complete application Before getting to what makes an application strong, it is important to understand that applications need to be complete. Canadian immigration legislation provides that visa officers shall return incomplete applications to applicants.

It is important that applicants provide corroborative evidence for statements that they make in their application. The evidence that they provide should be relevant. It should also be probative, which is another way of saying persuasive. The evidence included in a visa application should strongly lead the officer to the conclusion that an aspect of program eligibility is met. During COVID-19, the most common example of applications that have been refused due to insufficient evidence has been applications by Canadian common-law partners to enter Canada. Many people have arrived at a Canadian port of entry without documents to confirm that they have lived together in a conjugal relationship with their Canadian partner for one year or more, and accordingly been denied entry because there was no documentary evidence to corroborate their oral statements.

There are many things that can cause an application to be incomplete, including a missing fee payment, a missing signature on a form, or a missing document. The jurisprudence and principles of procedural fairness are still Two other common examples developing regarding how of evidence that are not probative material the information must include bank statements which be that is missing in order for don’t have the applicant’s name an application to be returned, on it (and so it is impossible to whether the missing information determine who they belong to) must be specifically listed in and photos to demonstrate the an application checklist and genuineness of a marriage that whether it matters how readily don’t actually have the applicant the missing information can be or their spouse in the photo. In provided. Until these principles are finalized, applicants must carefully review their applications to make both examples the documents do not actually establish anything. sure that it contains all the requirements listed in the application checklist As well, the documents that are provided should be reliable. In assessing as well as the application online instructions and any links to pages reliability, a multitude of factors are considered, including: contained within.

• the source of the document; • whether the author has an interest in the outcome; • whether the document is on letterhead with contact information; • whether the document is dated and signed; • whether the document is an original document; • whether it was produced for the sole purpose of supporting the application; Preparing a strong application In a visa application, the applicant has the burden of proof to • whether it comes from an expert; show that they meet program criteria. What this means is that the • whether the person is speculating; and applicant is responsible for providing sufficient evidence to satisfy the • whether better evidence could have been provided and whether there is decision-maker that they will leave by the end of their authorized stay, a reason why it was not provided. are eligible for a work permit, are in a genuine relationship with a A frequent mistake that immigration lawyers and consultants make is Canadian, etc. Immigration law provides that visa officers should be able to make a decision based on the information available on the file. including subjective statements about their clients in their cover letters. In They should not have to “fill in the blanks” or “make the case” for the one Federal Court case, a lawyer who was asked to demonstrate that their client spoke English included a letter which stated that the lawyer could applicant. Because of COVID-19, there is currently a public policy to not return incomplete applications; however, applicants must specify which documents they were unable to provide because of COVID-19. The public policy does not appear to extend to inadvertent mistakes, and applicants must continue to carefully review their applications.

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confirm that the client spoke English to her. The Federal Court ruled that this was clearly a self-serving statement that could be given little weight. This is not to say that applicants or their representatives should not provide explanations where appropriate. For example, if a couple is trying to show that they are common-law and do not have a joint lease it would be helpful to explain why. It is always better to explain a possible concern for the officer up front rather than to leave the officer guessing.

Extrinsic evidence Of course, it might not be possible for an applicant to anticipate every concern that a visa officer has. Where a visa officer has a concern that does not automatically arise from the legislation or a document checklist then the officer has a legal obligation to put this concern to the applicant. As well, where a visa officer relies on evidence that was obtained from a source other than the applicant (a relative, an employer, an ex-spouse, another government) and where that information is not publicly available, they will put the concern to the applicant. Finally, where the veracity or credibility of a document is questioned, the applicant will be given the opportunity to respond. It can sometimes be unclear where insufficient evidence becomes a credibility concern, and applicants should err on the side of providing more supporting documentation rather than relying on the opportunity to respond to a credibility concern.

Challenging refusals Contrary to public perception, the approval rates for most immigration programs are high, especially for those who follow the advice above. Due to a variety of factors, there are, however, a lot of refusals which are unreasonable. There is, unfortunately, no straightforward process to challenge a refusal. The biggest barrier, as I have written about previously, is that IRCC does not provide the full reasons for the refusal in their refusal letters. Refused applicants must first apply for and obtain the internal refusal reasons, either through a Federal Court judicial review or an Access to Information Act request. While there are no statistics available on this, I believe that the most common reason for a refusal being set aside is because an officer didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t consider a key piece of evidence. Officers are required to examine and consider all the forms and documents that are provided in an application. While officers do not need to enumerate and comment on each piece of evidence in their decisions, the more important a piece of evidence that is overlooked, the more it needs to be reflected in the decision. If a visa officer skips over an important piece of evidence, then the presumption that they reviewed the application in its entirety is rebutted. I would say that most of the challenges that I file for applicants are successful on this basis, and I am sure that this is the case for most immigration lawyers who file judicial reviews. That being said, an applicant wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to the point of successfully challenging their application due to an officer not considering key evidence if they did not provide it in the first place. Accordingly, applicants need to ensure that their applications are strong and include as much corroborating evidence as necessary. Steven Meurrens is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact him at 604-681-9887, by email at steven.meurrens@larlee.com, or visit his blog at smeurrens.com. CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

SETTLEMENT WELLNESS

How do you rate your listening skills?

Learning to listen is an active process that takes work

e have two ears and one tongue for a reason. Most claim it is because we are supposed to listen twice as much as we speak. Others have suggested it is because listening is twice as hard as talking. Most of us like to think we are good listeners. Most of us aren’t. We have developed and, in some cases, perfected the art of ‘faking attention’, of looking ‘as if’ we are listening but, in reality, we’re probably making lists of things we need to do, judging and silently commenting on what we are hearing, deciding how we will respond, preparing advice based on our own experiences and feelings. We are tuning in and tuning out. We are more interested in talking and looking for an opportunity to do so. Listening is taken for granted. It is assumed that if you can hear, you can listen. However, hearing and listening are not the same. Hearing is a very passive process. Listening is active and requires effort. Most of us are waiting for a gap in the conversation, for the speaker to pause so we can jump in. If we can’t wait, we will interrupt. When the goal is to speak, it is hard to be patient and remain silent. When the goal is to understand, or to allow the other person to express their thoughts and feelings, we can be more at ease with waiting.

Why is listening so hard?

• Thanks to technology and digital communications, we have never been more distracted or occupied. Social media, in particular, is designed for us to share our own narrative.

questions and assumptions of our own, we close conversations down, we prevent others from expressing their feelings and thoughts, we throw out solutions and fixes, and minimize problems. People don’t feel heard, valued, or respected. This is not the way to build rapport and relationships. When we listen, our presence The stakes are high In a recent survey by Psychometrics Canada (facial expressions, body language) and, (People Trends 2020), poor communication importantly, our environment (the space/room), is identified as the most common pitfall in the need to convey a sincere interest to connect with the speaker’s thoughts and ideas. The message workplace. Listening is how we connect, co-operate, from the listener needs to be “you matter to me”. empathize, build, and retain, trust and respect. When we listen, we develop new perspectives The power of listening and understanding of the world and of others. It’s As Psychotherapist and author Esther Perel how we unite and support each other, regardless has said, “collective trauma requires collective of our differences. It also helps us move past healing”. Listening has the power to heal, to our unconscious bias. All of which is especially transform, to free the mind of limiting thoughts important given the pandemic and the new norms and assumptions, to ignite creativity and of physical distancing, remote working and hours innovation, to find solutions and clarity and to of online communication and interaction. reduce tension. Online communication offers a different set It takes energy, practice, and discipline. It starts of challenges to navigate. It can be harder to with a commitment to want to listen. It requires be heard unless there are some boundaries and that we reframe what it means to listen. It demands agreements in place to give everyone equal turns that we are at ease when we listen, to silence the to speak. Then there’s the ‘mute microphone’ internal chatter and manage external distractions. feature which a host can enable if they don’t want While listening is the most demanding aspect to hear, or invite comments, from participants. of communication, it is also one of the most rewarding for our relationships and results, at home and at work. Ease rather than urgency How will you improve your listening When we are too busy to listen, we are easily distracted, we jump in too soon with skills?

One of our innate needs as a human being is to be heard. Who, in your personal or professional life, listens to you? I mean, really listens to you – with patience, genuine interest, and full attention? Why is it so hard? • We listen at a much faster speed than we speak – up to 3-4 times faster. In the time lag, our mind wanders and our interest and attention fades. • Many people believe that if we ‘just listen’ we are somehow doing less. Our ego gets in the way. We want to disclose our wisdom (which is acceptable, if it’s offered at the appropriate time, after you have had a chance to listen and understand) • We don’t know any better. Our role models might not have been good listeners, or didn’t connect well with us as children, so we haven’t been taught the skills. • We assume that if we don’t immediately say what comes to mind, we will forget it. So, we interrupt, talk over, and jump in. • Listening is not valued, in the workplace or at home. At work, we are often most rewarded for Hazel Morley has worked as a trainer, facilitator and coach for more than 25 years, in leading conversations. We may have to England and after immigrating to Canada in 2009. After her own personal health crisis, she shifted gears to focus on strategies for enjoying optimal health. compete to be heard at home.

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

CAREERS & EDUCATION CAREER COACH

Using LinkedIn to connect with recruiters

Tips to keep in mind

cross the globe, LinkedIn still remains the No. 1 go-to resource for candidates, recruiters and hiring managers alike. If you’ve been searching for a job for some time now and feel that you have hit a dead end, reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn is a great way to get your name out there. Most recruiters turn to LinkedIn to find candidates, so this is a platform you definitely need to take advantage of. Here are a few tips to reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn.

Where do I begin? To paraphrase Zig Ziglar – “You don’t have to be great to start. But you have to start to be great”. First, build a professional profile on LinkedIn – with the right image and description, summary, endorsements and recommendations, a sizeable number of connections and up to 50 skills displayed. Now you can start to reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn’s search box. Simply type your industry or company name and the word “recruiter”, e.g. “Accounting Recruiter/ Marketing Recruiter”. LinkedIn’s search option even lets you mention any location you desire. So, you can narrow your search results by city to find local recruiters in your area. Lastly, make sure the recruiter is still active and hasn’t moved on to a different job or field.

How do I make the connection? So, you have now shortlisted the recruiters that you wish to connect with, viewed their LinkedIn profiles, and you’re finally ready to connect. But wait. Before you click the “Connect” button, figure out what to say. Adding a message to your connection request is not only recommended but leads to a much better acceptance rate with recruiters. The effective way is to write something personal to catch their attention. You can stand out, in a good way. Go through their profile and see something that you can compliment them on. Here is an example. “Hello David, it’s nice to connect with you. I notice that you have an impressive profile. Especially the blogs you have written are quite relevant and worth a mention. I am a Project Manager looking for new opportunities in the Toronto area. I would like to connect with you and appreciate any guidance you could give me.”

When should I send them my resume? Once the recruiter accepts your connection request, you could take a more direct approach. Send a message describing your experience, qualifications, and what you’re currently looking for in a few concise sentences, and attach your resume, too. Ask if it would make sense for the two of you to connect via email or phone. An example of a direct approach message: “Thanks for connecting with me. I am currently working for (company) as (position), and actively looking to take on a new challenge and transition to a new role in (industry). I would love the opportunity to discuss how my (skills) and experiences in (industry) could match up with positions you’re recruiting for. I would appreciate if we can hop on the phone to discuss. Looking forward to chatting with you!”

How do I deepen the connection? Keep in mind that reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn may not produce results right away. Very rarely would you find a recruiter who was waiting just for your resume to fill a job position. Get used to responses like “I’ll keep your resume on file,” which may not be

very encouraging. But you can show what you can do to ensure you stay at the top of the recruiter’s mind. Now that you have shared your qualifications, show them how your skills can benefit the hiring organization. You can get back every few weeks in a friendly way by sharing the link to a blog that you wrote. Or, you could share a relevant article that you come across with a quick note: “Hope you’re doing well. I thought this article might be useful to you!”

How can I be more visible on LinkedIn? LinkedIn offers ever-increasing ways to grow your visibility. Join LinkedIn Groups relevant to your industry. Share and make professional comments in group conversations. Share updates from your LinkedIn home page — industry news and other information relevant and important to professionals like you. If you like to write, publish articles on LinkedIn. Once published, share it in your updates, on Facebook, Twitter and other social media for increased visibility. As you can see, any or all of the above, makes you highly visible and help keeps you top of mind with recruiters. In fact, this is precisely what could you lead to your new job.

Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, life coach and best-selling author of The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening, The ACE Abundance and You Are HIRED!. He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. Learn how he can help unlock your magic at unleashyourwow.com. CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

CAREERS & EDUCATION P O S T-S E C O N DA R Y E D U C AT I O N

Study tips for in-class and online learning

hether you attend classes in person or online, finding ways of being actively engaged with the material and spacing out your studies are two study methods to cultivate along with the usual routine study habits. Be an active learner Passively attending classes (whether in person or online during the current pandemic) or reading is not sufficient for learning. An active approach constitutes not just memorizing content; it means asking questions; relating the material to other things you know; and summarizing, taking notes, and discussing it. You could generate questions you think might be on an exam or quiz and see how well you answer them. If you are not able to answer those questions, you can research further, ask your professor or discuss with other students. Another way to see if you have mastered the material is to explain

Cultivating good study habits

it to someone else. The gaps in your explanation should help you identify where you have to study further. Making up flash cards and finding an effective system for note taking could also help to reinforce the material. You may find helpful study tips and ideas from your school’s website. For additional help, be sure to reach out to your school even if you cannot visit in person. Many institutions offer their regular services and support virtually. Space out your studying Cramming before an exam doesn’t usually give you the same foundation of knowledge as when you are studying for shorter periods more frequently. Cramming also may trigger anxiety and sleep loss, two elements that can interfere with memory and clear thinking. When you start studying earlier, you have time to become more familiar with the material and build on what you have already learned.

Look at the syllabus before the start of the course to put major deadlines in your calendar. Review your notes shortly after class, on an ongoing basis, which will allow you to add in anything you remember that is important and make sure that they make sense to you. Take some time to review your notes a few times a week and prepare before each class, so the material is not entirely new to you, which will enhance your learning. The more time you invest in understanding the material, and in different ways, the more you may remember and avoid cramming before exams. Develop common-sense study habits Attending all classes is not only crucial for learning but also for getting the professors’ tips on upcoming exams. You want to see what is highlighted, posted and repeated. Pay attention when the professor indicates what is important to know. Many students opt to skip the last class of a course so they have more time to study before an exam; however, this robs them of valuable information that could help them focus on what’s important and maybe even cut down on study time. When you are working out a schedule for studying, consider your best study time, when it is easiest for

you to focus on the most difficult material. Maximize benefits offered by online courses Whether you dread online courses or actually find them convenient, you may not have a choice if you are currently a post-secondary student. Advantages associated with online learning are the lack of commute, which gives you extra time to study, and avoiding other social distractions during regular lectures. Depending on the format of your online course, you may also have more time to process and to formulate questions than in a live classroom discussion. When attending classes from home, you have to work harder to control any distractions. You may need to shut off all other technologies, find an ideal space that is conducive to studying, and schedule time for each subject. Print material occasionally to vary how you study. Make sure you have a calendar with all due dates and a to-do list so you know when you will be working on assignments and exam preparation. Being disciplined and organized will go a long way in helping you be a successful student. These very same attributes are needed even more with online learning.

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.

CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 17 Issue 4 | 2020

RCIC:

Nageshwar Yendamuri; R423199

Company Name/ Location:

Migration Solutions Inc., Toronto, Ontario

Finding:

The RCIC was convicted on two charges under the Criminal Code tied to his forging an employment letter that was sent to IRCC, namely: 1. Section 366 (1) (a); making a false document with intent that it should in any way be used or acted on as genuine; and 2. Section 368 (1) (a): knowing or believing that a document is forged and using, dealing with or acting on it as if it were genuine.

Sanction:

Revocation, effective July 29, 2020; Monetary Penalty: $10,000; Costs: $12,441

Decisions and Reasons:

https://tinyurl.com/y9uvgxse

CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA |

Canadian Immigrant Septemer 2020 Issue

Articles inside

FUSION

SETTLEMENT AGENCY AWARD

SETTLEMENT