Canadian Immigrant magazine October 2014

october 2014 I free

Arrive.

Succeed.

Inspire.

You Inc.

Building your personal brand

Publications mail agreement number 40065097

Millionaire Nawar Alsaadi’s

5smallEasy-to-start business ideas

Story of risk and return

Career, Education & Settlement Fair

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Learning, Nurturing Values, and Developing Skills for Life.

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upfront 16 | COVER STORY

Contents

Do you have a professional identity?

REGULARS 6 | Our Take/Your Take

Why you need to brand yourself in today’s competitive marketplace — especially if you’re an immigrant!

8 | Fusion ›› PROFILE: Two fairs, two keynote speakers ›› NATIONAL BRIEFS ›› CANSPEAK: English sayings explained

20 | Business

›› Easy-to-start small business ideas

22 | Culture

›› Dr. Cabbie film puts spotlight on credential issues ›› 7 things to know about Diwali

32 | Living

12 | SUCCESS STORY

›› Fun fall activities

Millionaire dreams

34 | Settlement

›› Sitter service for parents ›› MAYANK’S IMMIGRANT ADVENTURES: ‘I’m Canadian’ ›› PARENTING: Digital technology for kids

28 |

Iraq-born stock-market investor Nawar Alsaadi has built his life around taking risks, including the biggest one of all — immigrating to Canada

38 | Back Page

›› CAREER COACH: Get a QR code ›› HIGHER LEARNING: Tuition check

›› TOP TIPS: Advice from our Top 25 ›› HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO

Help bring in newcomers to Canada. Respond to the need for immigrants.

Become a Regulated Immigration Consultant Full-time | Part-time | Online Apply online at www.ashtoncollege.com or contact a program adviser at (604) 899-0803.

Ashton College | 604 899 0803 | 1 866 759 6006 | w w w.ashtoncollege.com

Celebrating 10 Years!

October 2014

Canadian Immigrant

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upfront

Volume 11, Issue 9 september 2014 Group Publisher Gautam Datt Sharma Director – Business Development Sanjay Agnihotri Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com Creative Director & Editorial Design Safi Nomani snomani@metroland.com 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: $36 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 responsible for unsolicited material. Canadian Immigrant is a publication of Metroland Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.

Entire contents property of Canadian Immigrant.

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our take This is why we do this magazine!

Every October, we talk a little bit about entrepreneurship because it’s Small Business Month, and citizenship because it’s Citizenship Week (Oct. 13-19). If you’re the entrepreneurial sort, we hope you garner some tips from our story on personal branding (page 16), our interesting small business ideas (page 20) and Nawar Alsaadi’s story of risk and return (page 12). On citizenship, we have Mayank Bhatt’s reflections on his own recent transition from permanent resident to citizen (page 35).

It’s also the start of autumn, so find some fun, fall activities for the whole family on page 32. Another fun feature starting on our Back Page this issue is “Humour by Hermetio,” a monthly cartoon by a Brazilian-born newcomer. He sent me a great pitch and a heartfelt letter about succeeding in

Canada that I couldn’t refuse!

You’ll also notice that we’re hosting our second annual Career, Education & Settlement Fair in Vancouver (Oct. 6), and inaugural fair in Calgary (Oct. 17). Our goal for the magazine and fairs has always been to reach out to immigrants to help them overcome barriers and succeed in Canada.

Why is this our aim?

Just read the “Your Take” letter below by Haitianborn Franck Desir, and you’ll understand!

Margaret Jetelina Editor, Canadian Immigrant

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your take ‘Immigrants are no good until they prove otherwise’

I immigrated to Canada from Haiti five years ago and was granted permanent residency in 2012. I came here not knowing anything about the country that I was getting into. But, believe me, back then I thought that I knew Canada like the back of my hand.

I visited Canada as a tourist in 1998. My late auntie invited us: my brother and one of my other aunties and me to come spend the summer with her. At the time, it was very hard for Haitians to get a Canadian visa, but, thanks to my auntie’s insistence and perhaps my family’s financial situation, my brother and I both received a three-month single entry visitor visa.

So, on June 29, 1998, we left Haiti and I was ready to spend a great summer. I was really excited and nervous, not really knowing what to expect. I had been to the United States before, but what is life like in Montreal? My first impressions were that it looked just like the places I’ve been to in the States — a first-world, industrialized country, predominantly white.

Paved roads only, big playgrounds and parks, lots of food, great TV shows, impressive skyline, huge shopping malls and great times in my uncle’s pool. The only difference I noticed was the fact that people in Canada spoke French. And surprisingly I didn’t notice the accent. After three months of good times, I went back home and remember thinking that Canada was better than the United States.

Ten years later, I was back in Canada, but this time as an immigrant. The excitement was the same, but the nervousness had disappeared. I was simply coming back to a place that I had already visited. In my head, everything was cool.

But this was not the place that I visited 10 years ago. Why do the people have an accent? Why is it so hard to understand what they’re saying? Oh! So Quebec is just one of Canada’s provinces? And they only speak French here? There are 10 provinces!?

That’s how cold it gets during the winter months?

And the list goes on.

I was lost and realized that I didn’t know anything about this vast country. I thought I knew it all, but that’s when the learning process started and hasn’t stopped since. Within the first few months, I started to realize that I’m part of a “visible minority” and the new wave of immigrants. It didn’t take long before I started facing the barriers (visible and invisible) that only my “kind” go through.

When I was coming here, I came with the most positive and enthusiastic mindset. I just couldn’t have predicted what was waiting for me. I naively thought that I was going to smoothly become a fully productive and appreciated member of society. After all, I was a college student who had the chance to attend the most prestigious schools back in my homeland. I’m young, I have a dream and I have talents. I always said to myself that I’m supposed to become an artist, but the feedback that I got from my family discouraged me. Now I’m in Canada: a land of opportunities … I can and will become an artist here I decided.

The bias that I held and invisible barriers that I have faced violently brought me back to reality.

I had to learn that certain opportunities are just not accessible to a newcomer. I didn’t understand why there were certain widespread bad ideas about immigrants. I didn’t understand the racial and cultural conflicts that exist here. Yes, I have an accent, but I do speak French. Why do people keep telling me that I don’t speak French? Why do certain people only hang out with certain people? Why that surprised, mean and angry look on everyone’s face when I walked into a pub with my brother? Why does everyone seem to be avoiding me? Is it just me or is this really happening? Why do I feel like I’m not welcome here? Is it true that I will never get a call when I apply for a job at certain establishments? Is it true that some landlords only rent to certain types of people? Am I missing something? facebook/canimmigrant

@canimmigrant

After a few years of denial, I finally admitted it to myself that I will have to prove to everyone that I came here for a better life and not to spend the rest of my life milking the system.

It is so easy to go down the road of resignation and not fight anymore. Many immigrants come here and do just that. They get discouraged when they realize that the mentality seems to be the same everywhere: immigrants are no good until they prove otherwise. So they choose to live among their kind, live on the fringe of society and only go out to places where they feel like they can, for a moment, be just humans.

Unfortunately, when you go down that road, you risk getting trapped in a vicious cycle. You become less and less social, you become weaker mentally, your willpower decreases and you no longer want to live. You do only what requires the least effort possible. You lose your sense of belonging, your dignity and just don’t care anymore. You take the exact shape that the invisible barriers want you to take: you become alienated. And, in no time, your only reason for being here becomes to keep the stereotypes alive. You accept that there is no need for you to dream big. You accept to be on welfare. You accept to go for the jobs that no one wants. You no longer take position against subtle racism, injustice and discrimination. You are used to them.

And because of that, you risk to never know the truth. The truth is Canada is a great country. I live in one of the greatest places on Earth and anything is possible here. This is a land of freedom, equality and peace. This is the place where I want to be. I can start up my own business. I can go to school and learn anything that I want. I can become a professor, a CEO, a writer, an artist. I have the very same rights and freedoms as any other Canadian.

So let me go back to my old self and start believing in my potential again. I can and will do great things in my new country!

Franck Desir, Toronto

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Want to share your thoughts? Email mjetelina@metroland.com.

Vancouver Public Library 350 West Georgia Street Central Library, Level 4 Phone: 604-331-3603 Web: skilledimmigrants.vpl.ca

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Celebrating 10 Years!

October 2014

Canadian Immigrant

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fusion news. people. events.

profile

Two fairs, two special keynotes!

S/Sgt. Baltej Singh Dhillon

Umashanie Reddy

RCMP S/Sgt. Baltej Singh Dhillon has shown courage and determination in his immigration journey and fight for religious freedom, but those are not the only secrets to his success in the RCMP. He will share his perspective as the keynote speaker at the second annual Vancouver Career, Education & Settlement Fair on Oct. 6, 2014, at the Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia St.).

Umashanie Reddy was a qualified professional when she came to Canada and, like so many newcomers, had to start at the very bottom.

Her climb to success has led her into a leadership position with the Calgary Public Library. She will bring her perspective to the inaugural Calgary Career, Education & Settlement Fair on Oct. 17, 2014, at the Telus Convention Centre (120 9 Ave SE) as the fair’s keynote speaker.

S/Sgt. Baltej Singh Dhillon: Was born in … Malaysia Immigrated to Canada in … 1983 Lives in … Surrey, B.C. A pivotal moment in his life … losing his father at a very young age, Dhillon had to shoulder responsibility along with his older brother for his entire family.

First job in Canada … picking berries to support his family and pay for school.

Current career … a staff sergeant with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who has served on many high-profile cases.

Biggest challenge in Canada … fighting for his religious freedom as a Sikh to wear his turban while serving as an RCMP officer instead of the traditional Mountie Stetson hat. Despite the controversy this ignited across the country, Dhillon didn’t give up and today is an icon of multiculturalism.

Advice for newcomers … “Build a reference bank — many industries are prepared to take on the task of training their staff, but are not prepared to risk work ethic and attitude. This comes from your references, so even if you are not in your preferred employment, i.e., pumping gas, cashier, etc., put everything you have into it to build your reference bank.”

Umashanie Reddy: Was born in … South Africa Immigrated to Canada in … 2005 Lives in … Calgary, Alberta Her homeland credentials … bachelor of arts, bachelors and honours degree in library science with distinction from South Africa, winning the faculty medal for the best performance in the degree. She then practised as an academic librarian at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

First job in Canada … part-time day care assistant earning minimum wage.

After deciding to go back to school … she completed a master of library and information science degree with distinction at the University of Wisconsin in 2008, winning the Graduate of the Last Decade Award in 2012.

Current career … diversity services manager with the Calgary Public Library, where she oversees programs and services for diverse communities including, immigrants, seniors, persons with disabilities and Aboriginal Peoples.

Special message … “Being a daughter of Africa, my social compass can be characterized in the African idiom Ubuntu translated as ‘I am because you are,’ a word that embodies my philosophy of interconnectedness, togetherness and diversity.”

For more information on all the speakers at the Vancouver and Calgary fairs, go to canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair.

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FUSION Canada >> Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander met with stakeholders and community leaders in Winnipeg to discuss how the government can increase Francophone immigration to Canada. Alexander committed to launch consultations in the upcoming months that will aim to increase the number of Francophone immigrants settling in Francophone communities outside Quebec.

B.C. >> The “Sanctuary City” movement, which promotes the idea that all people living in a city should be able to access public services without fear of deportation, has been endorsed by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. In Canada, the cities of Toronto and Hamilton have offered some limited services, including medical, to undocumented individuals. Mayor Robertson has endorsed a recommendation to follow the moves taken by those two cities.

Alberta >> Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi recently spoke at an event about the temporary foreign worker program, saying “I think that the changes that have been announced by the federal government [to restrict hiring temporary workers especially in low-paying jobs] are not particularly responsive to the needs of Alberta in general and Calgary in particular … I think we have to figure out ways to let people in and give them a path to citizenship and continue to live dignified lives, regardless of the job they do.”

Ontario >> One of the RBC Top 25 winners of 2010, Mississauga’s Vasu Chanchlani was mourned widely after he died on Sept. 7 at the age of 62. Toronto mayoral hopeful John Tory called him “a great Canadian.” Others on social media have said he is “a pillar of the

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community.” Chanchlani, a respected businessman in the technology sector, was co-founder of the Sigma Group of Companies and a founding member of the Canada India Foundation. The philanthropist also helped open the Chanchlani Research Centre at McMaster University in 2012.

canspeak There’s usually more than one way to express something in the English language. Here are three different idioms that all mean to chat, talk or gab pointlessly!

“Chew the fat” “Shoot the breeze”

“Flap your lips” “Beat your gums”

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Risky business

Iraq-born investor Nawar Alsaadi has taken plenty of risks to achieve wealth, find his place in the world and the freedom to do pretty much as he pleases

By Margaret Jetelina Photos by Evelien Johanna Voorberg

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Success Story

N

awar Alsaadi compares the stock market to war. It’s a comparison that comes from an intimate knowledge of both things. Both pose great risk, according to the Vancouverbased millionaire investor, and both have defined his life so far.

It is war that makes up his first memories as a young boy born in Baghdad, Iraq. “My first memories are of war,” says Alsaadi, who chronicles his life and work in his recently released book The Bull of Heaven. “I remember being in a bedroom with my mom and there was an air raid. It was 1980 at the time of the first phase of Iran-Iraq War air raids. It became an integral part of my life.”

So did the stock market, but that came later on.

A teenaged Alsaadi heard the words “stock market” for the first time at a dinner party in Paris. “I heard someone say that the host had lost his entire fortune in the stock market. The words rang loud in my ears. A fortune? The stock market? I remember the rush of excitement I felt at being somehow in the domain of high finance …

I had discovered the stock market, a place where vast fortunes were made. This discovery would define the rest of my life.”

The family had moved to France a few years prior after the IranIraq War had ended. His father, a high-level government director with the Ministry of Industry, who had been imprisoned during the war for offering consulting services to foreigners who wanted to do business inside Iraq, was released from prison, and the family began adapting to life after war. His father started an import/export business, and Alsaadi, now 10 years old, busied himself with trying to make money of his own with various small ventures. Business was put on hold when the family went on an extended European vacation. It was 1990 and, while in Vienna, the Alsaadis heard the news — Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait.

“All of a sudden we were back in war mode,” he says. “My parents

Iraq,” he says. “I saw risk all around, so I can deal with it more than other people.”

But France wasn’t the right place for him and his newfound passion for the stock market. He explains investing had more of a negative air in France, so Alsaadi looked to the West for new opportunities and potentially a new home. He decided to come to Canada to study as an international student at Saint Mary’s University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

As any newcomer knows, immigrating is also an exercise fraught with risk. “Yes, I knew there was a certain amount of risk coming to a country,” but luckily the risk paid off for Alsaadi.

“When I first arrived, I was immersed immediately in the full Canadian experience. It was the first time I was myself,” he says.

“At the orientation at the university, everyone was comfortable, even students from other countries. We didn’t feel out of place. As time passed, people weren’t asking where I was from. I didn’t feel too different from others,” he says.

“I went to see an immigration lawyer and asked if I could stay.

At that time they didn’t have the Canadian experience class [immigration stream], and the lawyer told me I had to go back to France, work there for a while and then apply [to immigrate]. I was a bit discouraged. I didn’t want to go back.”

Back in Paris, he found himself wrapped up again in helping his father with the hotel. “I had the Canadian immigration lawyer application above my desk in Paris for years. Every time I felt kind of squeezed or depressed or wanted to escape, I would look at the application and fill it out.”

It wasn’t until 10 years later, in 2007, when he finally returned to Canada, this time with his wife, Evelien; from the Netherlands, she was hesitant about moving to a country so far away from her family,

I wanted to be completely free, and I understood that wealth gives you freedom to choose your own path.” could not bear to live through another war. They resolved to settle in France.”

It wasn’t an easy transition, but his father had some contacts in Paris from his consulting days as well as a nice nest egg that gave them the means to stay in Europe. “That is what entrenched in my mind the importance of having money,” Alsaadi says.

His father then purchased a small boutique hotel. “In order to stay in France, we had to be seen to be contributing to the economy.” But the shabby building needed constant renovations and turned into a big financial drain on the family.

“By age 16, I was helping out, putting in shifts at reception and performing other tasks. but I was not well-suited for customer service. I felt frustrated and resentful,” he says.

He felt similarly about France in general. “I never felt at home [in France]. I felt isolated,” he says. “I did not fit in.”

That’s when his introduction to the stock market came in, and he was excited about the prospect of achieving the type of wealth that would allow him the freedom to make a life of his own choosing. He started taking great risks to get big returns. Sometimes they paid off, sometimes they failed. Over the years, he made and lost a few fortunes, but he had the resolve to keep taking risks to achieve the financial freedom he desired.

“My foundation was built on living a risky existence. I was literally exposed to risk of death by missiles and air raids during wartime in Celebrating 10 Years!

so the couple first came for a visit, opting for Vancouver. “Within days, she said, ‘Yes, this is where I think we need to be.’ She saw my whole attitude change here. She saw how comfortable I was.”

Their decision made, they returned to Paris and applied to immigrate. By 2009, they decided to come back to Canada as visitors before eventually becoming permanent residents. Focusing again on stock market investing, it was in Canada that Alsaadi, then 31, made his fortune, finally achieving the type of wealth he had taken so many risks for.

“I did not come here fabulously wealthy.

I made my money in Canada October 2014

Canadian Immigrant

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Photo by Evelien Johanna Voorberg

Success Story

Nawar Alsaadi’s book The Bull of Heaven chronicles his journey in war, immigration and the stock market.

through Canadian stocks,” he says. “I won the Canadian dream.”

Having finally found a new country and the wealth to do as he pleased, you’d think Alsaadi’s story could end happily here. Despite his success in Canada, he was still looking for something, a purpose beyond making money. In his memoir, The Bull of Heaven — titled after a mythological creature that symbolized strength, ferocity and prosperity — you can read that sense of yearning between the lines.

And it’s what led him to shareholder activism.

In his book, he describes in detail his fight against corporate greed to give shareholders a bigger say in how companies are run and to ensure accountability to their investors. His focus was an Albertan company called Equal Energy, which turned around and filed a lawsuit against him. Like the persistent mythological bull in his book, Alsaadi persevered, believing he was fighting between good and evil.

“With the Equal activism finished, I had time to sit and reflect on my investment career. I have spent half my life wrestling with the markets so I could build a fortune and be free, but as time passed, it became clearer that chasing a fortune is an endless mirage. I found a purpose in activism, but I am still not sure if this is my true calling.”

That’s where the book ends, but Alsaadi’s journey is far from over.

Today, he’s investing his time and money in creative endeavours including a musical theatre production based on the Bull of Heaven.

“My life has been a struggle to get rid of the accumulations that pile on top of you — culture, history, customs. I wanted to be completely free, and I understood that wealth gives you freedom to choose your own path,” he says.

“The challenge is once you are free, then you are responsible to draw your own path. Investing was the first phase of my life, then activism. But money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. I don’t want to lock myself into one role; I want to try different things and that’s why Canada works so well for me. In Canada, that freedom is permitted.”

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Cover Story

You Inc.

Why you need to brand yourself in today’s competitive marketplace — especially if you’re an immigrant!

By Lisa Evans

I

n today’s competitive marketplace, no longer is a simple resumé enough to land you a job. Creating a personal brand is the new way to stand out amongst the competition. While most of us are familiar with the concept of product brands — Nike telling us to “just do it” and Folgers Coffee claiming it’s “the best part of waking up” — we’re less familiar with the idea of branding ourselves.

Branding is “a way for the individual to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack,” says human resources consultant Aline Ayoub, founder of Aline Ayoub HR Consulting in Toronto. In addition to helping companies select the right people for their organizations, Ayoub, originally from Egypt, is also an advocate helping internationally trained professionals succeed in the Canadian workplace.

In her publication, 10 Essential Steps to Former Executive Immigrants Getting Their Dream Job, developing a personal brand is one of those essential steps. She says, “Developing a personal brand is branding ‘you.’ It helps define who you are and the type of work you do … It’s your personality, your voice, your interests, everything about you that you want people to know.”

Seven steps to create your brand

1. Know who you are. Make a list of your strengths, interests and values. “Be unique. You cannot build your personal brand while pretending you are someone else. To create a strong personal brand, you want to find yourself. Discover your strengths. Build on your expertise. Remember you are the brand,” according to Ayoub.

Ayoub adds that developing your personal brand in Canada doesn’t mean you’re reinventing yourself. “Whoever you were in your home country, the successes that you achieved remain the same successes in your new country,” she says.

Of course, many newcomers face a fear of rejection in their new country, which can stand in the way of developing an

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Cover Story authentic personal brand. But just the act of identifying your strengths, interests and values in order to define your personal brand can help you increase your confidence and overcome your insecurities.

2.

Create your branding statement.

Once you’ve identified your strengths, interests and values, you need to communicate those to the world by putting together your branding statement. Diana Fatima Omar Khamissa not only built up her perYK Chan, personsonal brand as a life coach and a women’s advocate, al branding and she wrote a book on how to create a brand on little career expert, and or no budget! founder of Magnify Your Marketability in Toronto, likes to call this your “sound bite.”

Hong Kong-born Chan defines herself as an “authentic leader and relationship connector with a keen eye for identifying, recruiting and developing top talent.” This branding statement appears on her resumé, her website, her business card and LinkedIn profile.

She likens building a branding statement to coming up with a theme for a wedding. “Everything from the design of the wedding invitation to the flowers and the wedding décor ties back to the theme that represents the couple,” says Chan. Just like a wedding theme, your branding statement — or sound bite — should carry through everything you do, including your resumé, website and social media profile.

3. Be passionate about what you put out in the world. Fatima Omar Khamissa, life coach, entrepreneur, publisher of Spiritual

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Biz Moms website and author of numerous books including How I Branded Myself Without a Budget, is all about passion. “Speak from your heart and be passionate about the things that drive you,” says Khamissa who came to Canada from South Africa and shares her story about surviving domestic abuse. “People know when we’re being fake and inauthentic. When we are authentic and really passionate about your subject, people want more.”

4. Be knowledgeable, too. In

addition to passion, you have to back up your opinions with intelligence. Czech/Indian, Cairo-born immigrant Gautam Nath, vice-president of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing and a branding expert, advises to have a strategy. “Branding is about being sure you know what you want to stand for and doing things in support of that,” says Nath. Whether online or in person, “make sure you participate in discussions and do so intelligently,” he says.

5.

Pakistan-born Tim Iqbal has been in Canada for less than 10 years, but is striving to become a well-known mover and shaker, seeking the Conservative nomination to run as an MP for Mississauga Centre in the next federal election.

Choose and use social media effectively. Social media today is everywhere and is an extremely effective and immediate way of building and promoting your brand with others.

Start by choosing appropriate social media channels. With such a wide variety of social media networks — from Twitter and LinkedIn to Google+, Pinterest to Facebook and Instagram — it can be hard to know where to start. Choose a maximum of three outlets to begin so you can ensure you’ll be able to keep up with posting frequent content. “Pick three social media networks that you want to work on.

Don’t make an account in every single thing out there because you’re not going to be able to give that audience the content, the love and the nurturing that’s required,” says Khamissa.

To decide which outlets to focus on, look at what others in your industry are using. That’s likely where you’ll get the most return on your investment of time and effort, and where you’ll be able to connect with others in your field.

You also have to find your focus. Pick a topic area you want to dominate and tailor your messaging and social media postings. If you’re in the HR field, for example, you’ll want to follow other HR consultants and business publications to keep abreast of current hiring practices. Share articles about the topic and re-tweet other HR consultants’ postings so it becomes clear to anyone who follows you

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what your area of focus is.

And be consistent and strategic in how and when you use social media. “You cannot be on social media sporadically,” says Ayoub. Create a strategy using a calendar to remind you of when and what to post, or use a social media management tool such as Hootsuite to manage your online activity. “Being on social media is not just tweeting once in a while, it’s tweeting every day, it’s having a strategy to make sure people see you on a regular basis so they can recognize you [as an expert in the field],” says Ayoub.

6. Get out there and make connections in person! Don’t just limit

yourself to social media, even though it can be the easier route for newcomers who feel shy about putting themselves out there in person.

Nath suggests immigrants go out and volunteer to get their name out there. “Volunteer for something that you have a passion for and for something where you can showcase your skillset and build a portfolio of Canadian initiatives. That is an important first step in building your personal brand.”

Pakistan-born Tim Iqbal, IT and business intelligence professional who is currently seeking a Conservative Party nomination to represent Mississauga Centre in the next federal election, agrees. “I’ve developed my brand through a variety of avenues. I attribute some of my success to constantly volunteering and networking. Volunteering helps to build your network in addition to helping people and strengthening your commitment to your community,” he says.

The flip side of helping your community is to find assistance yourself, in the form of a mentor. Finding a mentor from your chosen business or industry will be helpful in ensuring you have the knowledge that is pertinent to the Canadian economy,” adds Iqbal.

Forging connections on many levels is definitely key to creating a brand, says Olga Scherbina, founder and senior consultant at Diversity Clues Consulting Inc. The Ukrainian-born immigrant became a soughtafter expert on immigration integration in British Columbia after spending several years diligently networking and

becoming known as a strong voice on the topic.

She advises: “Identify key players in your field including well-known experts, top consultants and academics, and make it your goal to meet with as many as possible. The majority of my contracts I got because people saw my previous work, but also because I was proactive and met with my potential clients long before they needed me.”

7. Carry your brand across

online to in-person communications. Who you are online and who you are in person should be the same. Chan, for example, dresses in the same Ukrainian-born Olga Scherbina developed a name for herself in the types of bold colours that she uses on her website and arena of immigrant integration after business card when attending years of diligent networking. networking events. She also makes a point to speak about her area of interest when meeting others so it becomes clear to everyone she meets what she’s about.

It’s about being memorable, according to Chan, which can translate to more income-earning potential and professional success. “Celebrities like Justin Bieber, Martha Stuart and Katy Perry have a very strong brand, which means they get the most attention,” she says. While you may not aspire to celebrity status, developing a personal brand that resonates with Canadian employers and clients can be the key to success in launching a long-lasting career in your new country.

Hong Kong-born Diana YK Chan is personal branding and career expert who helps clients “magnify their marketability.”

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October 2014

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19

Business

Venture out

5 easy and unique ideas to help aspiring immigrants start a small business at a lower cost and risk

By Sarah Taguiam

M

ost immigrants come to Canada to work and build a better life, and for some that means starting a small business. But small businesses can come with big challenges and even bigger costs. From franchises to retail shops, the costs of monthly rent, staffing and other overhead expenses can be overwhelming and pose a big financial risk.

For Small Business Month this October, we have gathered five easy-to-start business ideas to help aspiring immigrants venture into the business world at a lower cost and risk.

1. Forget the restaurant; drive a food truck Many newcomers open restaurants in Canada, but it’s a tough business with lots of overhead and

often tight profit margins. Did you know that food trucks are all the rage in Canada right now? Instead of having to raise capital to buy a franchise or start a restaurant from scratch with high monthly rent, a food truck gives owners the mobility that will allow them to, literally, bring their products closer to customers. Having your own food truck also requires a much smaller staff, menu and space.

ing is a seasonal job and there’s not continuous work in the winter,” Padrala says. “So I figured I could build on that, get my operating license for pest control and create my own business.”

Bugman has grown since its opening in 2010. Padrala and his team currently work with residential and commercial clients including chain hotels and property management companies.

2. Can’t find a job in your field?

Freelance your services

4. Online or pop-up stores

Creative types like writers, marketers and designers can freelance their services from home. Not only can you dictate your own hours, but you also get to pick the amount and kind of work you will be signing on for. Freelancing doesn’t involve a huge monetary investment — and can even be done while maintaining another job — but an aspiring freelancer should spend time building his or her brand to attract customers.

Building a brand includes steps like building a website where customers can easily contact you, having an accessible portfolio of your past work and publicizing your services through networking and social media like Twitter and Facebook. You can also find work through online freelancing websites like freelancer.com or odesk.com.

3. Businesses on the go

Sanjay Padrala started a landscape and pest control mobile business in Canada.

20 canadianimmigrant.ca

October 2014

Skilled immigrants can also start their own mobile service business.

Anyone from hair stylists, dog groomers, landscapers, cleaning personnel and music teachers can try their hand at providing their services by travelling to client’s homes for a fairly low cost.

Landscaper and pest controller Sanjay Padrala has experienced success in doing this.

Padrala, who moved from India in 2007, built on his background as an architect and landscaper to start Bugman, a landscape and pest control business.

“I was working as a landscaper when I first got here, but landscap-

Crafty immigrants can sell their wares like art, clothes and more through online stores. Instead of opening a boutique, you can easily sign up for an Etsy account online and sell your products across Canada and overseas via this web site.

In addition to an online store, you can also set up a pop-up shop, a growing practice where building operators let business owners sign a lease for short periods of

How to succeed in small business

Starting your own business from scratch is always a challenge, but creating one after moving to a new country is much more daunting. With the help of Marion Annau, founder of Connect Legal, a company that provides advice to immigrant entrepreneurs, here is a step-by-step guide to help business-minded immigrants make the process of owning their own business easier.

1. Identify the demand for your service Businesses are driven by equal parts passion and profit. While it’s important to be passionate about your venture, you have to ensure that there is also a real demand for the service or product you are providing.

2. Look for existing resources that could help To avoid stepping into the business world blindly, new business owners should seek help from

time. The pop-up shop requires a smaller investment and could be a great starting ground in figuring out whether you’d like to build a more permanent boutique.

You can also use these channels to sell products you simply purchase and distribute, including goods imported from your homeland that are not available here.

5. Parents providing childcare

Daycare costs today can be expensive, and many couples opt to have one parent stay at home with their kids. You could turn your decision to stay at home into a side business, by offering to care for other children, too, with your own daycare or babysitting service. There are some rules around this, and in some cases you have to become licensed, but there is great demand for daycare, especially ones with flexible options. available resources. There is an abundance of organizations and programs dedicated to helping business owners get on their feet, but some are not always well-publicized.

3. Find a mentor By learning from a mentor, you could be privy to tips and insider information you might not be able to pick up until you’re an industry veteran.

You can find a mentor through community events or joining mentorship programs that partner you up.

4. Maintain financial flexibility Be careful not to overextend yourself financially especially in the early stages of your business.

Make sure to maintain financial flexibility to manage unpredictable cash flow.

5. Network!

Building relationships is an extremely important requirement in doing business in Canada.

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CULTURE

Immigration matters could be trickya doctor? Call a cab Need

Reach an Expert New film Dr. Cabbie explores the plight of professional immigrants who can’t work in Canada

By Shruti Ganapathy

medicine il“I see this film as a true blend that people see this as a true Calegally out of of Bollywood and North Ameri- nadian film. his cab. can cinema and maintaining In an interview with the Thor“The that cross-cultural image, not nill Liberal newspaper Virmani question we in terms of cast but in terms says, “We hope to make people need to ask of genre throughout the film, laugh and we hope to bring atourselves is was definitely a challenge,” says tention to some important issues. whether ev- Pouliot. “However, the strength I really hope that we see a diverse erything that of the story helped me maintain group of audiences going to enjoy octor-turned-cabbie is morally right is legally correct the pace throughout.” this film.” stories have become leg- and vice versa.”

Although not a complete The movie was released endary, and are now the In thematters film, Deepak Immigration could (played be trickyby Canadian cast, The Big Bang on Sept. 19 in theatres across plot of a new film, Dr. Cabbie. Toronto-born Vinay Virmani, Theory’s Kunal Nayyar stars as Canada.

Montreal-born director Jean- who also co-wrote the film with Tony, for instance, Pouliot hopes A must-see!

François Pouliot attempts to tell Ron Kennell and Manu Chopra) a heartwarming tale of a doctor migrates to Canada from India named Deepak who becomes considering it a land of opportunia cab driver, while putting the ties. He is unable to find a job for spotlight on this important issue himself in his chosen field of work Are you an IMMIGRANT looking for work? of immigrant integration. and ultimately resorts to driving Our Skills Connect for Immigrants Program: Pouliot claims he felt “awful” a cab in order to support himself. that he had such a good time What unfolds is a comic • connects your skills with B.C. working with the cast and crew Certified take Canadian on theImmigration plightConsultants of immigrant Employers in all job sectors and Members of CSIC, CMI, CapIC of Dr. Cabbie because the real- doctors.

Deepak helps deliver Graduates of the UBC Immigration • provides mentorship opportunities babyCertificate of Natalie ity of what immigrants face hung thepractitioner program (Adrianne Member CSIC M064140 and one-on-one coaching Palicki) in his cab while caught over the experience.

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CULTURE

Diwali!

7 things to know about this South Asian festival

D

iwali is an important South Asian festival, which is taking its place in Canada as a popular community celebration each fall. Not unlike Christmas traditions, Diwali is a time for gathering with family and friends, feasting and celebrating, and leaving the past behind to welcome a new year.

Here are seven other Diwali facts to know!

1. The name Diwali is a con-

traction of Deepavali, a Sanskrit word that translates into “row of lamps.�

but there are also various related legends that point to honouring gods and kings. For example, Hindu traditions commemorate the return of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana, from his 14-yearlong exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana.

4.

For Diwali is also a time to honour Laksh-

many,

mi, the goddess of wealth. And buying gold on the first day of Diwali is a common tradition, as is purchasing and wearing new clothes.

5.

Diwali is celebrated over five days with common traditions each day. Typically, Day 1 is to clean the house, as it is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits the homes of those

2. Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas or dipas in Sanskrit) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil.

3. Its origins have links to ancient harvest festivals in India,

who are hardworking and keep it clean. Day 2 is to decorate the home with diyas and create patterns called rangoli or kolam using coloured rice, sand or flour, or even flower petals. The main day of the festival with feasts and fireworks lands on Day 3.

Friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes on Day 4, and Day 5 is a day to celebrate brothers (bhai dooj).

6. The date of Diwali changes

each year depending on the lunar calendar. For 2014, it starts on Thursday, Oct. 23 and goes to Monday, Oct. 27.

7.

Indians throughout the world celebrate Diwali, including in Canada, which features a growing number of community festivals throughout the country.

Find events at deepavali.net/ canada.php.

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October 2014

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Corporate Profile

Testing your English

IDP Education opens new test centre for IELTS, a global leader in English-language testing, at the University of Toronto Mississauga

By John Zhang

N

o stranger to immigrants and international students, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to assess the language ability of people whose first language is not English, but who are studying in, working in or immigrating to a country where English is the language of communication. IELTS, which conforms to the highest international standards of language assessment, covers the four language skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking.

More than 9,000 educational institutions, faculties, government agencies and professional organizations around the world recognize IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of a person’s ability to communicate in English. These include universities, colleges, professional registration bodies, employers and governments in many countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. IELTS, which is jointly owned by IDP IELTS, British Council and Cambridge English Language Assessment, offers two versions of the IELTS exam, the IELTS Academic exam and IELTS General Training exam.

Joanna (Miao) Jiang, currently an undergraduate student specializing in business economy at York University in Toronto, is very familiar with the test, having taken it four times to benchmark her progress as she studied to improve her English. “I had my own personal experience of taking the IELTS test, twice in China and twice more in Canada,” recalls Jiang, who went to high school in Hamilton, Ontario, after arriving in Canada.

“To me and to my schoolmates, IELTS is still the most popular English proficiency test with more accessible locations and testing times for candidates to select both.”

Proof of proficiency

On May 20, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration in Canada (CIC) announced that it will continue to accept the IELTS General Training exam as proof of English language ability, which was first approved for immigration purposes in 2002.

The agreement between IELTS and CIC applies to a range of work-related visa categories.

Under the agreement, IELTS General Training is used as evidence of English language ability

26 canadianimmigrant.ca

October 2014

for the federal skilled worker program, Canadian experience class and federal skilled trades program. In addition, the test is also used for other programs such as provincial nominee programs and federal business programs, as well as for citizenship purposes.

According to CIC spokesperson Remi Lariviere in Ottawa, “In order to ensure approved third-party language tests accurately measure an individual’s language proficiency, the test must meet CIC’s designation criteria, including a correlation to the CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark). IELTS has demonstrated they meet the criteria.”

Though CIC also accepts other English language tests for citizenship, including the CELPIP, IELTS remains the most popular test for newcomers. More than 2.2 million people a year use IELTS in more than 135 countries, and there are more than 900 test centres and locations globally.

IDP IELTS manages a network of more than 200 test locations worldwide, including nearly 20 locations across Canada on up to 48 test dates per year.

Newest IELTS test centre opens in GTA

Recently, a new IELTS test centre was established at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) to accommodate the growing numbers of IELTS candidates using the test for study, accreditation or immigration in the Mississauga and Peel Region.

According to Diane Crocker, registrar and director of enrolment management at UTM, “IDP was looking for a site in this area to set up an IELTS exam centre. Locating it at UTM will benefit Mississauga’s local, diverse community and those in the greater Peel Region who will no longer have to travel a great dis-

tance for the test.”

Crocker adds that UTM is thrilled to be able to offer this service to the local community and at the same time benefits by showing off its amazing campus to newcomers who may someday become students, or send their children here. UTM is quite familiar with English language testing, given that 17 per cent of the 13,300 students at UTM are international students, and many of them were required to take an English proficiency test such as IELTS before being admitted by the university.

In addition to this new test centre in Mississauga, IDP IELTS Canada tests in the following cities: Burnaby, Calgary, Edmonton, Fort St. John, Halifax, Hamilton, Kelowna, Nanaimo, North York, Ottawa, Prince George, Regina, Richmond, Saskatoon, Scarborough, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Victoria.

Why candidates like the IELTS

What are some of the reasons candidates like Jiang prefer the IELTS test to other English tests?

• IELTS is a proven test and candidates know that it can be used for many receiving organizations, whether the purpose is to study, work or immigrate.

• IELTS is the only test that gives candidates a quiet room for their speaking test with no distractions or interruptions. The speaking test in conducted in person rather than speaking into a microphone with other candidates doing the same around them.

• The test is written using a paper and pencil and takes three hours or less. Many candidates still have fears about computerized testing systems.

• A free 90-minute IELTS Masterclass is available to take to help candidates understand the IELTS assessment criteria and how best to enhance their English.

• Fast results. Results are received within 13 calendar days.

For more information

IELTS testing centre at the University of Toronto Mississauga: utm.utoronto.ca/ielts For testing locations across Canada: ieltscanadatest.com facebook/canimmigrant

@canimmigrant

“IELTS is so well-respected, it was the obvious choice�

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| C areer Coach |

Get scanned, get noticed, get hired Quick, get a QR code!

A

s a jobseeker, you’ll agree, your most difficult challenge these days is simply figuring out how to stand out and get noticed. Even with all those excellent credentials, you will need something extra that pops out from the stack of resumés on the recruiter’s desk or desktop.

Why not try something innovative? How about getting yourself a QR code — a recent trend that is gaining traction everywhere? A QR code is simply, a two-dimensional “Quick Response” bar code that, when scanned using a smart phone, connects recruiters directly to your LinkedIn profile, online portfolio, blog or website, without making them type a URL into a browser.

Getting a QR code is free and

instant. Simply log on to any of the myriad sites like QR-CodeGenerator.com and enter the URL of your online profile. Or simply find a smart phone app by searching for QR codes or QR code makers.

Benefits to your job search

What are the benefits of using QR codes?

• Adding a QR code to your resumé is a tech-savvy way to illustrate your strengths and gain a visible, competitive advantage over other applicants.

• QR codes help people use a scannable shortcut to find information about you quickly online — including details of your accomplishments, recommendations, awards, professional articles, blog and touch-friendly

contact information like click-tocall and clickto-email.

• You can set up an alert system through an online identity management service so you receive an instant text or email when someone scans your QR code.

• You can also tailor your profile toward a specific search including creating an interactive resumé with a QR code.

Keep in mind that it’s not the novelty of the QR code alone that will give you the edge in the job hunt, but more importantly the way that it’s put to use to strategically reinforce your skills and desirability as a job applicant.

That’s why, you should consider comprehensive platforms like Qfuse.com that not only help you design great QR codes, but also generate landing pages that are mobile friendly. What’s more, by linking your QR codes to the mobile content, you can measure who viewed your QR code and get full online activity reports.

Three QR strategies

Here are three ways QR codes can spark your job search: 1. Include a QR code in the header of your resumé to grab attention within the first four seconds. To be safe, include your LinkedIn/blog/website URL and the QR code, so those without smart phones can still reach your online profile. Just be sure not to send people directly to a simple online resumé. There’s no point in sending them to the same in-

formation they already have in front of them.

2. Print the QR code on the back of your business card so people can look you up and contact you later. After all, isn’t that why you handed out the card in the first place?

3. Allow it to be a communication bridge especially at networking events and one-on-one meetings. Most of the time, it can be difficult to carry around your whole portfolio, but you can always bring it up in a conversation with people and then hand your QR code printed-card to let them view your credentials in real time.

On trend

In summary, adding a QR code to your job search tools cleverly illustrates that you are up-todate with the latest technological trends, and gains the admiration of hiring managers and employers alike.

Of course, it isn’t the QR code alone that will make the difference; ultimately the code helps to highlight your experience and brings your skills to the forefront, which means you need to have the experience and skills in the first place.

The good news — these days everyone is using a smart phone and that includes the people you are trying to reach.

The great news — now you can win them over instantly with a QR code.

Indian-born Murali Murthy is owner of Vantage Copy, as well as a speaker, coach and best-selling author of The ACE Books — The ACE Principle and The ACE Awakening.

He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. See poweroface.com.

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| Higher Learning |

Tuition check

Y

Paying for post-secondary education

ou have decided that getting Canadian post-secondary education is a good plan. Your next inevitable consideration is the cost.

Gone are the days when the majority of students could fund their entire education with part-time jobs. Many students at Canadian colleges and universities now rely on some type of financial aid in order to be able to pay for school.

While living on a tight budget is a common reality, it’s nonetheless stressful. If you are returning to school after working a full-time job, your lifestyle is likely to change dramatically. Financial worries can be a big obstacle to studying, taking away from your concentration, interfering with available study time and needed sleep. It’s best to tackle these issues before they become unmanageable. A well-thought-out, realistic plan may head off this particular stress. The following advice is offered to help navigate the world of paying for your education.

Finding financial assistance

Financial aid can come from many different sources and are available in various forms, such as loans, scholarships, bursaries and grants.

Depending on your status in Canada and your financial situation, you may have access to government loans. Typically, these student loans are interest-free while you are studying and do not have to be repaid until six months after you leave full-time study.

The CanLearn website (canlearn.ca) provides information on government student loans for the various provinces and territories. It also includes useful information for international students, those with disabilities, students with dependants, low-income students and more.

The terms bursary, grants, scholarships and awards are often used

interchangeably. Generally speaking, they provide you with funds you do not have to pay back. Bursaries and grants are usually given on the basis of need. Grants are typically assessed when you apply for government loans and additional money may be available for students with disabilities. Scholarships may be awarded to those with financial need, but are often also based on merit. Bursaries and scholarships that are attached to a school may be awarded automatically; however, many of these require that you submit an application. It is best to inquire with your school’s financial aid and awards office or website to find out how to access them.

Some external scholarships and bursaries, which are generally awarded by private donors or corporations, may be listed on the school’s website as well; however, others may require some digging to find.

Some of these scholarships go unclaimed because many students are not aware of them. The Canadian University Scholarship Handbook 2014 and the Canadian College Scholarship Handbook 2014 may be available at your local public library and are good places to start. The Guide to Canadian Scholarships is extensive and may be consulted at the some public libraries as well. If you prefer using the internet for your search, check online databases of awards, such as studentawards. com and scholarshipscanada.com. In order to qualify, it will not hurt to be an excellent student with lots of community service, but some scholarships are awarded for a whole lot less.

Some provinces have programs designed to help you pay for retraining. An example of this is the Second Career program in Ontario. Check the education and training websites of your province or territory for more information.

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Other funding options

If you do not qualify for a student loan (i.e., you are an international student or your income is too high), and you’ve had little luck with grants or scholarships, a student line of credit from a bank may be an option for you. However, as the interest rates and repayment rules may not be as favourable as government loans, you can try and negotiate the terms. You will also likely need someone to co-sign as guarantor.

If you’re employed, ask if your company has a tuition assistance program for their employees and/or family members. It is worth checking into this if you (or your spouse) are currently working as you may qualify for reimbursement of part or all of your tuition. You may have to get pre-approval or achieve a certain grade to qualify, so be sure to look into the terms of the program.

Although international students do not qualify for government loans and may not be able to access other awards available through the financial aid office, the school’s International Centre may be able to provide financial assistance.

Making money

If you are planning to be a full-time post-secondary student, it is often best to limit work while at school, if possible. If you must have a job, try to reorganize it to weekend work, working from home, or one or two days or evenings.

On-campus employment programs exist at many schools. You usually need to apply early for these positions as they get filled quickly.

Some graduate programs at university offer teaching and research assistantships. These are usually awarded both by merit and need.

As you progress in school, you may find that your new skills help you find work. For instance, as a nursing student, you may be able to get some health care part-time work in a nursing home. Apprenticeship and co-op programs allow you to alternate work and study times, but some work terms are not paid.

For some newcomers, particularly those with dependants, funding your education while working may require a different strategy. One

possibility is to start with one course or part-time studies. Keep in mind, however, that your eligibility for student loans will likely change if you only study part time. When you are closer to the end of your studies, you may want to study full time if you can find better paying part-time work in your field by then.

Managing your money

Student costs can include tuition, rent and food, transportation, travel, student fees, books and additional materials (e.g., knives and uniforms for culinary students, or tools for construction programs). While financial assistance may cover some of these, it is often not enough. Creating and following a budget will let you know what resources you have and need and will prevent unwelcome surprises at the end of the month.

The CanLearn website (canlearn.ca) has online tools to help create a budget. Other ways to contain costs include buying used textbooks and/ or selling them at the end of the semester.

Despite careful financial planning, unexpected expenses may occur.

Should you find yourself in a dire situation, for example if you are facing eviction because you are short on your rent, your house has been broken into, or are facing large expenses due to an unexpected illness, speak to the financial aid office at your school, which may have emergency funds available to help you through a temporary financial difficulty.

Financial stress makes it very hard to focus on your studies. Although difficult to accept at times, it is important to recognize when it is not the right time to go to school because you simply can’t afford it. Many people delay school, or take a semester or a year off to work.

This gets them into better financial shape, allowing them to concentrate on their studies.

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

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Living

Fall fun 10 activities to help you enjoy the new season

By Lisa Evans

J

ust because the weather is cooler doesn’t mean it’s time to hibernate indoors — yet. With its vibrant colours and crisp cool air, the fall season in Canada offers plenty of opportunities to connect with nature and explore some of the country’s best activities. Whether you’re looking for great food, festivals or fauna, the fall season has it all. Here are 10 fantastic autumn activities.

Visit farmers’ markets. Expand your palate with the fall’s harvest. From sweet potatoes to radishes, winter squash and fall fresh fruits such as apples and cranberries, some of Canada’s most flavourful produce is available in the fall. Farmers’ markets are a great place to go to learn about these delicious harvest foods directly from the people who grow them. Farmers are always keen to share their favourite ways of preparing the fruits of their labours.

Try your hand at preparing seasonal favourites such as butternut squash soup, apple pie or pumpkin bread.

1

Tour a pumpkin patch. A pumpkin patch is a great place to spend an afternoon with your family. Throughout the month of October, you can pick your own pumpkin to carve as a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, or simply to eat (pumpkin pie and roasted pumpkin seeds are Canadian seasonal favourites). Pumpkin patches often offer hay rides and other activities for the young ones in the family.

2

Participate in haunted festivities. On Oct. 31, children dress up in costumes and visit neighbourhood houses shouting “trickor-treat” in exchange for candy. The tradition dates back to Celtic beliefs that spirits could cross over into the world of the living on this night. While dressing up in costumes was thought to scare off the spirits who had wandered back into the world of the living, in later centuries, people began dressing up as ghosts and demons and performed antics in exchange for food and drink, a custom thought to have evolved into the trick-or-treating we know of today.

Halloween isn’t the only celebration that connects us to the otherworld this time of year. If you live in a city with a large Mexican population, you may want to seek out Day of the Dead festivities.

Mexicans believe the souls of our dearly departed return to earth on Nov. 1 and 2 to visit loved ones. Witness the making of spectacular altars to honour the dead and taste the traditional bread pan de muertos (bread of the dead).

3

Hike along some of Canada’s best trails. Fall is nature’s playground. From late September to late October, hiking trails are lined with colourful leaves in pumpkin oranges, candy apple reds and golden yellows. And the weather is not too hot for a strenuous climb.

4

Rake the leaves. As trees shed their leaves, the ground becomes littered in a patchwork of colour. Raking the leaves in your own backyard can be a fun chore to do as a family. Kids will love to make a large leaf pile and take turns jumping in.

5

Visit an apple orchard. There’s nothing more delicious than biting into a fresh, crisp apple. Take the family on a trip to the apple orchard and enjoy picking your own fruit. Try a glass of warm apple cider after as a reward for all your hard work. Many orchards offer activities for kids including hay rides and face painting.

6

Hit the stage. Fall is the start of theatre season in cities across the country. Check out the many playbills, dance productions and symphony schedules in your city. Many theatre companies offer discounts in the fall for those who purchase multiple tickets for the season.

7

Host a Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving (which falls on Monday, Oct. 13 this year) offers an opportunity to share all that you’re grateful for. The annual holiday celebrates the harvest and other blessings of the past year and is a great time to gather with friends and family to remember all that you’re thankful for. Enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, or make the meal unique by hosting a potluck, asking friends to bring their favourite dishes.

8

Celebrate Oktoberfest with beer and sausages. This German fall festival attracts more than six million spectators worldwide.

The largest Oktoberfest in Canada is in Kitchener, Waterloo, located about 100 kilometres west of Toronto. While the no. 1 draw to Oktoberfest is beer, the festival offers a glimpse into all that makes German heritage great including dancing, Bavarian costumes and great food.

9

Enjoy the end of whale watching season. If you live on the east or west coast of Canada, you may want to wave goodbye to the whales as they migrate into the ocean. Whale watching season runs until the end of October. Listen for cries of “there she blows!” as spectators spot whales shooting water into the crisp blue sky.

10

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SETTLEMENT

Sitter service Paulina Podgorska is changing the way Canadian families find child care

By Lisa Evans

Paulina Podgorska set up a system to help parents find reliable babysitting at SOSsitter.ca.

A

few months after giving birth to her now eightyear-old son, Montreal mom Paulina Podgorska embarked on a long and stressful search for a full-time caregiver so she could return to work. What she found were fully booked daycare centres with long waiting lists and few private caregiver options. A Polish-born immigrant, Podgorska wanted to find a nanny who also spoke her native tongue.

At the time, it seemed the only options for finding a babysitter or nanny were free classified ads and referrals from family or friends. These limited search options left Podgorska feeling uncertain. “The free ads scared me because you don’t know who will be replying,” she says. “Also, I noticed when a family found a nanny or babysitter, they didn’t like to share her.” She eventually found a sitter (although one who didn’t speak Polish) and returned

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to work when her son was nine months old.

After expressing her frustrations at the challenges she found locating suitable child care with other working mothers, she was surprised to find how many others had similar experiences.

Sensing a gap in the market, Podgorska began to brainstorm an idea that would make the process of finding a babysitter easier.

In 2009, she left her job at an advertising agency and founded SOSsitter (called SOSgarde in French), an internet-based service that connects families with suitable caregivers.

The service now has more than 18,000 registered caregivers and more than 7,000 families. Families pay a membership fee and can access profiles of caregivers in their area simply by entering their postal code.

Caregivers can post their profiles for free, which are reviewed

by Podgorska’s company. Parents

can contact the sitter directly and invite them for an interview.

Podgorska has noticed a greater demand for live-in nannies, particularly in the big cities.

Because of Podgorska’s difficulties in finding a babysitter who spoke her native tongue, she added a category that allows caregivers to mention their language, a feature she says has been particularly popular among the Arabic and Spanish communities in her community of Montreal who want their children to grow up speaking their parents’ native language. “I wanted my son to know where his roots are,” she says, adding introducing kids to a language at an early age means it becomes more ingrained in them than trying to teach them when they’re school-aged. “All the lullabies, he knows in Polish,” she says.

Podgorska recognizes the special difficulties newcomer families in particular face in locating child care. While in her native Poland, multi-generational families are commonplace and child care responsibilities are often passed to the grandparents, immigrant families with limited family networks in Canada may not have the option of keeping child care in the family unit.

“Family members often live in other cities [or countries!], mak-

ing child care difficult,” she says.

Even when families live close by, many simply aren’t willing to take over the child care responsibilities. “In many cases, the parents may be retired and they want to live their own lives,” she says.

In 2013, Podgorska expanded her company to include senior care, special needs, pet care and house care (cleaning services) after receiving requests from members who also needed help with these areas of their lives. She’s also hired two moms to help her run the business, reviewing profiles of caregivers for quality control.

Starting SOSsitter wasn’t an easy step for Podgorska, who likens becoming an entrepreneur to the immigration process — going from a safe, corporate environment where she had the security of a regular paycheque to something unknown — and credits her journey to Canada for preparing her for becoming an entrepreneur. “What immigration really taught me is you are the king of your destiny and you have the power to create the life for yourself the way you would like to have it. But for that [to happen], it takes courage and hard work and some sacrifices.

In that way, immigration is like [entrepreneurship],” she says.

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SETTLEMENT

| M aya n k ’ s Imm i g r a n t A d v e n t u r e s |

‘I’m Canadian!’

At last, I have taken my oath of citizenship

“

I’m Canadian.” It’s something that I’ve wanted to say for at least a dozen years.

Finally, I can say it.

Six years after arriving in Canada, I took my oath to become a Canadian citizen. My wife, Mahrukh, and my son, Che, were also with me, and with us were 96 other permanent residents from 34 countries who became Canadian on Aug. 27, 2014, at the Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto.

We wore new clothes that we’d shopped for on our recent vacation in India.

Judge Ann Dillon administered the oath, and all of us repeated the oath both in English and French. Then we sang the Canadian national anthem. Our permanent resident cards were taken away, and after the ceremony we were issued a citizenship certificate and a letter from the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, welcoming us as Canadian citizens.

Soon, we’d be getting a Canadian passport. Nothing really had changed, and yet everything had. There was a deep sense of loss at losing one’s original nationality (and identity), and a huge lump in the throat at having attained a new one.

Later that afternoon, we recalled the day when we had gone to an immigration agent’s office in 2002 in Mumbai, India, to fill out

Celebrating 10 Years!

a form, and embark upon a journey that would take a long — very long — time to reach fruition.

It took six years for our papers to be processed and for us to come to Canada, and then another six years to attain citizenship. In these dozen years, our lives changed, not just once, but several times.

Has it been worth the wait? I definitely think so. Would I change anything if I had another chance? Perhaps, I’d have applied earlier and not waited until I was well into middle age.

I firmly believe I have gained more than I have lost. And while the struggle to survive has often seemed insurmountable and unending, it has brought its rewards — a better quality of life for me, potential for greater opportunities for my son, who will go to university next year, a new awakening in my wife about her place in the world.

A journey has reached its destination, and while the journey has been fraught with massive upheavals, reaching the destination is a reward that has been worth all the trouble.

Mayank Bhatt, an internationally trained journalist from India, writes about his everyday experiences as an immigrant in this column.

October 2014

Canadian Immigrant

35

SETTLEMENT | Pa r e n t i n g |

Screen time

The good and bad of digital technology

D

igital technology has become an essential part of our everyday life, as it connects us to the world in ways we never imagined before. Whether we want to admit it or not, most of us find it challenging to live without our computers and smartphones for long, as we depend of them in so many ways.

At the same time, problems resulting from excess use of digital technology are also more prevalent, especially for kids. A decrease in genuine human connections, an increase in obesity and sleep problems, and neglect of schoolwork are some common problems related to excess “screen time” — the time spent on activities done in front of a screen, be it a computer, smartphone, tablet or television.

Too much time

Too much screen time is a common problem among many families, leading to parents forbidding the use of computers or television as punishment. However, this often leads to adverse reactions from children, creating negative family dynamics and power struggles. Often, parents just surrender to what seems like a losing battle and give in to children’s screen addiction to avoid disagreements.

Are there ways to incorporate appropriate screen time for our children, while allocating time to develop other areas, without the fight?

Here are some suggestions: • The first step is to assess usage by logging and tracking the screen time, and to set appropriate time limits accordingly. Keep in mind that children often model what we do, so it is essential for parents to set good examples for their children. If parents spend an excess amount

of time on digital technology, children will follow suit.

• Evaluate the content of screen time that children engage in.

Proper supervision and guidance regarding the content is necessary to maximize the benefits of digital technology. Are they watching educational shows, doing research for their homework, Skyping with their grandparents in their home country, or are they playing violent computer games?

• Instead of focusing on trying to get children away from their beloved screens, suggest alternatives that are fun and beneficial. Entice children to do non-screen activities, such as formal extra-curricular activities, or simply playing together in your backyard might be more effective than constantly nagging them to stop playing computer games.

• Educate older children about the advantages and disadvantages of digital technologies. Teach them about device usage etiquette, how to safely use the internet, social media and other digital tools to advance their education and careers. Discuss as a family, and set rules for appropriate time limit, as well as the consequences for violating the rules.

The array of choices in types of devices and apps can provide endless hours of entertainment and educational benefits, but excessive amounts of screen time can do more harm than good.

While limiting children’s screen time may seem like challenging battle, it is worth fighting for.

Cheryl Song, an immigrant from Malaysia, has more than 10 years’ experience of working in childhood education and family programs.

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ewcomer tips from our RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2014!

Humour by Hemeterio

Dr. Anna Wolak

(family doctor, Vancouver)

“

It is important to do your homework before arriving to Canada. Understand that there will inevitably be cultural differences. Learn them, and try to meet people in your field who might be able to provide advice that could help you successfully navigate the many hurdles that exist in your new country of choice — Canada.

”

James Wang

(businessman, school trustee, Burnaby)

“

I think it is important for new immigrants to volunteer in the community. Volunteering is also a good approach to learning about the social system and to merge into Canada’s multicultural society.

”

Brazilian-born Hemeterio Rufino Cardoso Neto illustrates his impressions of being a newcomer in Canada! Email hemeterio@gmail.com.

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