Canadian Immigrant - July 2016

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ARRIVE. SUCCEED. INSPIRE.

THE WINNERS

RBC

Canadian Immigr ants

Publications mail agreement number 40011993

2016

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RBC TOP 25 CANADIAN IMMIGRANT AWARDS 2016

PROFILE: Zumba leader Shadia Serrano CANSPEAK: Words, expressions and sayings NEWS: Immigrant fairs, book on black Canadian women and more …

Introducing the winners of the eighth annual awards

27 INTEGRATION

Newcomers’ guide to Canadian etiquette

32 IMMIGRANT SETTLEMENT GUIDE 34 DRIVING

To lease or to buy

38 BACK PAGE

HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO

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“Canada was built by citizen immigrants, people who come here permanently with their families to become Canadians.”

- Hon. John McCallum, MP Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Become a Regulated Immigration Consultant Full-time | Part-time | Online Contact a program adviser at 604.628.5784 or Toll free 1.844.628.5784 or apply online. www.ashtoncollege.ca Ashton College

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People. News. Information.

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 7 JULY 2016

profile

Group Publishers Gautam Datt Sharma Sanjay Agnihotri

Shadia

Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com

Serrano

Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com

Zest for life

Editorial Design Terry Lankstead, Anne Nawrocka Courtland Shakespeare

By Margaret Jetelina

Digital Media Developer Kamil Mytnik Advertising Sales Sr. Ad Manager (B.C. and Alberta) Alla Gordeeva alla@canadianimmigrant.ca Tel: 778 558 3397 Sr. Ad Manager (Toronto) Ricky (Kawaljit) Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170 National Sales Manager Varun Munjal vmunjal@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8169 Sales Events & Marketing Coordinator Laura Jackman ljackman@metroland.com General Inquiries: info@canadianimmigrant.ca Circulation/Distribution Inquiries: ljackman@metroland.com ISSN 1910-4146

Subscription rate in Canada: $47.99 plus HST for 12 issues Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher

Publications mail agreement number: 40065097 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 3145 Wolfedale Road Mississauga, Ontario, L5C 3A9 Printed on recycled paper.

Toronto Circulation 50,000 copies Vancouver Circulation 30,000 copies Calgary Circulation 3,000 copies Canadian Immigrant is published monthly and distributed free throughout Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. Canadian Immigrant welcomes submissions, but is not responsiblefor unsolicited material.

Canadian Immigrant is a publication of Metroland Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.

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left Shadia Serrano shares her love of Zumba in Metro Vancouver.

Photo by Margaret Jetelina

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hadia Serrano gained many things from her immigration journey after arriving in Canada in 2009 — including some unwanted pounds. The Bogotá, Colombian-born beauty then took a Zumba class and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, she’s fit and fabulous as a certified Zumba and fitness instructor in Metro Vancouver, and loves to share her story with other immigrants.

What was your biggest challenge after coming to Canada?

My biggest challenge was to learn the language! It was very frustrating for a “communicator” — I studied communications and had a few related jobs in Colombia before I came — and sociable person being unable to speak fluently. It took me a while to make friends, even Spanishspeaking friends because I was nervous to get out. That might be why I turned to food more.

Did you have a hard time adjusting to the food available here?

Yes, I did. I love Canada and my life, of course, is way better here, but there is something that I really miss from my country — fruits! Fruits in tropical countries are the best. Fruits here, even though they are imported from those countries, I don’t know why they are tasteless. But, to be honest, the reason why I gained weight was my bad hab-

its — getting fast, cheap food around every corner.

Tell me about your first experiences with Zumba and your results.

I never heard about Zumba until a close friend of mine became an instructor. My first class was in 2011 and then I could say Zumba changed my life. A combination between the X-box Zumba video game and two face-to face classes per week made me lose 10 pounds in three weeks. I lost naturally more than 36 pounds (16 kilograms) since.

I learned how to eat, too, on top of getting addicted to Zumba. You can work out for three hours a day, but if you don’t eat properly, you won’t see what you want to see.

Did it improve your emotional wellbeing as well?

Absolutely! I wasn’t happy with myself, not only because I didn’t like the person in the mirror, but also because I was feeling sick and tired. I was heavier and I wasn’t able to do things that people my age could do. As soon as I started to move, including Zumba, hiking, swimming and biking, I was reborn.

Why do you think Zumba worked for you?

I think because Zumba tricks minds [laughs]. People who hate working out forget they are ac-

tually working out. You feel that you are in a party, but you can be burning more than 400 calories in an hour. You feel like you are dancing like Shakira or Jennifer Lopez, which helps with your self-esteem too. You just forget about everything and shake it off !

Why did you choose to become an instructor?

After I started losing weight, I said I don’t want to go back to the black hole. I started loving fitness! After a year-and-a-half of practising, I finally became a licensed Zumba Fitness instructor in November 2012. I then became a certified fitness instructor, certified indoor cycling instructor and certified pound pro instructor, and I’m about to get my certification as a personal trainer.

In February, I also became a Zumba Jammer-choreographer for Canada. A jammer specializes in Zumba choreography and hosts ZIN Jam sessions for instructors where they learn the choreographies and techniques to teach to their classes.

What if you’re not a very coordinated dancer?

Zumba is for everybody and every body. Instructors do the steps using gradual progressions.

For instance, they start with the feet, then they add arms, then the hips, and at the end you add your own flavour. facebook.com/canimmigrant

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Words, expressions and sayings

Misery loves company — When people are feeling sad or miserable, they often like to be around others who feel the same way. But be careful, because that kind of negativity can be hard to shake off.

No man is an island — From the poetry of John

Donne, this popular saying suggests that people are interdependent. We need each other!

You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours — In other words, if you help me, then I’ll help you.

See more words at canadianimmigrant.ca under “Work & Education > Language.”

news 100 accomplished black women book

Three black female leaders have come together to pen a new book, 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women 2016, to help inspire other women. One day, the authors — Jean Augustine, the first black female federal cabinet minister; educator Dauna Jones-Simmods; and Denise O’Neil Green — had a chat over lunch and wondered “Where

are all the accomplished black Canadian women?” They banned together to write a book with a goal of highlighting, documenting, acknowledging and supporting the accomplishments of black Canadian women.

Launched on June 16 at 100abcwomen.ca, the book is an inspirational read not only for diverse women, but all Canadians.

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news

Apply for college bursary for immigrants There is only one month left to apply for Ashton College’s Lilian To Bursaries for Immigrants. Applications will be accepted until July 30, 2016, at ashtoncollege.ca/grants.

Sponsored by Canadian Immigrant magazine, the bursaries, valued at $8,000, will be awarded to up to four outstanding students who are recent Canadian immigrants.

With in-class and online programs in areas including human resources, immigration consulting, international business and financial services, the bursaries are available to permanent residents who have arrived within the last five years anywhere in Canada. “Many of our students come from overseas or other provinces,” says Vancouver-based Ashton College president Colin Fortes. “The bursary is designed to offset the program costs and tuition of hard-working, exemplary individuals.”

Previously, the bursaries were offered for select courses and programs, but this year it will be open for students wishing to enrol in any of Ashton College’s courses.

For distance learners and those outside the Vancouver area, Ashton College offers a wide variety of online programs and courses, and the bursary can be applied to all of them. This includes the immigration consultant diploma, diploma in human resources management, certificate in bookkeeping, as well as financial planning and home inspection certification courses. Ashton Online utilizes the latest in webinar technology, allowing students to plug into a virtual, interactive classroom environment.

“The bursary is our way of giving back,” says Fortes. “Immigration can be quite the struggle and getting an education is often the first step on the road to success in a new country.”

Three decades of SUCCESS dragon walk Vancouver-based fundraising event SUCCESS Walk with the Dragon is returning to beautiful Lumbermen’s Arch, Stanley Park, on Sunday, July 17, 2016. The event aims to raise $450,000 toward the SUCCESS Caring for the Community fund, providing support to areas of greatest community needs for immigrants, refugees, youth, families and seniors.

“This year marks a new era with a new look and new elements as we celebrate the event’s 31st anniversary,” says Sing Lim Yeo, chair of SUCCESS Foundation and an RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant (2013).

Every year, more than 13,000 participants come together to support the event, which has raised more than $12 million for SUCCESS social services and programs over the years.

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First two fairs a hit!

Canadian Immigrant magazine’s Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair was a big hit in Winnipeg on May 30, and Toronto on June 8 — the first two of six cities to host the fair in 2016.

For its inaugural year, the Winnipeg fair exceeded expectations, with more than 500 attendees and 30 exhibitors.

Toronto’s sixth annual fair, presented in association with

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Centennial College, saw record attendance at 1,100+ attendees and 60 exhibitors. The event obviously struck a chord among newcomers who are seeking support and resources in their immigration journey.

Planning is now underway for four more fairs coming up this fall in Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Learn more at canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair.

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Introducing the winners of the eighth annual RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards 2016

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he winners of the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards of 2016 are an eclectic mix hailing from Nigeria to Ireland, in fields as diverse as novelist to tech entrepreneur.

These 25 immigrants are not only successful in their own right, but are obviously inspiring role models to others. They were, after all, nominated, shortlisted by a judging panel and voted for in the awards’ five-month-long process.

The Top 25 awards program has been proudly supported by title sponsor RBC Royal Bank since its inception eight years ago. And, for the second year in a row, RBC has chosen one of the Top 25 for a special recognition: the RBC Entrepreneur Award (find out who won this additional honour on page 16!).

This year also marks another milestone; the awards have now recognized 200 amazing immigrants as Top 25s. And we have honestly just scratched the surface of immigrant talent in Canada.

This year’s winners are truly a testament to what perseverance, commitment and talent can accomplish, even when faced with challenges in a new country.

Turn the page to read all about the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2016 (listed in alphabetical order)!

Profiles by Nicole Breit, Margaret Jetelina, Priya Ramanujam and Baisakhi Roy

CANADIANIMMIGRANT.CA/RBCTOP25

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Kiran Ahluwalia Worldly songstress

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t’s not surprising that Leen Al Zaibak was named a 2015 Torontonian of the Year. The Syrian-born humanitarian has dedicated her life and career to championing important causes in Canada and abroad. That includes bringing in privately sponsored Syrian refugees to Toronto as a board member with Lifeline Syria, and as a founder of the Syrian Canadian Foundation, which helps Syrian newcomers to settle in.

“To be able to work with so many different players from various sectors and levels of government on this national effort for Syrian newcomers made me realize how truly united we are as a country when it is a time of need,” she says.

Although she came to Canada as a young child, Al Zaibak had, in fact, returned to her homeland of Syria for a couple of years, working on a humanitarian project funded by the World Bank. Upon her return to Toronto, she worked for the Ministry of Children and Youth Services as a policy adviser, before joining Free the Children, the Canadian-based international charity behind the WE Day and We Schools initiatives. She is their senior manager of donor engagement.

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ward-winning Indian composer and singer Kiran Ahluwalia was nine years old when her family first arrived in Toronto from India.

“My father wears a turban and to hear him being called a ‘turban-head’ ignited a lot of anger. I would say my childhood experience as an immigrant was not a pleasant one,” she remembers.

But what made her early days in Canada more tolerable was the familiar sound of Indian music — and she dreamed of becoming a musician. Instead, Ahluwalia pursued her MBA at Dalhousie University and started working on Bay Street. She was haunted, however, by a recurring vision of waking up as an old woman who had never done the one thing she really wanted to do. So she quit her job as a trader to move to India and pursue music full time. Ahluwalia’s first CD, Kashish‐Attraction, was released in 2001.

Her unique brand of contemporary Indian songs influenced by African desert blues and jazz has earned her two Juno awards for Best World Music album, two Canadian Folk Music Awards, the 2009 Songlines/WOMAD Best Newcomer of the Year Award and

“I hope to be able to make an impact on those around me and help others achieve their full potential,” says the 32-year-old, who has a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Manchester. “I want to be able to continue building bridges between communities.”

Al Zaibak is also co-founder of Jusoor (Arabic for “bridges”), an NGO that helps Syrian youth to realize their potential with scholarships to universities around the world. It has also established three schools in Lebanon for 1,700 Syrian refugee children.

Back home in Canada, she sits on the young patron circle committee for the Royal Ontario Museum and chairs the emerging leaders group at the Toronto Arts Foundation. According to Al Zaibak, being Canadian has allowed her to do all this.

“The Canadian response to the Syrian crisis to me embodied what being Canadian means to me,” she says. “We all came from somewhere and it is our responsibility as members of the human race to always help others who deserve the same rights and quality of life we are so fortunate to enjoy here in Canada.”

the 2008 Sikh Centennial Foundation Award for Excellence in Music.

Her advice to other immigrants? Don’t worry about being different. “Focus on the plethora of good and awesome things being Canadian will bring: a gorgeous landscape to travel, a majority population that is loving and has a keen interest in cultures of the world, a peacekeeping foreign policy, a government that (apart from the last few years) funds the arts and sees value in the arts as a medium to bind this vast and beautiful nation.”

Today, after six albums, numerous honours and performances at festivals across the United States and Europe, Ahluwalia is looking forward to touring Canada this summer, showcasing her latest album, Sanata: Stillness.

“I have a concert in Toronto at Hugh’s Room on Aug. 6 and then we go to Quebec for performances in Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Gaspe and Montreal.”

Having achieved such enormous success as a musical artist, her future aspiration is beautiful in its simplicity: to enjoy a peaceful life of creativity.

Leen Al Zaibak

Syrian humanitarian

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Celebrating 25 exceptional individuals.

TM

We are proud to congratulate and celebrate the RBC® Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners.

Their stories of perseverance and courage will motivate and inspire 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.

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Godwin Chan

Municipal influencer

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ilak Chawan is committed to serving those in need. In fact, it seems to be his life’s work. After living in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal for 23 years (most of his young life), Chawan knows the power of potential and looks for it in every person he meets. He risked his life every day to venture outside the camp to teach in local schools.

Since coming to Canada in 2012, his passions for teaching and improving the lives of others have continued.

Today, he is a settlement worker in schools in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, helping young newcomers integrate in the education system and the community at large.

“I also want to reach out to the larger community to support inclusion,” says the 29-year-old. “Recently, I have been working very closely with various community groups in St. John’s to help newcomers, particularly those between 16 and 25 years old, with their concerns involving interpretation, foreign work credentials, as well as easily accessing education.”

From personal experience, Chawan understands how challenging it can be for young people to find their way in a new country.

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hat inspires a lawyer and immigrant from Hong Kong to become involved in municipal politics?

“I am committed to fostering a sense of community belonging,” says Godwin Chan, who became Richmond Hill’s first non-white councillor in 2006 and has now served for 10 years. “And I encourage other newcomers to get engaged to explore the limitless opportunities in Canada.”

Chan was just a teenager when he arrived in Toronto alone, to pursue post-secondary studies. He spoke little English and had no family or friends here, but he set lofty goals for himself and graduated from university with three credentials, including a professional law degree.

“I honestly think that it is helpful for newcomers to believe in themselves and aim high,” he says. “Based on my own experience, I truly believe that you need to keep your drive and not give up.”

Chan’s commitment to community service started long before joining municipal council. He served as a member of the Ontario Legal Aid Plan’s Toronto area committee for five years and was appointed to the York Regional Police Services Board. He has also supported the work of St. John Ambu-

“It was particularly interesting to shift perspectives when I arrived in Canada with my family,” he says. “Amongst us, I spoke the most English and therefore had to take the role of a guardian for my parents and siblings to ensure everything was taken care of and we could focus on resettling.”

He worked as a Nepali language interpreter in his early days in St. John’s and as a settlement worker with the Association for New Canadians, before moving to the public school system. Most recently, Chawan has focused his efforts on supporting the influx of Syrian refugee youth, helping them enrol in schools and integrate. “Being Canadian for me is treating others equally regardless of their culture, religion, gender or country of origin,” he says.

In addition, he is an active member of the Local Immigration Partnership and the City of St. John’s municipal accessibility and inclusion committee, further promoting the integration of newcomers.

As for his personal goals and dreams, Chawan plans to complete his college degree and buy a home, and hopes to open a school in St. John’s that celebrates Nepali culture.

lance, for which he received its Priory Vote of Thanks award.

It was when Chan received the Richmond Hill Volunteer Achievement Award in 2002 that he was inspired to turn his community service into a run for a municipal seat.

“While receiving the award, I was disheartened to hear the comment that it was unusual for someone with my background to make significant contributions as a volunteer. That particular experience helped to strengthen my resolve to make a difference in the community where I live,” he recalls.

Today, in addition to serving on council, Chan acts as an honorary advisor for the Canada China Trade Innovation Alliance, is the chair of Richmond Hill’s Economic Development Task Force and has just been reelected to serve his third year on the board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

“To me, being a Canadian is much more than holding a passport. It means that I am part of a free and democratic society that values compassion, fairness and respect.”

With such an impressive resumé, Chan has certainly done his part to create the kind of community he envisions for his chosen country.

Tilak Chawan

Youth integration advisor

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Queenie Choo SUCCESS story

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gor Dobrovolskiy, co-founder and artistic director of the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, knows firsthand the difficulties that language barriers can present for newcomers. When he and his wife, Yuliia, moved here from Ukraine in November 2000, it wasn’t just understanding the language that was challenging, but “being able to fully express myself spatially on a philosophical context,” he says.

But through the universal language of dance, Dobrovolskiy was soon able to connect with his new community of Moncton, New Brunswick. With the support of cofounder and CEO Susan Chalmers-Gauvin, his Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada not only brought first-rate ballet to New Brunswick, but it became a cultural ambassador for the province by touring throughout Canada and internationally.

Serving as its principal choreographer, Dobrovolskiy has created 11 full-length ballets, one one-act ballet and 48 short works for the company, his creativity catapulting the small regional dance company to much acclaim over the last 15 years. For his work, Dobrovolskiy was a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for High Achievement in the Arts.

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hinking back on immigrating to Edmonton, Alberta, in the middle of a very cold winter 36 years ago, Queenie Choo remembers a vastly different settlement landscape than the one that exists today. There certainly were no immigrant-serving organizations as robust as Vancouver-based SUCCESS — which she today leads as CEO! — for her to access support and resources. Like many immigrants, Choo, who was born in Hong Kong, faced difficulty having her foreign credentials as a registered nurse recognized, despite practising in the United Kingdom prior to arriving and being recruited by the Alberta government.

“It was not easy to manage between having to work and study. I had to be very organized and super-efficient in order to accomplish [my relicensing as a nurse in Canada],” Choo says. “All these challenges, however, helped build up my determination and perseverance even stronger to move ahead in Canada.”

And move ahead she did. After years on the frontlines, she advanced into leadership positions, such as CEO of the Edmonton Chinatown Care Centre in 2004 and executive director of continuing care integrated services for Alberta Health Services in 2009.

Then, in 2012, she made the move to Brit-

More than art, Dobrovolskiy believes dance is a means to engage communities in public dialogue. He created a full-length ballet, Ghosts of Violence, at the request of a women’s organization, which was inspired by the lives of 23 women murdered by their intimate partner in New Brunswick. This work travelled to 44 communities across Canada, mobilizing more than 300 frontline service organizations and thousands of audience members in a national dialogue on partner violence.

And, last year, the dance company organized the HOMEbody Symposium 2015, a public engagement initiative that brought together nearly 250 participants from a cross-section of community builders, postsecondary students and newcomers to New Brunswick. Their stories were shared to help shape the conversation on what can be achieved in the province and why it’s a great place to call home.

Today, he is focused on further evolving his dance company and its youth-focused Centre for Arts and Education. “I would like to let Atlantic Ballet Theatre grow artistically, and get support for the Centre for Arts and Education to become a major dance centre in the province,” says Dobrovolskiy.

ish Columbia to accept her current role at SUCCESS, which provides services to newcomers to help integrate through language, employment and community connection services.

“Through community connection, newcomers will be able to develop their social networks and strengthen their community engagement, and ultimately be more successful in their immigration journey,” she says.

For Choo, who sits on a handful of additional community boards, including the Immigrant Employment Council of B.C., the Canadian Liver Foundation and the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, her work is never done. But she has no intention of slowing down. Next on her priority list is playing an active role in promoting culturally sensitive care for seniors.

“By 2031, one in four Canadians will be 65 years old and older. It is important to be able to influence the policymakers and government for planning a health-care system that will embrace the cultural diversity of the community,” Choo says. “I am very blessed to be a Canadian, and it is my turn to pay it forward to serve other newcomers to Canada.”

Igor Dobrovolskiy Ballet boss

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Emma Donoghue Prized novelist

Photo by Punch Photographic

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osephine Etowa remembers being discharged from the hospital after her daughter, Ntami Enang, was born in Canada and was pleasantly surprised to find out there was no hospital bill waiting for her. “I was already living the Canadian dream — universal health care,” she says.

An internationally educated nurse from Nigeria, Etowa returned to school for a bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in nursing, and has worked ever since to keep improving the country’s health care system as both a practising nurse and an academic.

Today, 25 years since her arrival, Etowa is a professor in the faculty of health sciences at the University of Ottawa and the Marie Des Anges Loyer DaSilva Chair in Public Health Nursing. Her academic research, which is grounded in more than 23 years of clinical practice, focuses on inequity in health and health care, as well as maternal-newborn health.

“It is especially important for other internationally educated nurses and people from historically marginalized backgrounds like immigrants, aboriginal people and socio-economically disadvantaged people,” she says.

She remembers what it was like being an immigrant and a single mother with little family support, while working and raising

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hen her novel, Room, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the fi lm adaptation was nominated for four Oscars, author Emma Donoghue says, “I had the wonderful sensation of making both my homelands — Ireland and Canada — proud.”

Donoghue has won countless awards for Room, the fictional story of a kidnapped woman held for years in captivity with her son, including the Hughes and Hughes Irish Novel of the Year, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the WH Smith Paperback of the Year Award.

As a screenplay, which Donoghue wrote, Room went on to win numerous accolades including the Most Popular Canadian Feature Film Award at Vancouver International Film Festival, the Grolsch People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and an American Film Institute Top 10 award, to name just a few.

Donoghue came on to the literary scene long before this collection of accolades. The daughter of the literary critic Denis Donoghue, she earned a PhD in English literature from the University of Cambridge in England, and started writing full time when she was 23 years old. She says she has been lucky

two hard-of-hearing children (her son, Deval Enang, was born three years after her daughter). She says many people helped her during her integration as a newcomer.

“I became very active in my community and made good friends along the way who served as family, and a sounding board,” says Etowa.

She repays her good fortune by mentoring aspiring nurses and giving back to myriad community and health organizations. To name a few, she sits on the board of the African Caribbean Council for HIV in Ontario, volunteers with Nigerian Canadian association AkwaCross, and is a founding member and the past president of the Health Association of African Canadians.

“I hope to be a shoulder on which others can stand on as they navigate the Canadian system,” says Etowa, who has received many awards for her academic and community contributions.

Presently, Etowa wants to expand her focus in global health equity research and community development internationally. “I want to scale up my work to an international level with the goal of using the knowledge and skills gained in Canada to advance current research in low- and middle-income countries.”

enough to never have had an “honest job” after being “sacked” after a single summer month as a chambermaid.

She moved permanently to Canada in 1998, where she settled in London, Ontario, with her husband Chris Roulston and now school-aged children, Finn and Una. “The Ontario climate was a shock when I first immigrated, and I wouldn’t say I’ve ever overcome it,” Donoghue says. “But I have started using a treadmill desk so I can get my exercise at home year-round.”

It makes a vivid image, picturing her walking at her treadmill desk as she typed her most recent book, Frog Music. She is now adapting the literary mystery, which was inspired by a never-solved murder of a crossdressing frog catcher in San Francisco in 1876, into a feature fi lm for Monumental Pictures.

She also no doubt worked up a sweat while writing her upcoming new novel, The Wonder, about a girl in 19th-century Ireland who claims not to eat, to be released in September 2016. She’s also busy writing The Lotterys Plus One, her first children’s book in a series about an 11-person Toronto family, which is coming out in 2017.

Josephine Etowa Capital nurse

Photo by Jessica Deeks

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Chandran Fernando Talent spotter

I

f you’re looking for Azita Haddadi, you’ll likely fi nd her in a research laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Or perhaps teaching in front of a classroom as the university’s associate professor of pharmacy. Or running after her two young kids, Amanda and Aiden. Or attending a meeting of a board or committee she’s involved with at the university, her kids’ school and the community at large.

The Iranian-born PhD holder in pharmacy is a busy lady with important work to do. Oh, yeah, she’s also looking for novel approaches to cancer treatment.

“I hope that my research contributes to the development of cancer vaccines and targeted chemotherapy for a large number of cancers, such as breast, prostate, ovary, non-small cell lung, and head and neck cancer) without compromising patient’s quality of life,” she says.

Haddadi fi rst came to Canada in 2003 to do a postdoctoral fellowship on cancer immunotherapy at the University of Alberta.

“I had the privilege of working with many wonderful mentors in my life, one of the best was Dr. John Samuel who developed a cancer vaccine, which is now in phase III

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ou could call Chandran Fernando a talent spotter, head hunter or recruiter, but when it comes right down to it, he’s an astute businessman. He saw a need — increased diversity and inclusivity in the corporate world — and decided to fi ll it. So, after just two years of working in corporate recruitment after university, he started up his talent recruitment business, Matrix Search Group, in Toronto in 2001.

“I started the business because I saw a need for an increased presence of diversity and inclusion in corporate Canada,” says Fernando, an immigrant of South Asian heritage. “I have been an active voice for the voices that are not heard in corporate Canada, specifically in commercial real estate. I believe and live diversity inclusion in my everyday life.”

Now, after 15 successful years in business, the specialty real estate talent firm is going strong. Fernando credits his success to his people-centric approach in connecting clients from the real estate industry to candidates, and candidates to clients.

It’s no wonder his company received the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award from the Real Estate Institute of Canada, Toronto

clinical trials,” she says. “While I was working for him on this vaccine at Cross Cancer Institute, watching the hope that it brought to cancer patients inspired me to make a difference in cancer treatment.”

Now, at the University of Saskatchewan, Haddadi’s research group has worked to develop a novel vaccine that could educate the immune system to eradicate cancer cells and prevent tumour recurrence. She also created a nanocarrier for chemotherapy medications that targets the drug directly to tumor cells with minimal compromise on healthy organs and tissues. Her invention, in collaboration with Quest PharmaTech Inc., has been patented and is going to enter clinical trials.

Haddadi has won a number of grants and awards for her contribution to cancer research from national and provincial agencies including Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Terry Fox Foundation.

She hopes to take a sabbatical in the next couple of years, but not to rest; she wants to go to other labs to learn new techniques. “I want to fi nd new collaborations in my journey to develop novel cancer treatments,” she says.

Chapter, in 2015.

Fernando is often called upon to speak at industry events and get involved in mentorship programs for developing leaders. In 2015, his company started the annual Matrix Search: Real Talk Series to inspire real dialogue between influential leaders and emerging ones. And, in 2016, he led the creation of Matrix Talent Connectivity, a one-of-a-kind real estate internship program to empower young professionals entering the industry.

He’s even been asked to speak to high school and elementary school students in the Peel Regional School Board about career development and motivation. And, fittingly, he has also taken his message of diversity and integration to newcomers’ groups, including at Canadian Immigrant’s Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair in Toronto this June.

“Over the years, growing up in a homogenous society where mentors and role models were limited in the 1970s and 1980s, I saw a great value to change and shift the platform that surrounds me. I wanted to focus on people, the positivity about people and how the common thread that connects us is the building of communities,” he says.

Azita Haddadi

Researcher for a cure

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Narmin Ismail

Champion for women’s education

C

hristians Izquierdo came from a country that didn’t allowed private enterprise — Cuba. Good thing he chose to immigrate, as his entrepreneurial achievements are making his new country very proud.

Izquierdo, co-founder and CEO of DevFacto Technologies in Edmonton, Alberta, was chosen as an EY Prairies Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012, Small Business Owner of the Year from the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in 2010, and one of the Top 40 under 40 in Edmonton in 2012. And this year he is not only a Top 25 winner, but has been chosen for the additional accolade of RBC Entrepreneur Award.

Why all the attention? Izquierdo has helped build DevFacto into one of Western Canada’s leaders for process integration on the Microsoft and Apple platforms for the government, energy, mining and construction verticals. It has grown from zero employees and $29,000 of revenue in its first year to 115 employees and more than $14.7 million in revenue for the current year. The company achieved seventh place in Alberta’s Fast Growth 50 List and 36th in the Profit 500 List.

Izquierdo has certainly come a long way

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armin Ismail wants to make the world a better place, and she wants to do it by empowering women. Deciding to start a non-profit foundation, the seasoned leader thought long and hard about the best empowerment model to use — she realized that education was the key. She launched the Spark of Hope Foundation in Toronto in 2014, with the goal of providing university-level educational scholarships to bright young women from the developing world.

“I’d like to provide the opportunity to help thousands of young women, from the developing world, especially areas of conflict and remote areas, achieve their dreams of getting a university education,” explains Ismail.

“These young women will become tomorrow’s leaders, and will make a transformative impact in the world, as doctors, engineers, journalists, lawyers, managers, scientists, teachers and role models to the next generation of girls.”

The MBA thanks her parents for ensuring she had access to a quality education herself.

“Access to good higher education was why my parents had moved to Canada from Kenya [when I was a teenager],” she says.

since arriving as a co-op student 19 years ago. “I was excited and terrified that I would not be able to succeed,” he recalls. “I thought constantly about all my perceived limitations — I was a student, I didn’t fluently speak the language, I was coming to a technologically advanced society. But I was determined to succeed.”

He would spend his evenings watching episodes of sitcom Friends with closed captioning to improve his English, and he worked hard — some co-workers said too hard! — for the company that hired him as a student. “I wanted to show them that they had made a great investment in me … Today, I still work as hard, if not harder,” says Izquierdo, who’s also dad to two preschool kids, Dylan and Evan. “That initial work experience showed me that anything is possible and that only our fears block us from succeeding.”

He also humbly credits the country itself for his success. “Canada has given me more opportunities than I believe I deserved,” he says. “The opportunities here are limitless, and people are polite, sincere and want to help you. In one word — Canada means ‘home’ to me.”

Sharing the gift of education with women outside Canada is now what drives her as Spark’s CEO. But starting a new foundation is challenging work, even for someone like Ismail, who has extensive entrepreneurial experience, and a mix of management and leadership skills in for-profit and non-profit sectors. Her original goal was to support seven students by September 2015, but she had no funds, students, university collaborations or charitable status.

Today, the foundation supports 36 students, has four alumnae, has Canadian charitable status, and has formal and informal university agreements. Students have come from countries like Liberia, Palestine and Syria to attend undergraduate and graduate programs at various institutions including Aga Khan University in Karachi, American University of Beirut, London School of Economics and University of Calgary.

The foundation hopes to be able to support 60 students by December 2016, and 1,400 between 2016 to 2025. Ismail says it is still a young foundation with challenges ahead, but she has these words of wisdom to guide her: “Dream big; take a small step today and every day toward your dream.”

Christians Izquierdo

Entrepreneur of excellence Photo by Darren Greenwood

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Perla Javate

Community connector Photo by Nilufer Rahman

ant to know something about the Filipino community in Winnipeg?

Just ask Perla Javate. As president of the Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba, she works to preserve and promote Philippine culture. In fact, thanks in large part to her efforts, the Province of Manitoba declared the week of June 12 as Philippine Heritage Week.

It just so happens that June 12 is also the anniversary of her immigration; this past June marked her 40th year in Canada.

“In the 1980s, the Filipino population was about 20,000. It has steadily grown to 70,000 plus today and Filipino [Tagalog] is the second most used language in Manitoba,” says Javate, who was a social worker before she came to Canada, with Toronto as her first stop.

“I came to Canada with impressive employment background in the Philippines and in the Netherlands,” she says. “At least, that is what I thought I brought with me. Little did I know that Canadian experience is all that matters!”

After several rewrites of her resumé, she eventually found a job in a group home, but a visit to Winnipeg changed her path. She

found not just one job, but two: a part-time job as assistant head of residence of an exclusive girls’ school and a full-time job as residential care staff in a mental health residential facility.

She thought about moving back to Toronto to be closer to her siblings in New Jersey, but the job of community liaison officer for the Winnipeg School Division opened up and she’s still there today, with the new role of intercultural support worker.

“It has always been my hope that our students achieve their full potential and be successful in their chosen field, the very reason why their parents chose to immigrate,” says Javate.

The busy lady — who claims to look forward to retirement — has also recently been named president of Pinays Manitoba Inc., a new women’s group she is very excited about.

She is also involved with Stronger Together Initiative, a joint undertaking to connect immigrants and refugees of all cultures.

“Being a Canadian means accepting our multicultural heritage, accepting and respecting each other, and allowing ourselves to be enriched by different cultures,” she says. “I am proud to be a Filipino-Canadian.”

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July 2016

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he expression “Canada needs you as much as you need Canada” became words to live by for Jin Jiang, who arrived here as a student in 1982, and has made education his life’s work as a prominent engineering professor and researcher.

“My daily ritual is to ask how I can do more today for Canada. This is the fundamental driving force to get me going every day,” says Jiang. “There is no other country in the world that can offer such a unique environment for personal growth.”

As a youth during China’s Cultural Revolution, a time when the country’s education system was in turmoil, Jiang fought hard for his own education. His hard work paid off; he was among the one per cent accepted into Xi’an Jiaotong University in 1977, and graduated with top honours.

With a burning desire to learn and explore, he arrived in Canada to further his studies at the University of New Brunswick at the age of 22, even though he knew very little English.

“I received a lot of help from many Canadian friends to overcome my culture shock in

Jin Jiang

Powerful professor

I

t’s a story of rags to riches like no other. In 1951, Bulgarian-born Ignat Kaneff arrived in Canada, and spent the only $5 he had on a taxi ride from Union Station. With no friends or formal education, Kaneff slept in a garage in Mississauga for four months. His first job was as a labourer for a building company.

Kaneff was eventually able to save enough money to secure a small loan to purchase one building lot for a home of his own. That small house laid the foundation for the creation of his company, Kaneff Properties Limited, in 1956.

As chairman and CEO of the residential, retail and commercial development company, 90-year-old Iggy, as he is fondly known, has seen his company steadily grow over the decades, now boasting more than 300 employees.

“Success in the real estate business, and, I think, in any business, is not possible without being good at communicating with people to understand their needs, wants and wishes,” says Kaneff. “Relationships are at the core of our success.”

Kaneff Properties’ first housing development consisted of 27 houses in the Erindale Woodlands neighbourhood of Mississauga, with a focus on quality and customer service.

The company went on to build larger single-

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family dwellings, high-rise apartment buildings, and retail and office commercial properties throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

And his personal passion for the game of golf led him to build eight golf courses, including his flagship facility, the Lionhead Golf Club and Conference Centre in Brampton.

That’s where he holds an annual golf tournament that has raised more than $1.6 million for Community Living Mississauga.

But that’s just the start of his philanthropy.

Kaneff and his wife, Dimitrina, established the I. Kaneff Charitable Foundation in 1986.

“Our foundation has been the primary organization through which we have donated more than $25 million to various charities and educational organizations in Canada and Bulgaria,” he says.

Kaneff even has buildings named after him at the University of Toronto at Mississauga and at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, in recognition of his generous donations. He had always wished for the opportunity to further his own education, so receiving honorary doctorates from these universities must have been special. Of course, those top a long list of other awards, too, including the Order of Ontario, the most prestigious official honour in the province.

the first few years,” he remembers gratefully.

He pursued his studies with vigour, completing a master of science in engineering degree within 18 months and then a PhD in philosophy. He became an assistant professor at the age of 30, a full professor at 40 and a chair professor at 43.

As the prestigious NSERC/UNENE Senior Industrial Research Chair Professor at Western University in London, Ontario, Jiang is also making extraordinary contributions in the area of control, instrumentation and electrical systems for nuclear power plants.

He works closely with global organizations, such as International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations, to put Canada on the map in this field. His works have been cited around the world more than 6,000 times.

Over his career, he has taught thousands of students, including more than 30 doctoral and 40 master’s candidates. “I hope to be able to train more qualified engineers for Canada by being a dedicated teacher and an innovative researcher,” he says. “Canada provides a fertile ground to its citizens to grow and to become the best one can ever possibly be.”

Ignat (Iggy) Kaneff The magnate

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Leon Lee

Fearless filmmaker

H

er title is impressive — Fiona Macfarlane is managing partner (British Columbia) and Canadian chief inclusiveness officer at Ernst & Young LLP — and deservedly so.

When she was first named a managing partner in 2005, she was, in fact, the first woman among the big four accounting firms to hold such a role.

She’s also an immigrant from South Africa, making her position of leadership all the more notable.

“Iain [her husband] and I emigrated with almost no money — less than $300 between us and three suitcases,” Macfarlane remembers. “I had four degrees (including a master of law from the University of Cambridge) and, despite sending my resumé to all the law firms and accounting firms, I had no interviews.”

Eventually, however, she did get an interview, and it was with EY’s Calgary tax practice. “And I have been with EY ever since,” says Macfarlane, who is now based in Vancouver.

“One of the lessons I learned early on was to understand what is valued in an organization, focus on that and then use the credibility earned to drive change,” she says. “I made many mistakes trying to influence when I had not yet earned the credibility.”

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oon after arriving in Canada 10 years ago, Leon Lee picked up a local Chinese-language newspaper and nearly spilled his drink when he read an article reporting evidence of forced organ harvesting back home in China.

“How could I have spent most of my life in China and never known that something like this could be going on there?” says the 35-year-old. “At that moment, I realized how tight of a grip on information the regime in my home country has.”

The topic served as inspiration for his first foray into fi lmmaking, a documentary called Human Harvest: China’s Illegal Organ Trade, which won many prestigious awards, including the Peabody Award in 2014 — the first Canadian to win it in 10 years.

Lee has since released The Bleeding Edge starring the reigning Miss World Canada, Anastasia Lin, who was barred from attending the pageant finals in China, because of her outspoken criticism of human rights violations in the country.

Lee aims to be a voice for the voiceless through his Vancouver-based Flying Cloud production company. He says being Canadian means having the freedom to speak the

Part of the change she is making happen today is around diversity in the corporate world. “I am so privileged to be able to use my position to make the case for inclusiveness and get it onto board and CEO agendas as a business issue,” she says. “We still have lots of work to do, but it’s fun and invigorating.”

She also shares her expertise in many volunteer roles for business, immigrant and women’s organizations, including as an executive and governor with B.C. Business Council, a board member with Immigrant Employment Council of B.C., and as co-chair of the International Women’s Forum Canada’s committee on sponsorship of women to leadership roles. She also mentors emerging female leaders via the WXNWisdom Top 100 Mentoring program.

For her leadership and commitment to giving back, she has been recognized many times over, including as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100.

“I love Canada,” she says. “I believe, with leadership, we have the opportunity to create an inclusive society that leverages the diverse talents of men and women, immigrants, minorities and others to innovate and to lead globally.”

truth without fear of putting himself or his family in danger. “I hope to illuminate crucial information for a worldwide audience so people can live better lives, safe from tyranny.”

But even in Canada — a land of opportunities as he calls it — Lee found it difficult to adjust initially.

“My biggest challenge was to understand the Western culture, their humour, their references.” he says. “I overcame that by asking Westerners lots of questions and listening carefully to not what they explained to me, but the way they spoke and how they acted.

It was very helpful and something I’ve never stopped doing.”

To other newcomers as well as the emerging fi lmmakers he mentors, Lee says, “Set a goal, persevere and you will succeed.”

As for his own goals, he is busy working on new fi lm projects. “Each new fi lm is a whole new adventure as an independent fi lmmaker,” he says. “Spurred on by peoples’ genuine emotion and high esteem for Human Harvest and The Bleeding Edge, I’m in various stages of production on a slate of new stories, all of them nail-biting tales.”

Fiona Macfarlane Inclusion advocate

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Mina Mawani

Transformative leader

R

enan Orquiza has only been in Canada for three years, but he has already had a big impact on his community of Mississauga.

An engineer and environmental activist hailing from the Philippines, he was so grateful to Career Edge, the Ontario nonprofit organization that helped him land his dream job within four months, he immediately looked for ways to give back.

“I was able to get my foot in the door within the professional engineering industry here in Ontario quickly,” says Orquiza, who relicensed as a professional engineer (P.Eng) in a year. “It showed me the importance of being involved and connected with various organizations.”

An environmental project manager for geo-environmental consulting firm Watters Environmental Group, Orquiza started volunteering at the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) Mississauga Chapter as a committee member. He helped facilitate events, such as a bridge building competition for high school students, and, in early 2015, he was elected to become one of the executive board members and is currently the environmental committee chair.

The 30-year-old also serves as the event

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hen an organization is going through a transformation and needs to manage change, Mina Mawani is the type of leader you want in charge.

“A consistent theme throughout my career has been my relentless focus on helping organizations in transition,” says Mawani, currently the president and CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada in Toronto. “Through a number of leadership roles, I have helped non-profits, hospitals and government navigate massive change, improve their capacity, secure sustainable funding, and develop strong visions and strategies.”

Her resumé reads like a Who’s Who of leadership: she was president and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation, chief development officer and executive committee member at Civic Action, and CEO of the Aga Khan Council for Canada.

When leading the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Mawani championed efforts to help Canada eradicate the sex trafficking of women and girls. At the Aga Khan Council, she contributed to the successful planning of a new Ismaili Centre and Museum in Toronto. Now, leading Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, Mawani is deeply engaged in finding cures and improving the lives for the nearly 250,000

ambassador for the Credit Valley Conservation Authority, where he liaises with the public on matters of conservation.

Additionally, Orquiza volunteers his time as a mentor for no less than three organizations: the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, Humber College and the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers.

“I have always been passionate about sharing my experiences and knowledge with people in need,” he says. Even though he is mentoring others, he realizes that he, too, is learning and growing through the experience.

For his dedication to community service, he was honoured with a Newcomer Gem Volunteer Award in 2014 — one year almost exactly from his arrival.

“This is just the beginning of my journey in Canada,” he says. “I would like my career to continuously prosper and hopefully be geared toward becoming a partner or owner of an organization that can provide jobs to others.

“Hopefully, I will also be able to influence others, especially my kids [he has a two-yearold daughter, Isabella, with his wife, Lowie] to contribute to society and the environment as well.”

Canadians affected by these chronic diseases.

“Living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can significantly impact one’s quality of life, and I have personally witnessed this in people who are very dear to me. I am honoured to lead this organization,” she says.

Mawani says her empathetic and transformative leadership style stems from her own immigration history; she and her family were among the thousands of South Asians expelled from Uganda by the country’s then president, Idi Amin, in the 1970s.

“My early years as a refugee shaped my determination to become an empathetic and inspiring leader who is deeply committed to helping others,” she says. “My family was sent to a refugee camp in Vienna, Austria, and spent one year there before being granted residency in Canada. These early struggles ignited a passion to give back to others.”

To this end, the mom of two also devotes her expertise to several non-profit boards, including those of Women’s College Hospital, Seneca College, Pine River Institute, Research Canada and International Women’s Forum Canada.

It should come as no surprise then that Mawani was recognized by Bold Vision as one of the most influential women leaders and visionaries in Canada.

Renan Orquiza

Engineer with influence

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hen you see a used car salesman in a fi lm or TV show, the depiction is usually less than flattering. That negative stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth for Nasser Rad, CEO and president of Autorama, a preowned car dealership consistently voted the best in Toronto.

“When I started Autorama, I wanted to be different and pioneered many great and positive changes in the industry,” says Rad. “Now I am at point in my life that I would like to inspire my two sons, my employees and those who look up to me. I want them to understand that honesty and integrity are keys to success.”

Rad’s story, which started in Iran, is definitely an inspiring one. He had actually studied pharmacy at the University of Tehran, but fled to Canada as a refugee in 1991.

He started post-secondary studies in science again, but too many barriers, including difficulties in financing his education, led him to change his course.

“Basically, I took a detour when I came to a roadblock,” Rad says.

Always passionate about cars, that detour saw him graduate with a certificate in used

Nasser Rad King of cars

H

arjit Sajjan became the minister of national defence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet with valiant credentials for the job of defending our country. He knows what it’s like to be on the ground protecting Canada’s safety, both overseas with the Canadian Forces and right here in his neighbourhood with the Vancouver Police gang crime unit.

Indian-born Sajjan started his life in Canada 40 years ago at the age of five. His dad worked in a sawmill, and, during the summer months, Sajjan, along with his sister and mother, would catch a van picking up immigrants to go berry-picking at local farms, from morning to night.

“I hated it,” he said in an interview with Maclean’s. But he recognized how hard his parents worked and was grateful for the privilege of being Canadian.

In 1989, he decided to join the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own) as a trooper. He was commissioned in 1991, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was deployed overseas four times in the course of his career: once to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three times to Afghanistan.

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He admits he faced overt racism, particularly in the early days of training, but he went on to become the first Sikh to command a Canadian army regiment. And when his Sikh beliefs requiring facial hair prevented him from using regular military gas masks, the innovative Sajjan invented his own gas mask and patented it in 1996!

His diverse background has, in fact, been advantageous as a soldier. While deployed in Afghanistan, Sajjan’s ability to extract information from local populations while building trust was a big asset and something that he has attributed to the Canadian military’s openness to turbans.

He has received numerous recognitions for his service, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Order of Military Merit and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, but he’s quick to credit the team effort behind his achievements, even today as member of Parliament for Vancouver South and cabinet minister.

“When you are the government or minister, you don’t work alone. We have a tremendous civil service and military who are exceptionally capable. In National Defence, we work as a team.”

car sales and management from Wye Management’s Automotive Career Centre and Georgian College’s Automotive Business School of Canada. He then started working at a few dealerships, but soon realized that the used car industry needed a lot of changes. He had a vision for a new type of dealership, and Autorama was born in 2001.

It started as a small operation with one employee and minimum inventory. Today, Autorama is one of the largest preowned car dealerships in Toronto with more than 50,000 square feet of indoor showroom showcasing more than 200 high-quality cars at a time. The business has more than $20 million in annual sales.

Giving back to the community has also always been part of what Autorama does. In 2015, Rad and his team initiated the Care to Share – Free Car for People in Need program.

“We provide free cars to individuals and families who are not able to find or continue their employment due to not having a car,” he explains. “Having a free car changes their life and their perspective to life. We make a difference one car at a time and I would like to continue to do so!”

Minister Harjit Sajjan Intrepid veteran

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Fred Farhad Soofi

Restaurateur with heart

K

umaran Thillainadarajah came to Canada from Sri Lanka as an 18-year-old to study at the University of New Brunswick.

Five short years later, he was CEO of the Fredericton, New Brunswick-based startup, Smart Skin Technologies.

Smart Skin is a cutting-edge pressuresensitive skin technology that can be used with a variety of applications. He designed the technology while still a university student for use as a prosthetic glove or touch sensor for prosthetics. Since then, several other commercial markets for the technology were identified, most importantly the huge industrial packaging market, where the company now devotes its attention.

Moving from student research to a viable business all started when he won the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation Breakthru Competition in 2009. Not only did he take home the $50,000 prize, the accomplishment landed Smart Skin in the limelight, he says.

“A lot of people in the community reached out to us after and helped me get my company started,” he says. He successfully raised $6 million to fund the development and commercialization of the technology.

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nter Fred Farhad Soofi’s Pasta Polo restaurant in Coquitlam, B.C., and you’ll be met with the rich aromas of fresh, Italian cooking. Soofi has mastered the delicious flavours of the Mediterranean, although he comes from a country that’s a little more eastward — Iran.

Soofi first landed in Saskatchewan in 1974 at the age of 22. He started working in restaurants to pay for his university education.

But the restaurant business took hold, and, by 1981, he became chef of Lucci’s restaurant in Saskatoon and then reinvented Regina’s only French restaurant, Le Papillon.

He set out to own his own business, however, and eventually had a small empire of Italian restaurants called Alfredo’s. Soofi paid his good fortune forward by giving back to his community, volunteering with Amnesty International, food banks and refugee coalitions. In 1998, Soofi donated a five-storey office complex to South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre.

His success and good works continued after he moved to British Columbia in 2001, with his wife, Mary, and daughter, Shireen.

His two restaurants, Pasta Polo and Club Ilia at Simon Fraser’s UniverCity, are known

Now the company employs 15 full-time employees — 12 in Canada, two in the U.S.A. and one in Germany — and it has generated interest in New Brunswick’s technology industry abroad. He was recognized in July 2015 at the New Brunswick Export Awards as the Emerging Exporter of the Year. And, in February 2016, he was featured in Canadian Business magazine as a change agent in the business world.

Thillainadarajah aims to build “a worldclass company that is innovative and tackles challenges [that] have not been solved by anyone in the world.”

He is humble about his achievements so far, however. “The company has a lot of potential, but a very long way to go. The more we accomplish, the more it becomes apparent we are just getting started,” he says.

Meanwhile, the now-30-year-old gives back to the community by promoting careers in science, technology and entrepreneurship to local Fredericton youth by sharing his own experiences. Now well settled into his Canadian life, he has this advice for those just arriving: be open to both sharing and learning new perspectives.

for fresh, locally sourced organic meals. He also quickly became an important community leader in the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam).

He has served as past director of the TriCities Chamber of Commerce, and has volunteered with many local non-profits. Soofi even made a run for Coquitlam City Council, with items like affordable housing and heritage preservation key to his platform.

Although he lost the election in a tight race, he continues to advocate on important civic issues. “In B.C., affordable housing is becoming a huge challenge especially for seniors,” he says. “I have an agreement for purchasing land and building a 55-unit affordable apartment for seniors in need.”

At 66 years old, some might wonder why Soofi doesn’t focus more on planning a restful retirement than taking on such a big new project.

“The average life for a man in Canada is 80 years, so I probably have 14 years in this world (maybe shorter or maybe longer). I ask myself every day, when I die, how will the community and people who work for me remember me? A businessman who died a millionaire? Or a businessman who contributed and helped his community?”

Kumaran Thillainadarajah Atlantic innovator

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July 2016

23

I

f YoYo Ma invites you to perform with him, you can be certain that there’s a reason for it. For pianist Avan Yu, the reason is he’s just that good.

Hong Kong-born Yu was only 16 when the famed cellist noticed him. That was already two years after he achieved international recognition when he triumphed at the Sydney International Piano Competition in 2012, winning fi rst prize along with nine special awards. He is also the youngest competitor ever to win the Canadian Chopin Competition at the age of 17.

Yu credits his success in part to his early immigration to Canada at the age of 10.

“In Hong Kong, I spent most of the day at school. The school bus picked me up at 6:30 a.m. every school day so that we would beat the traffic jam. After school, I would spend a few hours doing homework. There was not much time for piano playing,” he says.

“In Vancouver, by comparison, I had much more time to play the piano, which was crucial to discovering and developing my love for music.”

He adds that his overall transition to his new life in Canada was rather smooth. “I

Avan Yu

Piano prodigy

Bridge Delivery for International Medical Graduates

was still very young and easily adaptable.

The biggest challenge was understanding the teacher’s instructions in English in the fi rst few months.”

Although initially aspiring to be an astronaut while growing up in Canada, his ideas changed after opportune meetings with several important musical mentors.

He was noticed by Pinchas Zukerman and Bramwell Tovey who invited him to perform with their respective orchestras, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Since then, he has performed extensively throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, at venues such as the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Salle Cortot in Paris and the Sydney Opera House.

The life of a pianist is defi nitely a global adventure. “A travelling musician’s life is always in motion,” he says. “Changes and adventures are part of my life!”

But one thing remains the same, no matter which stage he’s on: “I want to inspire people through the power of music,” says Yu.

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Continuing your medical career in Canada

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July 2016

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Join the Booming Healthcare Industry

Félix Zogning

Professor of possibilities

B

eing a citizen of a diverse and multicultural country means different things to different people. For Félix Zogning, being Canadian means belonging to a large and strong family.

“It is having a horizon of possibilities,” the 34-year-old accounting professor says.

Zogning was fortunate that his “horizon of possibilities” included a relatively smooth transition into Canadian culture when he arrived in Quebec from his native Cameroon in 2007 as a student.

He became a university professor less than four years later at the same university.

“When I got my fi rst job after just five minutes of discussion with the boss, I understood that I can succeed in Canada if I am hardworking, ambitious and pragmatic,” he says.

Those same traits have also supported his commitment to helping others. Zogning has helped dozens of new Canadians start successful businesses in his role as executive director for the Centre for Business People from Cultural Communities of Quebec. He provides these entrepreneurs with tools to manage their businesses, offering them the opportunity to start in an incubator. He is very involved in the success of immigrant entrepreneurs, as he believes it’s not only tough to start a business, but it’s even more difficult for immigrants.

Zogning is also active in the larger business community as coordinator of business start-up programs with non-profit IMpacte Aff airs, a consultant for Omnipole Intelligences and head of the economic desk at Radio RCV International. He was also proud to represent Canada at the most recent summit for the International Federation of Francophone Accountants.

When he isn’t teaching or sharing his time and talent with volunteer organizations, he acts as an advocate for cultural diversity.

Zogning serves as a board member for Montreal’s Vues d’Afrique, the largest African fi lm festival outside the continent.

Zogning has certainly made the most of his possibilities in Canada. And he provides these words of advice for newcomers who want to do the same: “Have tolerance as a base, work as principle and progress as a goal.” twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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July 2016

25

“

With this new batch of 25 winners, we have now recognized a total of 200 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants since we launched these awards in 2009! It’s amazing to see the perseverance, commitment and talent immigrants bring to this country, and this year’s winners are exceptional examples of this.”

— Sanjay Agnihotri, co-publisher, Canadian Immigrant magazine

“

“

RBC is proud to present the RBC Entrepreneur Award, which celebrates the positive contribution that immigrant entrepreneurs and their businesses are making to Canada. We’d like to congratulate our 2016 winner, Christians Izquierdo, who is an exceptional example of this!”

— Sarah Adams, vice-president, small business, RBC

Every winner that we are celebrating today is because someone had big dreams. Those dreams didn’t end just because they packed a suitcase and arrived in Canada. It was only the beginning. Being recognized as an RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant is a moment to reflect on the journey of patience, persistence and determination.

I’m proud to say that RBC has been helping newcomers to Canada for more than 145 years and we will continue to do so for many years to come.”

— Christine Shisler, senior director, multicultural markets, RBC

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INTEGRATION

NEWCOMERS’ GUIDE TO

CANADIAN etiquette What you need to know about workplace and social customs in Canada

By Elizabeth Backman

L

aying the foundation to the start of a life in Canada can be exciting, but you may definitely feel like a stranger in a foreign land as you learn about the different customs

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and unwritten rules of etiquette. Having knowledge of Canadian etiquette in business and social situations, however, is more than just about good manners; it will help you make

connections in your new home with neighbours, colleagues and peers. You will appear confident and knowledgeable about norms in your new country, putting yourself and others at ease!

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July 2016

27

THE BUSINESS LUNCH

A

business lunch is never just lunch.

Many business decisions are made over a meal. Nervous about rules around eating and drinking in a professional setting? Here are some dos and don’ts for a successful business lunch, whether it’s with a client, colleague or potential employer.

• Choose a restaurant or location that is convenient for both of you.

• Make reservations.

• Confirm with both the restaurant and

your lunch date a couple of days before.

• Arrive earlier and wait for your party before you take your seat.

• Food

is not a priority here; do not experiment on a new or messy dish such as lobster. Order something simple, light and easy to eat.

• Make

your client or colleague feel comfortable to indulge in a cocktail or wine, but refrain if they decide to pass. If you’re meeting with a potential

employer, don’t drink.

• Wait on the topic of business until you

have ordered. Engage in small talk first.

This is the opportunity to get to know them, to build trust and improve your relationship.

• No cell phones on the table; do not text or even glance at your phone.

• Be mindful of your cutlery; work your

way from outside in toward your dish.

Butter dish is on the left and drinks are on the right.

• Put your napkin on your lap, and do not point or gesture with your cutlery. Chew with your mouth closed and no talking with your mouth full. Use your best table manners!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

P

art of being in a new country is meeting new people all the time. So make sure you present yourself well and make a good first impression. Here are some simple things to consider to stand out in any scenario, personal or professional.

• Wear clean and tidy clothing. Buy pieces that co-ordinate with each other, and easily mix and match.

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• Wear clothes that are the right size and style for your body, and suitable for the occasion.

• Clean, shined shoes are a must.

• Always be groomed properly, and have clean nails, neat hair and appropriate makeup.

• Eye contact is valued in Canada as a sign of paying attention, focusing and showing respect.

• Have good posture and stand straight during introductions and when shaking hands.

• Be aware of your non-verbal cues such as body language and facial expressions. Make an effort to smile!

• Be attentive to your choice of words by being positive and supportive.

• Be courteous and respectful to others and yourself.

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INTEGRATION

THE JOB INTERVIEW

T

here is no mystery to job interviews, yet they can be extremely stressful to the interviewee.

To ease your anxiety, know the basic rules and soft skills that employers will be expecting from you.

Before the interview

• Know

some background on the company.

Check out and read up about the operation on their website to get a feeling for the company and their products and/or services. Refer to the job description to review the skills being sought and how you can fulfi ll them.

• Prepare what you will wear for the interview.

Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed, and your shoes are polished. Most likely you will want to wear business or business casual attire. Some industries, like banking, have more formal standards of dress than more creative fields, for example.

• Grooming

is essential and hair should be trimmed and styled. But no cologne or perfume. If you smoke, beware of your last cigarette, as the smell will travel with you.

• Always arrive early. Map out how you will get there and give

• Within a day or two, you can send a thank-you card or email

to the interviewer, thanking them for considering you for the position. >>

extra time in case of traffic. Bring the phone number with you; if you are running late, then call and let them know.

At the interview

• Smile and always be polite to everyone no matter who they are.

• No cell phones turned on or in sight. No talking on the phone or texting while in the waiting room either.

• When the interviewer comes to get you, stand straight and look them in the eyes, acknowledge them and shake hands.

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• Practise good eye contact; be aware of your gestures and of your facial and body language.

• Have a copy of your resumé, a list of references ready, samples

of work if appropriate for your industry and a note pad in case you must jot something down.

• No chewing gum.

• Don’t cross your arms or slouch in the chair. Keep an open posture.

• Remember they are there to get to know you. Answer questions

in full sentences, honestly and openly. Prepare some examples or stories that show your strengths.

• Come ready with some questions to ask the interviewer at the

end about the job and the company’s needs. But never ask about salary, vacation time or other benefits in the first interview.

• At the conclusion of the interview, tell the interviewer that you

are very interested in the job. You can ask if they know when the organization will be making a decision. Thank them for seeing you and shake hands before you depart.

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“DIVERSEcity really helped make my job search successful.

Special thanks for inspiring me and helping me in regaining back my confidence.”

— Juliet (Originally from India, Employment Services Client) Connect with us on Social Media:

@DIVERSEcityBC

DIVERSEcityBC

Diversecity

DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society 13455 76 Ave. Surrey, BC V3W 2W3 Employment Services 604-547-1359 Connecting new Canadians with Jobs www.dcrs.ca/jobs canadianimmigrant.ca

July 2016

29

SOCIAL LIFE AND CASUAL SITUATIONS

W

hen integrating into Canada at the social, in addition to the business, level, you may find that there are many differences in how Canadians interact as neighbours and friends compared to your home country.

Here are some basic points to note about social norms in Canada.

• In general, Canadians are known to be

polite, friendly and honest, but not too direct or blunt.

• Canadians

respect privacy and often promote individualism.

• People are more casual when it comes

to interacting with others from different generations or professions that are often held in esteem.

• Personal space is about an arm’s length. • Acceptable formalities for eating in public include using cutlery properly, and • Shaking hands is done rather firmly no burping, loud chewing or slurping. when meeting someone.

• Eye contact is important to show respect, • People are on time for appointments as sincerity, attention and focus.

the appointed time is not a suggestion.

• They accept their children to be more • There is gender equality in social settings • As in any country, there are many expressions or idioms specific to Canada open in their thinking and with their and business.

interactions.

• Freedom

of religion is important, but considered a private matter mostly.

• People are not afraid to speak publicly on controversial issues. Topics such as religion, sex, finances and politics are often avoided, however.

• People don’t normally barter or bargain at stores. Negotiating price for big-ticket purchases like a car is more common, however.

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@JobHouseCA July 2016

and even to each province. When uncertain as to how the turn of a phrase or use of a word fits into what was said or written, don’t be shy to ask for an explanation.

SMARTPHONE USE

I

n Canada, there are more than 26 million users of cell phones, which is a majority of the population. With these kinds of statistics, it is important to take note of acceptable and appropriate cell phone behaviour.

• Always try to find a more appropriate place to talk if you are in public, with a crowd or group of people. Your conversation is really not interesting to others, especially if you are talking about personal information.

• Consider your environment and adjust your volume accordingly.

If in a business setting, try to use an appropriate ringtone.

• If you are dining and need to take or make a call, consider leaving the table to find a more suitable area to continue your conversation.

• Be courteous to those around you and use speakerphone only

at home or in your own office. If need be, let the person know they are on speaker, especially if there are others in the room listening.

• Don’t text while in a meeting or conversation. If it is something

urgent, excuse yourself and reply. There is nothing more disrespectful than trading the attention of a friend or colleague to a piece of equipment.

• And

no to texting and calling people on your cell while driving without a hands-free device. This one is not a matter of politeness, manners or etiquette; it is about everyone’s safety!

• Same goes for walking and texting. Bumping into something or someone is not only rude, but could be dangerous; there have been cases of pedestrians dying in accidents caused by texting.

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INTEGRATION

THE PROFESSIONAL EMAIL

E

mails have become the way we communicate these days.

But there are etiquette standards around emails, too.

• The layout of a professional email is similar to a business letter. You have your greeting, your body of the letter and your salutation.

• Use a relevant subject line.

• Don’t use urgent or important. If it is that important, call the person.

• Use “Hello” or possibly “Hi+ the person’s name.” Always consider your relationship with that person; err on the side of being more formal if in doubt. Never use “Hey!”

• Always use correct vocabulary, grammar and punctuation.

• Using all capital letters is equivalent to screaming.

• In a professional email, emojis or emoticons are not appropriate.

• Close by suggesting what you expect the recipient to do next: “I look forward to hearing back from you.” “If you have further questions, please contact me.”

• Use a closing line and then your name, even if you have an automatic signature, too.

• Your automatic signature should contain your full name, title

and essential contact information. Keep it short so people do not have to keep scrolling down on their devices to see the next message.

• If you are unable to fully reply to an email right away, which should be within 48 hours, send an email with a quick note that you will get back to them shortly with the appropriate answers.

• In contrast to email, texting can be more informal, but always remain professional if texting with a colleague or client.

Elizabeth Backman is the owner of Pro Etiquette in Victoria and Vancouver, offering regular in-house training, professional development days, speaking engagements, as well as private and individually tailored sessions. See elizabethbackman.com. twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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July 2016

31

Immigrant SETTLEMENT GUIDE For getting your listing included, please call Ricky Bajaj at 416-856-6304 or Johnny Zhang at 416-803-3931

2016

Agency

General Services and Specialty Programs

Brampton Multicultural Centre (BMC)

Not for profit, registered charity providing multilingual and culturally appropriate programs and services for free to help clients enhance their community engagement and social capital while integrating into the Canadian society. Programs: Programs and services include Settlement support , employment readiness workshops, enhancing immigrant community connections through schools and libraries, advocacy and solution-focused counselling, interpretation and translation, volunteer and placement opportunities, mental health support services, seniors and women abuse and engagement services. A unique portfolio of youth programming is also available such as: Youth leadership development, life skills coaching, client-centred counselling, paid internships at various workplaces, gang prevention workshops, one-on-one intervention meetings based on individualized work plans.

Email: services@bmccentre.org www.bmccentre.org

• • • • • •

Find out how to: get the skills you need to find work, including: work experience, resume help, interview techniques, entrepreneurial options and more. We offer: Job Search Workshops Program, Job Find Club for Internationally Trained Individuals, Bridge to HR, Practice Firm, SelfEmployment Pathways for Newcomer and Employment Ontario Employment Services.

Email: info@jobskills.org www.jobskills.org

• English

RISE Program: provide community based, client-centred and holistic supports; mobile case management services for newcomers with mental health challenges within the city of Toronto area; assistance with navigating through the health care, housing, financial, education and employment systems for newcomers with special needs. Specialty Programs: Individual case management support; Information sessions on settlement and mental health related topics; Social recreation activities; Volunteer opportunities; English conversation café; Computer classes; Preparation for citizenship test classes.

Email: rise@madisoncs.org madisoncs.org

• • • •

English Arabic Farsi Amharic

Settlement Services, LINC Classes (level 1-6) with child minding, Counseling, Job search, Citizenship & Immigration, Groups for Youth, Seniors & Women and Volunteering. Specialty Programs: Bridge Training Program for International Mental Health Professionals, Community Engagement Program, Community Mental health Program and Anger management.

Additional locations at Scarborough and Toronto.

Email: northyork@mnlct.org www.mnlct.org

• • • • •

English Spanish Mandarin Bengali Turkish

General services and specialty program: Help small and medium business from starting business with business plans for success: business registration; business planning; corporate problem solving; corporate culture tutoring; legal, politics and social requirements service and assistance for government funding application.

Specialty program: business guide in Canada and Asia countries;enterprise assistant program; free tax services for new comers and seniors.

Email: info@sbsccanada orgwww.sbsccanada.org

• English

Community services for cultural and recreational activities, including classic poetry recitation events and Chinese traditional music concerts, with funds collected from its own members; supports for seniors groups for cultural and recreational activities; promotions for cultural exchange with the main stream society and many minorities’ cultural groups.

Email: thomas@nahst.org www.nahst.org

• English • Mandarin • Cantonese

Settlement Services: assist immigrants to integrate and become established and contributing members of Canadian society. English Language Classes are instructor-led, and supported by a computer lab. Job-specific, advanced-level Enhanced Language Training available. Supports to assist in developing the skills needed to find work: resumé/cover letter preparation, interview readiness and information about accreditation, workplace practices, Canadian employer expectations. Other services available (interpretation services are provided at no cost) Email: info@welcomecentre.ca www.welcomecentre.ca

• English

197 County Court Blvd.

Suite 303 Brampton ON L6W 4P6 Phone: 905-790-8482 Fax: 905-874-6100

Job Skills Employment & Business Programs & Supports Locations in Markham, Brampton, Keswick and Newmarket Phone: 1-866-592-6278 Madison Community Services Recovery during Immigration & Settlement (RISE) Program – funded by CIC. 400-210 Dundas St. W Toronto, On M5G 2E8 Phone: 416-977-1333 x 119 madisoncs.org/programsservices/cic-rise-program/ Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto 2737 Keele Street North York ON M3M 2E9 Phone: 647-776-2057 Multinational Small & Medium Business Community Center (MSMBCC) 211 Consumers Road, Suite 300, North York, M2J 4G8 Phone: 647-343-8288 The National Association of Humanity Science and Technology (NAHST) 4675 Steeles Ave. E Unit 2D22 Toronto On M1V 4S5 Or: 3-2375 Brimley Rd. Unit 351 Toronto ON M1S 3L6 Welcome Centre Immigrant Services 7 Locations in York and Durham Regions Phone: 1-877-761-1155

32

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July 2016

Languages

English • Arabic Farsi • French Gujarati • Hindi Punjabi • Spanish Tamil • Urdu Tagalog (Filipino)

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BRING LIFE TO LEARNING

ARCHITECTURAL

TECHNOLOGY

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One of over 250 programs waiting to be discovered.

Apply at centennialcollege.ca canadianimmigrant.ca July 2016 33

DRIVING

Brought to you by

Leasing vs. financing How should you pay for your new car?

I

f you’re in the market for a new car and you found a make and model you like — maybe a new Buick Enclave? — the next question inevitably is: should I lease or should I buy?

Choosing the best way to pay for your new vehicle can be a difficult decision, as both options have benefits. Leasing offers great flexibility, while financing offers long-term financial savings, but which one is right for you?

The answer lies in how you respond to the following five questions: 1. Do you like to keep your car for as long as possible, or do you like getting a new model every few years?

2 Do you like the security of driving a car under warranty?

3. How many kilometres do you typically drive in a year?

4. Would you rather pay a lower monthly payment indefinitely, or pay more for a few years with the goal of eventually having no monthly payment?

5. Are you self-employed and/or have a car expense account?

If you …

• • • • •

like driving a new model every few years prefer having a warranty drive mostly locally don’t mind having a monthly payment can expense the payment with your company or use the payment as a selfemployment deduction on your income taxes

… then leasing would be a good option.

be under warranty; it will rarely need more than just routine maintenance. And if the car no longer meets your needs once the lease term is up (say you’ve started a family and need more space!), you can then easily choose another type of car.

Depending on your credit, leasing requires making a relatively small down payment, followed by monthly payments for the term of the lease. There are limits on mileage, however, so for heavy drivers with long commutes, let’s look at the financing option.

So, if you …

Leasing provides you with the opportunity to drive the latest models for a lower monthly payment than financing. You can also experience a more luxurious model if desired, since leasing allows you to get into a nicer vehicle for the same price as purchasing a more modest car.

You will also feel secure that the car will

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July 2016

• drive more than 20,000 or so kilometres a year • like to hold on to your cars for as long as possible and get emotionally attached • don’t mind paying more higher monthly payments for a few years so that you will eventually have no car payment for the

remainder of the car’s life … then financing might be a better option for you.

If you’re buying, it is important to establish how much of a down payment you will be using. A larger down payment will reduce the amount you will be paying over your term (i.e., monthly payments for 48 months).

Be sure to carefully consider the interest rate that is being offered and calculate the total cost of borrowing. Having a good credit rating can impact the interest rate you are able to secure.

Then, crunch the numbers to get the repayment schedule and term to fit into your budget and lifestyle. The good news is that once the monthly payments are complete, you own the vehicle outright. You can then sell it or drive it for many more years with no monthly payment. facebook.com/canimmigrant

A D V E RT I S I N G

A Passion for Education After a highly successful career in marketing management, most recently managing a division with over $250 million dollars in annual sales, Mark Estrada was looking for something that was more fulfilling.

“My mom was my biggest inspiration as a child. She was such a selfless and giving woman and I was missing a sense of purpose in my career. I want to make a difference.

I want to make my mom proud.”

Mark’s mother Judy in 1970, working in London

Mark’s mother, Judy, immigrated to Canada in 1973 with the goal of pursuing a career in nursing. But like many immigrants, Judy’s dreams of a better life were put on hold. It was not until shortly after Mark was born in 1983, that Judy, now a single mom to two young boys, decided to pursue her dreams.

Burning the candle at both ends, the young mother worked days as a Health Care Aide and evenings studying to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). After obtaining her LPN license, Judy continued to work hard, holding down three jobs. “We grew up in a modest apartment, nothing fancy,” Mark recalls.

“My mom worked so hard, and made so many sacrifices for me and my brother. I love her for that.’”

Mark’s mother was a strong believer in the power of education, and urged him to pursue higher education. In 2005, Mark graduated from BCIT with a Diploma in Marketing and is currently working towards a Bachelor of Commerce from Thompson Rivers University.

Mark’s ultimate goal was always to become an educator and for this reason, he chose to work at Stenberg College. “At Stenberg, I love that I’m helping people like my mom improve their lives and the lives of their families.”

It was Mark’s passion for education and helping others, that led him create the CareerConnect program at Stenberg College. “There is a real demand for career assistance for immigrants who are unskilled/under-skilled or stuck in minimum wage jobs.”

Speaking of a former student who inspired him, Mark recalls Maricar Smith, a 2009 Education Assistant graduate, “Like many immigrants from the Philippines, Maricar worked in the fast-food industry,” Mark explains. “She always dreamed

“Whenever I meet an immigrant at a Stenberg College information session, I think about my mom. And when they talk about wanting a better life for their children, it’s kind of about me …

I’m hugely invested in this program and in supporting and assisting people’s success.”

she would do something else but she lacked confidence, and spent 16 years working in fastfood. Then she came to Stenberg and became an Education Assistant. Not only did she get a job right away but Maricar grew as a person and, as she explains, ‘became a better wife and a better mom.’ That is why I love working at Stenberg College. And that is why I created the Career Connect program.”

Verlynn Mariano and Mark Estrada, CareerConnect instructors

Career Connect is designed to help recent immigrants (within the last 5 years) enhance their employability skills within Canada. It is a free, 8-week course designed for new Canadians who are looking to obtain or upgrade employment. At the end of the program, participants will receive a Stenberg College certificate and will develop a set of skills and strategies that will guide their future success.

“Whenever I meet an immigrant at a Stenberg College information session, I think about my mom. And when they talk about wanting a better life for their children, it’s kind of about me … I’m hugely invested in this program and in supporting and assisting people’s success.”

“There is a real demand for career assistance for immigrants who are unskilled/under-skilled or stuck in minimum wage jobs.”

If you know someone who might benefit from the free Career Connect program, offered at our campus in Surrey, BC, please have them contact Mark Estrada, Manager of Community Relations at 604-634-2485 or by email: communityrelations@stenbergcollege.com.

Mark and his mother Judy in 1987

CareerConnect

Employability Skills for New Canadians

We can help you succeed in Canada Stenberg College is offering a two-month FREE Certificate program at our campus in Surrey, BC that is designed to enhance the employability skills of new Canadians and help them to succeed. stenbergcollege.com Community Relations Department: 604-634-2485

OUR GRADS ARE OUR DIFFERENCE

STENBERGCOLLEGE.COM · 604-580-2772 · TOLL FREE: 1-866-580-2772

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