MARCH 2017 | FREE
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ARRIVE. SUCCEED. INSPIRE.
DIVERSE TECH
Publications mail agreement number 40011993
The DMZ’s ABDULLAH SNOBAR and more Canadian technology leaders show immigrants really do drive innovation
Ambitious, female and an immigrant:
IQRA KHALID TELLS ALL
John McCallum’s best and worst moments as IMMIGRATION MINISTER
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CONTENTS 4
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PROFILE: Movie special effects artist Pankaj Brijlani CANSPEAK: Words, expressions and sayings NATIONAL BRIEFS
COVER STORY
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As the U.S. tech sector blasts the recent travel bans, Canadian immigrants show how diversity benefits technological innovation
17 MULTICULTURAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE AND FAIR Here’s what’s happening at the Vancouver event on March 25
above Singaporean-born June Chen is founder of Tiny Pixels Technologies Inc. in Vancouver.
18 WOMEN
Immigrant lawyer and politician Iqra Khalid on being ambitious, ethno-cultural and female in Canada
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20 CAREERS AND EDUCATION
CAREER COACH: Get the most out of your mentor JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES: Those tough interview questions
22 CULTURE
Celebrating cherry blossoms
SETTLEMENT
IMMIGRATION LAW: A review of McCallum’s tenure PARENTING: Distracted parenting
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IMMIGRANT SETTLEMENT GUIDE
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BACK PAGE
HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO Cover photo by Saajid Motala
“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
Regulated Immigration Consultant Program Online | In-Class Both formats are available for students studying full-time or part-time.
NATIONAL Online
BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver Abbotsford
(604) 628-5784 / 1(844) 628-5784
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Ashton College www.ashtoncollege.ca
Select programs are eligible for funding under Federal or Provincial Student Loan plans. twitter.com/@canimmigrant
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People. News. Information. VOLUME 14, ISSUE 3 MARCH/APRIL 2017 Group Publishers Gautam Datt Sharma Sanjay Agnihotri
profile
Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com
Pankaj
Brijlani
Editorial Design Terry Lankstead, Anne Nawrocka Courtland Shakespeare Digital Media Developer Kamil Mytnik
Movie magician
Sr. Ad Manager Ricky (Kawaljit) Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170
Baisakhi Roy
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. Entire contents property of Canadian Immigrant.
canadianimmigrant.ca TORONTO 3145 Wolfedale Road, Mississauga Ontario, L5C 3A9 Tel: 905 273 8111, Fax: 905 277 9917
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above Pankaj Brijlani is a talented special effects artist and self-taught photographer.
I
f you plan to watch the latest movie in the X-Men series, Logan, starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, look closely at his claws. Special effects artist Pankaj Brijlani has been working hard with his team on creating those with a little movie magic. And Indian-born Brijlani couldn’t be happier with his career working on Hollywood movies as a compositor (responsible for constructing the fi nal digital image by combining layers of previously created material) with Toronto-based visual effects studio, Soho VFX. You love your job, don’t you? Yes, I love going into work every day. It’s what I always wanted to do and worked very hard for. Were you working in a similar field back in India? I was an editor and motion graphics artist [with Zee TV and the Discovery Channel].
March/April 2017
Did you get a related job after immigrating to Canada in 2008? I got a job at a Toronto television station one week after immigrating. But then you went back to school? I quit because I realized I was working with outdated technology. Before immigrating I had researched all the different schools offering relevant courses, read up school reviews and blogs, got in touch with alumni from these schools on online forums and finally decided to take the plunge. I applied to a nine-month program at Seneca College for their VFX program. I actually missed their deadline, but I sent them my portfolio anyway and they really liked what they saw. What has been one of the most exciting movies you have worked on since joining Soho? I led the matchmoving team [which integrates computer-generated imagery (CGI) VFX into live action footage] on Avengers – Age of Ultron. We did some pretty
cool stuff like creating Captain America’s shield, and the climax scene with the Avengers fighting the robots. Is it a difficult industry to crack? It’s a small, tight-knit industry with only four to five studios working on features (movies). It’s largely by word-of-mouth here. If you are talented, you will be recommended. Any other tips for getting your foot in the door? A strong portfolio that will impress and basic knowledge of the business is crucial to get a break. Enrolling in a program here is highly recommended. Your talents don’t end with special effects. You’re also a photographer and were selected for an art residency program on Pico Island of Portuguese Azores. I’m still fi nding my own voice and style when it comes to photography. I am looking forward to this journey; it might bring out a side in me that I did not know of. It’s exciting. facebook.com/canimmigrant
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FUSION
canspeak...
Words, expressions and sayings In this era of texting and messaging, first impressions are often made through the written, rather than the spoken, word. So avoid these most commonly misspelled English words:
Tomorrow — one M, two Rs Separate — not seperate A lot — not alot All right — alright is often used, but not technically correct Truly — True has an “e,” but truly does not Surprise — not suprise See more words at canadianimmigrant.ca under “Work & Education > Language.”
news
NATIONAL
BRIEFS
National> If you need help doing your taxes, and you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, volunteers from the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program may be able to prepare and fi le your income tax and benefit return for free. These clinics are usually open from February to the end of April every year. To find a clinic near you, go to cra.gc.ca/volunteer. Ontario> The third annual Canadian Immigration Summit 2017 presented by the Conference Board of Canada will discuss innovations that will help build Canada’s future immigration system. Held on May 9-10, at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, don’t miss Canadian Immigrant’s own co-publisher Sanjay Agnihotri speaking as part of a panel discussion on “Partnering for Success.” B.C.> Are you a newcomer in
Bridge Delivery for International Medical Graduates
the Abbotsford area of B.C.? You can learn about the wide variety of free services available in Abbotsford at the Newcomers Fair on April 5, 2017, at the Apollo Multiplex Centre (#203-3600 Townline Rd.). Exhibitors include Abbotsford Community Services, AbbotsfordWORKS, VanCity, University of the Fraser Valley and Service Canada. Atlantic> A new joint federalprovincial program, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, will help local employers bring in skilled immigrants and international student graduates who want to immigrate to New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The pilot program is accepting 2,000 primary applicants and their families in 2017.
info@ccnm.edu www.ccnm.edu
Continuing your medical career in Canada
The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Educating naturopathic doctors for almost 40 years
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COVER STORY
As the U.S. tech sector blasts the recent travel bans because of the important role immigrants play in the industry, Canada is surging forward in innovation with help from a diverse bunch who are founding companies, launching apps, furthering tech education and moving the economy forward By Baisakhi Roy
“C
anadian tech companies understand the power of inclusion and diversity of thought, and that talent and skill know no borders. In choosing to hire, train and mentor the best people in the world, we can build global companies that grow our economy. By embracing diversity, we can drive innovation to benefit the world …” In response to the U.S. travel ban, this excerpt from a recent open letter signed by more than 150 technology companies in Canada — including Shopify, Google Canada, Hootsuite, Kickstarter and BlackBerry among others — proudly mirrors Canada’s policies toward immigrants and refugees — that our strength lies in our diversity. “In order to succeed in North America, you must collaborate with talented individuals on great ideas, regardless of their religious beliefs or where they were born. And, as Canadians, our commitment to fostering an open and inclusive society has been our strength,” says Jordanian-born Abdullah Snobar, executive director of the DMZ, the tech incubator at Ryerson University in Toronto. “We see and experience this every day with our diverse community at DMZ and in the Canadian tech sector. And as a result, we’ve become a more innovative country. And, no matter where you stand on this argument, it’s a fact that diversity is at the core of economic growth,” he adds,
noting that many of the founders and employees at his tech incubator come from countries targeted by Donald Trump’s travel ban. The letter, too, points out that many Canadian tech entrepreneurs are either immigrants or the children of immigrants, employ and/or have been employed by immigrants. “The open letter from the Canadian tech sector proves that you don’t need to be a refugee or an immigrant Muslim like myself to feel the impact of this radical policy,” says Snobar. “You just have to understand that the more a nation marginalizes a group of people, the more socially and economically stagnant it becomes.” And a nation that welcomes diversity will see the opposite result; the dynamic ideas and innovation coming from Canadian immigrants in the tech sector proves the case.
Innovative immigrants Fresh from launching Tiny Pixels Technologies Inc. and Tinypx, a realtime cloud solution that dynamically manages image transformations, speeds up content delivery and improves download performance, Singaporean-born June Chen is the very epitome of determination and innovation among immigrants. “Tiny Pixels is certainly not the first to reinvent cloud and image >>
right Jordanian-born Abdullah Snobar is executive director of the DMZ, the tech incubator at Ryerson University in Toronto. Photo by Saajid Motala
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COVER STORY << processing technologies, but as far as I know we’re the first in Canada to put together the various angles and ideas together in this specific way. Sometimes just improving existing ideas can be just as rewarding,” says Vancouver-based Chen. “And, I think we’ve improved it further somewhat! Today’s competitive marketplace is never easy to navigate, but I think staying relevant and being adaptive will remain an intrinsic part of Tiny Pixels’ success as an innovative technology startup.” Chen is also an excellent example of the adaptability immigrants bring with them. Chen, who left Singapore in her high school years, spent about 10 years moving around various U.S. cities, first as an international student and later as a tech management consultant before moving to Toronto in the mid-2000s to lead a province-wide health system IT implementation for Ontario. “Although one might think that crossing the border from the U.S. to Canada wouldn’t be that big of an adjustment, many people don’t think of the many subtle and distinct differences regionally, culturally and nationally. Constant moves made me acutely aware of how each place was different and needed adapting to, whether in mindset or the way we do things,” says Chen. “My move to Canada also required adapting to public sector management after having been in the private sector for the most part, so it was definitely an interestingly disruptive time. I think it’s this very element of constant change that sums up the motivations I’ve built my career on — seeing things from multiple perspectives and being able to integrate the gaps to not only understand and work with the differences, but turning them into a business advantage,” she says. >> left Singaporean-born June Chen is founder of Tiny Pixels Technologies Inc. in Vancouver.
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L NGUAGE York / Simcoe / Durham SSESSMENT Centres coordinated language assessments and referrals
Are you a newcomer or immigrant who is interested in improving your English? Language Training Providers in your area offer a variety of courses. Full and part time classes are available. Please call to book an appointment for a language assessment.
Toll Free: 1-855-330-8655 Email: ysla@tcet.com | Website: www.tcet.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Language.Assessment.Centre.YSD/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LAC_YSD
Language Assessment Services York / Simcoe / Durham are operated by:
COVER STORY
Immigrants come here with a hunger for education and success, and unparalleled ambition.”
— Abdullah Snobar
and the big companies did not have talent in developing on apps and on mobile; they were looking for local talent and with our education and past work experience, we were just what they needed.”
Tech boom
above Indian-born Samarth Mod is CEO and founder of mobile application development firm FreshWorks in Victoria, B.C. << The ability to adapt and fearlessly tread into lands unknown is also how 28-year-old Samarth Mod, CEO and founder of mobile application development firm FreshWorks, made his foray into the small but dynamic tech hub in Victoria, B.C. It all began when Indian-born Mod connected with tech legend and founder of ChatterBlock (a social networking and content website connecting families with local events) James DeGreef, who was asking for feedback on social media after ChatterBlock launched a mobile app. Mod offered to discuss details about bugs that he found in the application, and the pair ended up working on ChatterBlock’s app for Android devices. Obviously impressed, DeGreef invested in what would become FreshWorks, which Mod co-founded with Rohit Boolchandani. “When Rohit and I moved here and set up our company two-and-a-half years ago, our aim was to bridge the gap between business and technology,” says Mod. “We wanted to offer well-designed software solutions that make processes more efficient. We noticed a huge demand in the public sector for this,
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Mod says that the tech sector in B.C. is exploding. He points to events like the popular #BCTech Summit (which occurred on March 14-15, 2017) that showcased the latest opportunities in diverse areas such as cleantech, eHealth data and aerospace, to show things are looking brighter than ever for techpreneurs. Statistics support this claim. According to the B.C. Stats’ Profile of the British Columbia Technology Sector: 2016 Edition, technology now employs 101,700 people earning a weekly average salary of $1,590 — 75 per cent higher than the average wage in B.C. and higher than the Canadian technology sector average of $1,480 per week. The same report goes on to state that B.C.’s tech sector not only leads the country in terms of job growth, but technology now employs approximately 4.9 per cent of B.C.’s workforce and is the third-largest tech workforce in Canada. In Ontario, too, the tech sector continues to see growth and high employment. The 14,600-plus tech establishments located in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (35 per cent of the nation’s technology businesses) employ about 159,000 people, making it Canada’s centre for technology research and development. “Tech is one of the sectors that is growing steadily — especially the areas of web development and mobile development,” says Tammam “Tam” Kbeili, founder and lead instructor at CodeCore, a software training institute based in Vancouver that offers an intensive in-person training program in professional web development. CodeCore is known for its boot camps — high intensity and fast-paced programs that are designed to get students up to speed with the skills required and into jobs as fast as possible. Kbeili, who came to Canada as an international student from Syria, began his career in web development and built many high traffic websites for startups and larger companies such as Cisco, Citrix, Telus and BMC. But, seeing the growth in the industry, he recognized there was a need for new ways of education and training to meet the demand. “There is a great demand for front end, back end and full stack developers right now. Our placement [of our students] for all position levels — intermediate, senior levels and junior — is at 100 per cent,” says Kbeili.
Shaping the industry Looking to the future, there is a feeling of animated excitement about the role immigrants can play in shaping the future of the tech industry. And the DMZ’s Snobar is one of the first to happily welcome them to Canada and to help those shut out south of the border. “Immigrants come here with a hunger for education and success, and facebook.com/canimmigrant
unparalleled ambition. And Canada reaps the benefits,” says Snobar, who offered startup space for people impacted by Trump’s travel ban. “Their linkages to their native countries help build great global connections and these powerful synergies lead to great innovations.” The tech incubator also made its in-house legal counsel available to help businesses and individuals navigate challenges the ban could create. Canada is now more appealing than ever as a destination for techpreneurs. “One doesn’t usually think of Canada as a hotbed for the latest ‘trendy’ tech, but there are inspiring innovative Canadian tech firms: notables might be e-commerce platforms like Shopify and social media management companies like Hootsuite,” says Chen. “I think part of the fact that U.S. players are starting to come here to Canada is that we have a strong base of tech talent and a spirit of innovation that very much aligns with the same values as our more successful counterparts elsewhere.” An excerpt from the open letter from Canada’s tech leaders sums it up aptly: “The 21st century will be driven by pluralistic economies powered by pluralistic societies …” Canada, with its talented, diverse tech pool, is already leading the way.
above Tam Kbeili, founder and lead instructor at CodeCore in Vancouver, came to Canada as an international student from Syria.
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COVER STORY
Tech sector snapshot Don’t have a startup idea, but want a career in technology? Here are some fast facts about the industry by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), which calls it the “engine of growth in Canada.”
37,000 tech companies in Canada $159.9 billion industry revenues tech companies that are small 86% businesses 531,000 direct jobs jobs in software and computer 54% services jobs in communications 23% services jobs in manufacturing and 19% wholesaling workers who are university 47.2% graduates average annual earnings $72,000
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Must-have apps for immigrants If you’re an immigrant, here are 10 apps — in addition to Facebook, Instragram and Snapchat — to help you find work, learn and connect. Thanks to Samarth Mod, CEO of app developer FreshWorks, for helping us compile this list. 1. WhatsApp: easy and fun group messaging/calling app — essentially a free communication platform to connect with family back home. 2. LinkedIn: essential social media app for job searching and career networking. 3. Meetup: great app for helping you meet people and network in real life; you can even start your own Meetup group. 4. Skype: not just for friends and family, many professionals use Skype for face-to-face virtual meetings. 5. Twitter: show you are so-
cial media savvy and keep up with news. Follow organizations you’d like to work for and mentors from your industry. Don’t forget to retweet and interact, too. 6. Babbel: keep improving your English right on your smartphone with apps from language educators like Babbel, Rosetta Stone or FluentU. 7. Udemy: keep learning with help from this online learning and teaching marketplace with more than 45,000 courses and 15 million students. 8. CamScanner: turn your phone and tablet into a scanner. 9. Medium: a place to read, write and interact with stories important to you. 10. Quora: a question-andanswer site where questions are asked, answered, edited and organized by its community of users.
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Thank you for your Nominations! We received hundreds of truly inspiring nominations for Canadian immigrants who have made a significant impact since their arrival. Now it's your turn to help choose this year's winners.
Voting opens March 30th, 2017
canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25
CANADA 150
BE INSPIRED. GAIN INSIGHT. MAKE CONNECTIONS.
FREE ADMISSION
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Second Annual Event
VANCOUVER
Croatian Cultural Centre • 3250 Commercial Dr.
Doors Open: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tradeshow of Exhibitors • Empowering Lineup of Speakers Networking Opportunities • Fun, Beauty & Fashion • + More As a woman in Canada today, you are busy … working hard to develop your career, achieve success, be a good mother, have strong relationships, be healthy, be happy. Sometimes we just need an opportunity to be inspired, and gain new insights to help us achieve personal and professional success. That’s where the Multicultural Women’s Conference and Fair comes in, bringing Canadian women from all walks of life together to empower each other to achieve our dreams.
Pre-register now at www.canadianimmigrant.ca/womensfair Want to exhibit at the fair? Contact: Ricky Bajaj at 416-856-6304; rbajaj@metroland.com
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WOMEN
Be inspired, gain insight, make connections Here’s what you can expect at the free Multicultural Women’s Conference and Fair on March 25 in Vancouver at the Croatian Cultural Centre 9:45 a.m.: REGISTRATION OPENS AT DOOR 10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.: WELCOME plus a special BollyX dance/fitness presentation by Clara Chan 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.: TRADESHOW OF EXHIBITORS • free Resumé Clinic by MOSAIC • “Get your Corporate Headshot” station with photographer Maddie Adams • “Mini Manicure” station by Beauty Night Society • Women’s Empowerment Art Therapy sessions with art therapist and life coach Nicole Gfeller
10:30 a.m.: TOOLS AND TIPS FOR STARTING YOUR BUSINESS with Alpana Sharma of Women’s Enterprise Centre
2:15 p.m.: NETWORKING TRUTHS, TIPS AND TRICKS with Karen Southall Watts, entrepreneur and business trainer
3:15 p.m.: CREATING A HAPPY BALANCE with Dr. Nareeta Stephenson of Strawberries and Sunshine Healing Centre
11:30 a.m.: CAREERS WITH THE VPD + PERSONAL SAFETY DEMO with Detectives Andrea Dunn, Michelle Neufeld and Julie Birtch
2:45 p.m.: PARENTING WORKSHOP: THE POWER OF CONNECTION with Cheryl Song, parenting trainer and columnist
Pre-register online at canadianimmigrant.ca/ womensfair.
12:30 p.m.: BE MINDFUL, BE YOUR BEST with Jasmine Bharucha, realtor, author and singer
www.ccdi.ca Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
1 p.m.: CONFIDENCE AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO CAREER SUCCESS with leadership coach Manpreet Dhillon 1:45 p.m.: THE WOMAN’S VOICE: SPEAKING TIPS with Catherine Steele of English Pronunciation for Success
OLD FRIENDS - NEW BEGINNINGS
For more information on attending the CCDI’s annual gala, visit www.ccdi.ca/bloom.
left Get inspired to succeed with advice from soughtafter speaker and leadership coach Manpreet Dhillon.
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WOMEN
Path to
EMPOWERMENT Immigrant lawyer and politician Iqra Khalid on being ambitious, ethno-cultural and female in Canada By Vivien Fellegi
S
hortly after 29-year-old Iqra Khalid decided to seek the nomination to become a candidate in the last federal election, the Pakistani-born immigrant visited a community adviser along with her father. He invited them to sit down in his living room. Then, in an utterly calm, icy voice, he delivered his verdict. “Don’t run — there’s no way you’ll ever win.” Khalid understood what he meant. She was young, female and a visible minority, and outside the establishment of typical MPs. Khalid felt momentarily defeated. “Dad, should I be doing this?” she asked. “If you think you can, then let’s do it,” said her father. Buoyed by her family’s support and her own determination, Khalid ran as the Liberal candidate for the riding of MississaugaErin Mills. “I’m headstrong. When I set a goal I’ll tunnel vision that goal — that keeps me going at times when I don’t want to go on,” she says. Khalid went on to win the election, unseating the incumbent, in October 2015. Khalid has always had a stubborn streak. She went to an allgirls’ school in Pakistan, where pupils were expected to be obedient, recite lessons and conform to the rules. Khalid didn’t. “I did my own thing,” she says. When she was disobedient, teachers smacked her palms with a ruler. Khalid, a sister to three brothers, also felt gender discrimination during these times. Though her brothers got to go out and play in the park, Khalid stayed home and learned cooking and
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Photo by Dave Chan sewing. “I remember often feeling trapped,” she says. Khalid also knew that her career opportunities in Pakistan would be limited. If she was lucky enough to attend university, society would have pushed her toward a degree in home economics and family obligations. “If I was in Pakistan, I’d be married with four kids by now,” she says. The limitations she faced in her birth country have galvanized her to make the most of opportunities in life. “My experiences in Pakistan have pushed me to really get out there,” she says. After immigrating to Canada via England, Khalid says, “I felt equal to my brothers here.” Her parents were very progressive, raising her like a son, with as much opportunity to get an education. Khalid completed a bachelor’s degree from York University and later a law degree from Western Michigan University. “I’ll be forever grateful to my parents for that.” But even with the confidence her parents gave her, Khalid faced systemic racism and gender-based discrimination. Being a Muslim, female immigrant, Khalid had trouble making friends at school. “I was the odd one out.” Later, at a clerical job following graduation from York, she discovered that she was paid considerably less than a male colleague. She confronted her boss and received a raise. Khalid is not alone in having faced inequity as a working woman in Canada. Despite Canada’s entrenched values of women’s equality and human rights, the day-to-day reality is that women facebook.com/canimmigrant
still face barriers and challenges their male counterparts do not. According to a recent report published by Oxfam Canada and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, women earn less and perform nearly twice as many hours of unpaid work as men. In spite of high levels of education among girls and women, the report, Making Women Count, states that the wage gap in Canada is getting bigger, not smaller. In 2009, women earned 74.4 per cent of what men earned; in 2011 it was 72 per cent. And the gap is worse for immigrant and ethno-cultural women. They also face higher rates of unemployment despite higher levels of education, according to Statistics Canada. For her part, Khalid is using her platform to help spread the message of women’s equality. She seconded a motion creating a day of equality for women, to highlight the challenges Canadian women still face. She also hosted a women’s empowerment event in her riding, where a panel of distinguished women, including a female police chief, discussed how they balanced home with a
demanding career. Khalid is also the vice-chair of the Women’s Caucus, a group of female Liberal MPs who meet weekly to consider all the different policies and bills through a gender lens. Khalid’s personal experiences have encouraged her to champion fairness not just for women, but all victims of discrimination. “It made me a lot more empathetic toward women’s issues, race problems, gay rights and transgender concerns because I’ve experienced what inequality feels like,” she says. “We can’t succeed if we’re not intertwined with each other, if we’re segregated by language, nationality, gender or skin colour.” Of all her accomplishments, Khalid is most proud of being a role model for minority women. Shortly after she was elected to office, a couple of young immigrant girls came up to her and thanked her for her leadership. “We really look up to you — you’ve shown us that things can be done,” they told her. Khalid concludes: “Hopefully I’ve contributed to a more open and inclusive Canada.”
I’m headstrong. When I set a goal I’ll tunnel vision that goal — that keeps me going at times when I don’t want to go on.”
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CAREERS & EDUCATION CAREER COACH
Good mentorship The 8 ways a mentor can help you succeed job description, may apply for the wrong jobs, and stay active but not productive. A mentor will make your job search more focused by setting you on the right path and provide perspective when it comes to decisions.
L
ooking to kickstart your job search or professional life? Whether you are entering the world of work for the first time or hoping to move to a new industry, the support and guidance of a mentor can prove to be a major advantage. A mentor is a more experienced professional who can take you under his or her wing, help you get to the next step and keep pushing you to reach your goals. A mentor can perform many roles to guide you to success, including the following eight.
1
The helpful guide
Many mentors are senior professionals with tremendous levels of experience. They know the industry well and have been where you are. Having such a mentor is beneficial because they are in an ideal position to help you explore options and develop strategies on how to find job opportunities.
2
The lamp lighter
As a jobseeker, sometimes you may fi nd yourself losing focus. You may not comprehend the
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3
The network builder
Your mentor’s industry awareness can help you network better. A good mentor will have many contacts from whom you may benefit from. He or she can refer you to the right people in your career line who will assist you on the journey to finding success.
your skills for a successful longterm career.
7
The focus finder
8
The success partner
A mentor can keep you focused on your goals. They’ll help bring your focus back to your plan while maybe making subtle changes, but without lurching around from one strategy to another. With the right focus, they’ll help you hone the plan for executing your professional path to achieve your career goals, faster. Mentorship is one of the ultimate forms of collaboration. Collaboration with a mentor can help you think outside the box, gain perspective on new roles and prioritize your search efforts. The best things a mentor can give you are honest feedback and objective advice about how you are seen by others. They can also give you an unbiased opinion about your actual and potential market reputation.
4
The interview pro
5
The blind spot checker
How and where to find a mentor
Your mentor will be able to spot things that you might find harder to assess. Are you using the right language and keywords for your industry and job level? Do you have a compelling story or have you undersold yourself? Are you able to showcase your accomplishments convincingly?
6
The strength builder
Now that you understand that having a mentor is pivotal for success, identifying a potential mentor and reaching out in the correct way is the next big step. While you could try the cold call approach, you’re likely to be more effective if you connect with a senior professional at a conference or networking event. It’s also worth checking at your school, place of work or industry association if they run mentoring programs. Several immigrant-serving agencies such as TRIEC in Toronto and ISSofBC in Vancouver also run well-established mentorship programs.
You are more likely to do well in interviews when you work closely with a mentor with the skills to build you up strongly. Once you get to the interview stage, an experienced mentor can prepare you further with mock interviews, presentations, body language advice and salary negotiation tips.
Only a mentor can help you reflect on your capabilities and offer a reality check, comparing your current ambitions with what’s out there in your target sector. They can assess your strengths and weaknesses, as well as build
Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, life coach and best-selling author of the ACE Books — The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening and The ACE Abundance. He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. Learn more at aceworldfoundation.com.
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CAREERS & EDUCATION J O B S E A R C H S T R AT E G I E S
Tough questions
I
How to deal with difficult — even uncomfortable — interview questions
nterviews tend to make people anxious. The reason is that the power balance tends to be on the employer’s side. Interviews are also the deciding factor in who gets the job. An equally or even less qualified candidate might get the job because they did better at the interview. So what makes an otherwise qualified candidate do poorly in an interview? One main factor is a lack of preparation for difficult-toanswer questions.
What is a difficult question? Difficult questions belong to two classes: one, questions that are difficult for you to answer because they question your skills, experience or history, and, two, questions that are difficult because they are of an invasive, discriminatory or even illegal nature. Here are some examples of the first type: “I can see from your resumé that you haven’t worked the last four years; how can you explain this gap?” “It seems as if you didn’t last long in each of your last few jobs, could you elaborate on why this is so?” “You seem not to have any Canadian experience, how do we know you can do the job here?” When answering these types of questions, be honest, but do not try to justify or become defensive. If you know your gaps and weaknesses, you will be much more relaxed if you have a well-prepared answer ready to give. Then move on from the question by focusing on your strengths. And show proof of them. Ensure that you have prepared evidence for anything you claim in your resumé or cover letter prior to the interview, such as samples of your work, reference letters or a wellorganized portfolio showing your achievements, courses and so on. twitter.com/@canimmigrant
The success of any good interview is knowing your strengths and weaknesses well, understanding the local labour market, the organization and the job you are applying to. The rest is practice: if you are confident with your answers and can practise with others you trust beforehand, you’ll have the confidence to answer these tough questions well.
From difficult to discriminatory What do you do when interview questions move from difficult to uncomfortable to discriminatory? It could happen that you may be asked questions that may be intrusive, discriminatory or even illegal in Canada. The interviewer may or may not be aware of the effect they are causing (or that they are in the wrong for asking them). Examples of these types of questions include: “Aren’t you too old (or too young) for this job?” “Do you have children?” “Are you planning to have children soon?” “Why did you leave your country?”
“Will your religious practices affect your performance?” How do you deal with questions like these that seem to cross the line? It depends. If you perceive discrimination or harassment and don’t want to answer the questions, you have a couple of options. End the interview and be honest about how you feel: “I’m sorry, but your questions are making me feel uncomfortable and I’m not sure I would feel safe and supported in this organization. I would like to withdraw my application and end the interview now.” Or be honest about your perceptions while allowing the interviewer to correct the question: “I don’t see how this question pertains to the job description or my ability to do the job. Could you clarify? Or “I feel that question is too personal and does not relate to the job de-
scription, could we continue with job-related questions?” If your rapport with the interviewer has been good so far, the question may be a mistake. Some interviewers are inexperienced and may be trying to be friendly, not realizing that some questions may be perceived as discriminatory. Behind each one of these questions there is a concern that you may not be able to do the job, be committed or punctual because of health, religion, children, age, etc. If you feel this question is sincere, you can address the issue behind the question. For example, “My previous employers can attest that I am a reliable and committed team member and having my work done is one of my priorities. My status/ religion/age would not interfere with this.” Or, answer the question more matter-of-factly and move on with the job interview. For example: “I am mature and I guess that makes me wiser, but I love learning new things and working with young people from whom I can learn so much!” You could also use humour if you feel confident in the joke and you have established a friendly rapport with the interviewer: “Oh, I may look a bit old, but nobody matches me in a marathon!”
Choice is yours The way you address difficult questions is eventually your choice based on how comfortable or threatened you feel. Ultimately, ask yourself what it would be like to work for an organization where you don’t feel respected and welcomed from the first moment.
Argentinian-born Silvia Di Blasio is a certified career counsellor. With a passion for sustainability, food security and resilient communities, she shares her time and skills through diverse projects including writing, blogging, facilitating workshops, coaching and consulting. canadianimmigrant.ca
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CULTURE
Blooming blossoms Celebrating spring and diversity at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
N
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
Photo by Evan Chen
othing marks the start of spring quite like the blooming of picturesque cherry blossom trees. In B.C., there’s a whole festival that celebrates the delicate pink foliage — Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, from March 30 to April 23, 2017. While the cherry blossom has longstanding significance among Japanese culture, this festival is all about bringing people of all cultures together for events, workshops and celebrations under the flowering branches. Linda Poole, executive director of the festival, says, “There are no strangers under the cherry blossoms.” She points to the festival’s Big Picnic, on April 1, at Queen Elizabeth Park, as a big multicultural gathering. “The idea is to bring all cultures together for a big picnic,” she says. Other highlights include the Spring Lights illumination, Sakura Days Japan Fair and Cherry Jam Downtown Concert.
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SETTLEMENT I M M I G R AT I O N L AW
McCallum in review The good, bad and ugly of John McCallum’s time as immigration minister
Minister John McCallum will be remembered most for overseeing the resettlement of Syrian refugees in 2016.
O
n Jan. 10, 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Ahmed Hussen as the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship. Minister Hussen replaced John McCallum, who had been the minister since Nov. 4, 2015. This is the third time that I am writing an article on the “good,” the “bad” and the “ugly” about a Canadian immigration minister. It is, in some ways, the most difficult one given that McCallum’s tenure was so short. The first assessment of an immigration minister that I wrote was about Jason Kenney, who remains Canada’s longest-serving immigration minister, having held the role for 1,719 days. His successor, Chris Alexander, who I also wrote about, led Canada’s immigration department for 826 days. John McCallum, meanwhile, was Canada’s immigration minister for only 433 days. To some extent, the busy nature of Minister McCallum’s tenure made up for its short duration. He was the first immigration minister in Prime Minister Trudeau’s Liberal majority government, which assumed power after an election campaign in which refugee and citizenship issues were prominent topics. Because McCallum had also been the Liberal Party of Canada’s immigration critic during Canada’s previous Conservative government (and had also served as a cabinet minister in previous Liberal governments), he was able to hit the ground running in implementing his mandate. Nonetheless, the comparative lack of material to write about was no-
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Photo by Richard Lautens / Toronto Star
ticeable as I prepared this article. With this caution aside, I will now review below what I consider to be the good, the bad and the ugly of McCallum’s tenure as the minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The good McCallum’s biggest accomplishment as Canada’s Immigration minister, and the one that he will definitely be most remembered for, was his presiding over the resettlement of more than 39,000 Syrian refugees in Canada. Given the numerous significant challenges in such a grand endeavour, it is doubtful that someone without the previous cabinet experience that McCallum had would have been able to achieve what he did in such a short period of time. While some may quibble that he technically did not fulfi ll the Liberal Party’s even more ambitious campaign promises, history will remember that, during a period when the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union at least partially due to xenophobia, and Donald Trump was elected U.S. president after stoking anti-immigrant and antiIslamic sentiments, Canada welcomed 39,000 refugees, predominantly Muslims. Indeed, the change in tone emanating from Canada’s immigration department under McCallum compared to what it was like under the Conservatives was striking. I have previously written that if under the Liberals facebook.com/canimmigrant
the Canadian government stopped trying to deny refugee claimants access to health care and prohibiting Muslim women from wearing the veil at citizenship ceremonies that the consequences of Canada’s 2015 federal election would be significant even if nothing else changed. McCallum reversed both of these policies, and publicly and repeatedly espoused the principles of inclusiveness and “welcoming” — often with hashtags. As of writing, the only bill that McCallum introduced as immigration minister is still before the Senate. Bill C-6, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act, contains several agreeable provisions, including letting permanent residents count the time that they resided in Canada before immigrating toward their citizenship residency requirement and removing the bizarre requirement that people applying for Canadian citizenship have to intend to always reside in Canada after becoming citizens. More controversially, Bill C-6 also fulfi lls the Liberal campaign promise to repeal the ability of the Government of Canada to revoke the Canadian citizenship of individuals who the government determines pose national security risks. While my thoughts on the philosophical arguments for and against such an ability of government remain fluid, the wording of the existing legislation was so overbroad, vague and lacking in procedural fairness that its immediate repeal was necessary. McCallum also introduced regulatory changes to repeal conditional permanent residency, which provides that people in new relationships who are sponsored by their spouses to immigrate to Canada will lose their permanent residency if the relationship breaks down within two years after immigrating. While the Liberals disingenuously presented this repeal as facilitating family reunification (when in fact conditional permanent residency never changed the process of people actually entering Canada), the prospect of deportation following a marital breakdown led to some recent immigrants remaining in abusive relationships to avoid deportation and others falsely alleging abuse against their Canadian sponsors in order to stay in the country. While I understand the motives behind the
introduction of conditional permanent residency, the enforcement headaches and unintended consequences that it created simply outweighed its benefits. Finally, McCallum also reduced processing times in the family class, introduced draft regulations to raise the age of dependency in immigrating from 18 to 21, and abolished the four-year cap on being a foreign worker in Canada. The increase in the age of dependency will ensure that more young people are able to immigrate to an aging Canada, and the removal of a blanket cap on how long someone can be a foreign worker empowers employees and employers to make their own decisions.
The bad While Minister McCallum will be remembered fondly for his commitments to refugee resettlement and family reunification, his decision to cut economic immigration in 2016 without making it easier for current foreign workers to stay in Canada was disastrous, especially for international graduates working in Canada on post-graduate work permits. His November 2016 changes to help international graduates immigrate was viewed as too little by most, and his concurrent decision to reduce the importance of being a foreign worker as a factor in whether one can immigrate to Canada came as a blow to thousands of foreign workers. As immigration critic, McCallum was vocal about the need to ensure a pathway to permanent residency for all foreign workers, not just high-skilled ones. By the end of his tenure as immigration minister, Canada still did not have a federal pathway to permanent residency for low-skilled foreign workers, and McCallum had closed the door to permanent residency for many high-skilled ones as well. During the 2015 election campaign, the Liberals promised to increase from 5,000 to 10,000 the number of people who could apply to Canada’s parent and grandparent sponsorship program. Under McCallum, the government did double the number of applications that would be accepted into processing, however, it did not double the number of applications >>
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<< that would actually be processed. The result was essentially the same as if the number of how many could apply had not been increased at all, and the government simply came off as disingenuous to those who realized what had happened. Another McCallum tendency that caused cynicism was his crosscountry tour to allegedly learn from Canadians what Canada’s immigration levels should be. The minister would seemingly ignore poll after poll showing that Canadians did not want a substantial increase in immigration, and instead emerge from meetings with pre-approved stakeholders saying that there was overwhelming support for increased numbers. Ultimately, the Liberals appeared to listen to the polls and decided not to substantially increase immigration levels. It, in a way, made the minister’s statements all the more baffling. Finally, under the previous Conservative government, Jason Kenney as immigration minister was thought to have great influence over policy development at both the Canada Border Services Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada, which processes labour market impact assessment applications. McCallum did not appear to have similar influence, and while his respect of ministerial boundaries may be lauded by some, the lack of a coherent policy and tone emanating from the different departments involved in managing Canada’s immigration system was frustrating.
The ugly One thing that surprised people about Bill C-6 was that McCallum did not change the citizenship revocation process for Canadians who were alleged to have received their citizenship through misrepresentation. The current process is that a Canadian citizen facing such an allegation will typically have only 60 days to respond in writing. There is generally no oral hearing and no meaningful appeal. As many have noted, Canadians have more procedural fairness in responding to parking tickets than when they lose their citizenship. During the time that the House of Commons was debating Bill C-6, McCallum seemed to acknowledge that this was problematic, but said that any changes to the process would come later. Then, word emerged that Maryam Monsef, a Liberal member of Parliament and then cabinet minister, may have committed misrepresentation in her own citizenship application. While it is not clear whether what Monsef, or her parents, wrote in her citizenship application would have constituted misrepresentation that could lead to revocation, the Government of Canada immediately announced that it was considering a number of options to change the revocation process, which remains unresolved. Any Canadian paying attention could be forgiven for thinking that there is one set of laws for them, and one for elites.
Going forward under Hussen If Minister McCallum will be remembered for his resettling of 39,000 Syrian refugees, his successor, Ahmed Hussen, will likely be judged on how he handles one person — Donald Trump. Minister Hussen in his first month had to respond to President Trump’s executive order banning certain foreign nationals from entering the United States, and has had to respond to resulting calls from human rights organizations that Canada should suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the United States. Minister Hussen does not have an easy task ahead of him. Luckily, he does not need to look far to find inspiration in how to buck global trends and stand up for the Government of Canada’s objectives. He need only look to his predecessor. Steven Meurrens is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact him at 604-681-9887, by email at steven.meurrens@larlee.com or visit his blog at smeurrens.com.
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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
• • • • • •
TCET provides Language, Employment, & Settlement programs that empower people in fulfilling their potential. Our LINC Home Study program provides Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) via distance education. The self-paced curriculum is offered either online or by correspondence. The program includes a weekly lesson via phone or VOIP with a certified instructor. Email: help@linchomestudy.ca www.linchomestudy.ca
• English • Some services available in French and other languages
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Locations across the Greater Toronto Area and virtual services across Ontario & Canada Phone: 905-949-0049, Toll free at 1-800-668-1179, Email: Info@tcet.com, www.tcet.com Job Skills Employment & Business Programs & Supports Locations in Markham, Brampton, Keswick and Newmarket Phone: 1-866-592-6278 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 Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services Main Office: 17 Four Season Place, Suite 102 Toronto ON M9B 6E6 Branches in: Etobicoke, Toronto, Mississauga and Scarborough Phone: 1-844-493-5839 Welcome Centre Immigrant Services 7 Locations in York & Durham Regions 1-877-761-1155
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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, Self-Employment Pathways for Newcomer and Employment Ontario Employment Services. Email: info@jobskills.org www.jobskills.org
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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 fund assistant application from government. Specialty program: business guide in Canada and Asia countries;enterprise assistant program; free tax services for new comers and seniors; Seniors program for social networking and conversational Café and special events to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation.. Email: info@sbsccanada.org www.sbsccanada.org
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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
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General Services and Speciality Programs. Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services (Polycultural) provides a wide range of community and settlement services for individuals and communities to be productive members of the society. We are a non-profit organization and are also registered as a charitable organization. Services offered: Newcomer Services, Refugee Settlement and Integration, Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS), Language Learning and Skills Development (LINC and ELS), Transition to Employment, Youth and Children Services, Services for Seniors, Problem Gambling Counselling, Family Support Program, Partner Assault Response Program, Interpretation, Income Tax Clinic and Summer Camps. Email: info@polycultural.org www.polycultural.org
Over 40 languages including: English, French, Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, Cantonese, Croatian, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Mandarin, Polish, Punjabi, Pashtu, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Swahili, Tamil, and Urdu
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: resume/cover letter preparation, interview readiness and information about accreditation, workplace practices, Canadian employer expectations. Other services available. Languages of service: English, interpreters are available Email: info@welcomecentre.ca www.welcomecentre.ca
• English Interpreters are available
March/April 2017
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SETTLEMENT PARENTING
Distracted parenting Time to put the phone down and pay attention to your kids
M
ost of us are aware of the danger of distracted driving, especially texting while driving, but not many think about the harm caused by distracted parenting. Distracted parenting can come in many forms — parents may be overwhelmed with stress, work or other issues, but, more and more, parents are distracted with digital devices. While it might seem harmless, parents’ excessive use of electronic devices can have detrimental consequences.
Be a role model It goes without saying that parents have to set a good example! Parents often complain about their children being addicted to using phones or tablets. What some may not realize is that children may simply be modelling their parents’
behaviours. These undesirable behaviours might, in turn, affect children’s schooling, work, relationships and confidence.
Safety first A parent’s most important job is to keep their children safe by keeping a watchful eye on them. Being constantly preoccupied by your phone can jeopardize their safety and wellbeing. Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. Whether it is by the pool, playground or in the kitchen, children can easily get hurt when parents are busy posting on social media or checking work email, and failing to properly supervise their children.
Children’s development Distracted parenting affects all areas of children’s development. It can negatively affect their growth,
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as well as emotional and social development. For instance, lack of regular and meaningful face-to-face interaction with parents can hinder children’s social and communication skills. And having to compete for their parents’ attention with electronic devices, children might start feeling insecure, abandoned, and unworthy of their parents’ time and attention. Moreover, children might start misbehaving to get even some negative attention.
Parent-child relationship Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that we can fool our children. Even at a very young age,
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children know when parents are distracted. By not giving our full attention to our kids when they need it, we can miss opportunities to build strong bonds with them. Then they may be less willing to open up and share their ideas, concerns and fears. Children yearn for and deserve our undivided attention when they are in our care. Let’s treasure the precious time we have with our children by being fully present when we are spending time with them. By simply making the conscious effort to put our devices away, we show our children how much they matter.
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645 Lansdowne St. W Peterborough (705) 749-1489
Learn more at freedommobile.ca. The Smartphone 45 LTE plan is available for a limited time and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. *6GB of data includes 3GB of bonus data per month. Bonus 3GB will only be applied to the plan until January 31, 2018. The $99 My Tab Bonus offer on the ZTE Grand X 4 is available for a limited time and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. To be eligible for the $99 MyTab Bonus offer, you must activate a new service or upgrade your phone to a ZTE Grand X 4 on MyTab and sign up on an Eligible Plan. MyTab terms and conditions apply. In addition, a downgrade fee of up to $99 will be charged if you switch to any plan other than an Eligible Plan within 24 months of activation or upgrade. The amount of the downgrade fee will be prorated based on the number of months left in the 24 month term. These offers may not be combined with any other in-market offer, with some exceptions. All services subject to Freedom’s Terms of Service. Applicable taxes extra. Additional terms and conditions apply. ZTE and ZTE Grand X 4 are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZTE Corporation. Screen image simulated. The Freedom Mobile name and logos and other words, titles, phrases, marks, logos, icons, graphics are trademarks of, or are used under license by, Freedom Mobile Inc.
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