Canada’s People Of Colour Population Reaches 5 million 16% Of Total Population. Has Canada Really Changed?
According to Statistics Canada for the first time Canada’s non white population has surpassed the 5 million mark. There is a facade that exists in Canada that has become a tainted mythology to the rest of the world that Canada is all about multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is not only perfidious it is an illusion that needs to die.
Canada is all smokes and mirrors the nation is about assimilation and exclusion not about dealing with race issues in an honest format or manner. Institutionalized racism is a very much entrenched, legislated, and mandated in Canada. For instance, many people from other countries that are engineers, doctors, teachers can’t receive accreditation in Canada because their education doesn’t meet “Canadian standards”. Another racist term utilized by human resources people in Canada is acquiring “Canadian experience”. It is just another way for the Mythical Norm to lock out people of colour from high skilled job positions and force these people into low skilled labor jobs. The Canadian government claims to be “trying” to find a solution. It is a broken record but it is a way in which supremacy is legislated and enforced.
The Aboriginal Canadians are treated very harshly and unfairly in Canada. Every single year there are land disputes and the racial tension between the Aboriginal Canadians and white Canadians. The discrimination against the First Nations people in Canada is a very serious issue. In fact, last summer in Ontario there was a land claim dispute between an Aboriginal community and white Canadians. The federal government chose to stay out of the quandary making the province of Ontario deal with the racial tension.
Unlike the United States Canadians ignore race or at least pretend that race doesn’t exist. In America, the Americans are cognizant of race and don’t try to ignore race. In Canada, there is this pretentious attitude that Canada is somehow less racist then United States. I believe Canadian racism is even more dangerous because of the hypocrisy to bigotry. In Canada the racism is institutionalized and entrenched in the frameworks of the society and culture.
If you visit the Canadian books stores and want to read about black Canadian culture you will find the following writers Dionne Brand, Austin Clarke, Nalo Hopkinson, Makeda Silvera, Lawrence Hill, George Elliott Clarke and that’s about it.
If you turned on the Canadian television you would swear Canada is still a white nation. If you have cable or a satellite dish watch the CBC, CTV, or Global television you will see countless stories about curling, hockey, the “traditional” Canadian culture. You won’t hear much about black Canadians unless it is black history month. Asian Canadians are hardly discussed much in Canada either.
The 2006 Canadian Census states that there are 5,068,100 visible minorities in Canada that account for 16% per cent of the total population. 96% of people of colour in Canada live in metropolitan areas specifically two cities Toronto and Vancouver. South Asians are the largest “visible minority” group in Canada making up 4% of the Canadian population or 1.4 million people, Chinese Canadians are second largest visible minority group in Canada at 1.2 million. I have a problem with the word “visible minority” I think its another form of “othering”. Black lesbian feminist wrote about “othering” in the controversial 1994 classic book “Bread Out Of Stone”. Are people of colour really a part of the Canadian fabric? I wonder?
After South Asians and Chinese Canadians the next largest visible minority groups are blacks, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese Canadians. I am surprised that the black Canadian population is the third largest non white group in Canada. According to the 2006 Canadian census 783,000 blacks live in Canada the vast majority have African or Caribbean heritage.
My complaint is why are all black Canadians lumped together into just one group. There is a richness to the African Diaspora. The “black Canadian” community is not a monolithic group there are Jamaicans, Haitians, Nigerians, people from the Caribbean, South America, Latin America, Kenyans, Southern Africans, East Africans. The Canadian census discriminates against the black Canadian communities because they generalize us. Its an example of supremacy. I think this is an important issue to explore. The East and South Asians are placed into different categories yet people of African descent we are treated as a monolithic group I have a problem with this.
On the Canadian census all it says is “black”. Does Statistics Canada not know there are black Canadians that live in the province of Nova Scotia? There are Africans from Africa, there are black Caribbean people, black people from South America as well. There is multiplicity in the African Canadian community.
It is true Canada’s non white population is growing and I believe this is a very positive thing. Far too often, when people think of Canada they immediately think white. However, the census didn’t explore issues such as the Canadian power structure. The city of Toronto has more visible minorities then white people. So why is the mayor of Toronto always the Mythical Norm? We don’t even question it? Why is the Police Chief in Toronto always the white heterosexual male? Why is the demographic of Canadian newspapers still so white? Why is the news anchors mostly white? Why is CBC still a white out? I don’t listen to CBC radio I tune into NPR because I know black people won’t be treated as an afterthought or a sideshow. I listen to Michel Martin’s program “Tell Me More”. At least in America NPR Radio gets it.
Although the province of Alberta has a bad reputation of being a racist redneck province Alberta has been attempting to attract more people of colour to the province. Alberta is actually a very rich western province with the oil surplus, higher employment opportunities. The problem I have with Alberta is the weather the place is simply too cold. Also the redneck reputation is still entrenched in Alberta it is the headquarters of the Conservative Party of Canada. The 2006 Canadian census proves the people of colour population in Canada is growing. However, the real issue now is how can non white Canadians exert our influence more in Canadian society. I feel the real social and political change needs to take place.
[...] Canada’s People Of Colour Population Reaches 5 million 16% Of Total Population. Has Canada Really … “If you turned on the Canadian television you would swear Canada is still a white nation.” (tags: peopleofcolour visibleminority white media TV Canada racism race othering black Toronto institutional aboriginal asian census) [...]
links for 2008-04-22 « Canadian People of Colour
Tuesday , April 22 , 2008 at '8:30'
I completely agree with and understand your article, it’s great to know that other people have similar sentiments on these issues! I am currently putting the final touches on my Masters-level thesis that touches on many of your points (mainly the heterogeneity of black Canadian experiences but in relation to an emerging mental health service for blacks) and would love to share it with you. Please email me if you are interested.
Fatimah Jackson
Fatimah
Monday , December 1 , 2008 at '10:43'
Why do you keep refering to “white Canadians” like we’re one homogeneous population? You are perpetuating the exact same myth about “white people” as you accuse us of doing to “black Canadians”. We also come from many different countries, and cultures. Are you racist against “white people”?
Zoe
Monday , December 29 , 2008 at '20:08'
glad u feel upset cause that’s what she trying to say. a lot of people think that all blacks they see in canada r from jamaica, when infact we come from all different places
adrian
Sunday , June 21 , 2009 at '9:35'
Black people–regardless of their nationality–make up a tiny percentage of the canadian population. Why should we bend over backwards to accomadate or magnify the importance of your relatively small culture in our country?
david mills
Saturday , January 17 , 2009 at '2:27'
I think you hit the nail right on the head.
Eric
Tuesday , August 11 , 2009 at '14:21'
Once again, the “latino” rubric is erroneously racialized, so here we go again…
“latino” is NOT a race, no matter how many idiots pawing away at their computer keyboards or how many bleached blonde bobble-heads on TV tell you it is. I have a lot of respect for my Canadians neighbors and admire them very much, so please don’t contribute to OUR mountain of gargantuan “latino” stupidity here in the U.S. It has already reached celestial levels here and shows no signs of shooting itself in the other foot. Otherwise the article was very insightful. Thanks…
Medina-Balmoral
Friday , January 30 , 2009 at '14:36'
I am a 3rd generation white Canadian. I have never been on welfare nor received handouts from anyone. I remember when Toronto was relatively crime-free and a drug related murder or honor killing was unheard of. Now they are regular occurance. I remember when I could get on the bus without being called ‘white bitch’ by black women because I accidentally brushed up against them while trying to move to the back or if I dared to talk back in any way to their rudeness. I remember when universities taught actual subjects rather that political agendas. (I refer to the latest terrorist pogrom by Moslems against Jews at York University) I remember when I wasn’t made to feel like I should adjust MY way of thinking to immigrant colleagues at work, or immigrants in general. I remember when the Vietnamese and Jamaican gangs were actually controllable, now there are too many for even the police to handle, no specialized curriculum at schools for blacks or Moslems crying racism after being in the country for 5 minutes. I remember when I was not a minority in my own city, in my own country and was not made to feel apologetic for my culture or my Western values. Thanks to every vote-pandering, guilty white liberal politician who opened the Pandora’s box of immigration and introduced the rediculous concept of Multiculturalism into the late, great Canada. I am not talking about the Canada of 50 years ago either. I am refering to the past 15 years or so. So go ahead, blame “whitey” for all your problems…but ask yourselves this one question, if you hate us so much, why did you come? Why do you stay? So please, all you ungrateful and racist immigrants, either shut up, adjust OR LEAVE.
Laura
Friday , March 13 , 2009 at '8:42'
agreed, 100%
Brian
Friday , April 24 , 2009 at '2:20'
your county wants us here, cause u people are not reproducing at a fast rate. if no immiigrants were in canada your country couldn’t survive. who r the one that work in the factories for minimum wage.
adrian
Sunday , June 21 , 2009 at '9:39'
canada need immigrants to survive. cause the white population r not having enough kids
adrian
Sunday , June 21 , 2009 at '9:41'
I agree 100% I dont even know if I could put it better myself. My hat is off to you.
Robert Bridgewater
Friday , July 31 , 2009 at '10:53'
Umm, the lady up above me… (Laura)…. Maybe you need to take a step back for a second and practice what you preach. Now, I understand that there are differences in your city now and things aren’t happening traditionally (according to how you want them to go). However, you aren’t doing anything to make things better. For you to be a third generation white “Canadian”, you’re acting like a 9 year old cry baby. Appreciate the life that you’re living as of now because it could always be worst. Besides, you’re exploiting the fact that you’re a “down-low” racist. Last time I checked, being racist wasn’t lady like.. Grow up…
As for the dude who wrote this article. Good stuff…. I appreciated the info…
P.S. Don’t act like there isn’t anything fishy going on.
Seriously
Friday , April 3 , 2009 at '7:56'
So according to you she is racist because she is standing up for what she believes in and wants to be treated fairly in her country where she was born? You must therefor be a racist then because you agree with somebody bashing a country that allowed him to enter it and live a better life, and just because he hasnt achieved great success he starts spreading hate. Just as you are spreading hate on Laura for standing up for herself and her rights. There is nothing wrong with being white in a white country. Whites civilized the world to the degree we are at now. We prop up the world with our money and by the backs of our white people does the world continue to function. So shove your comments.
Robert Bridgewater
Friday , July 31 , 2009 at '11:00'
It is true, and at times both surprising but also not surprising.
Canada’s population was low to start out. There were the natives, who are the “original” people here, but even they are not naturally original here since their people came from Asia via the ice age. So the Anglo-Saxons from the British Isles and Ireland were the next to immigrate to Canada, with the French to the province of Quebec, but that was considered a lot back then. Then came the open immigration due to industrialization (labour) and this second wave were now minorities and people of ethnic background such as the Italians, Israelis/Jews, Germans, Eastern Europeans, etc. The next wave after the start of the 60s were from Asia, such as China/Hong Kong, India, Philippines, Middle Eastern countries. There were also immigrants from the Caribbean. Many of these immigrants from this time were highly skilled and professionals. Now we continue to have immigrants from all of these countries especially from the last wave, but today not so much anymore come from the first wave which were “white” people or anglos, and not so much anymore from western Europe or Southern Europe because those countries have become more developed. This whole process of immigration occurred in other new world cities (ie. in Canada and the USA) as well, but Canada much more and more open.
2. Immigration is fine, but ever since the late 80s, Canada became too lenient on its immigration laws. Too many refugee-based immigration was the case, too many less-educated people being allowed in by that time, and I’m not sure, but some feel that Canada lets in developing countries from the Commonwealth much easier as if they have priority status. These countries would be India, Pakistan, Jamaica.
3. It’s a combination of Canada letting in too many people (excess) by the late 80s, immigrants settling only in the major cities (no surprise), and too much greed and “development” from the government in our cities which is the reason why the population growth are coloured or ethnic people (non-anglo). However, step outside of the cities and Canada is more spaced out and is more traditionally Anglo-Saxon.
I’ve been discussing with friends and loved ones about immigration in Canada today, and I think it is overdone. Enough. I’m a child of immigrant parents as well from almost forty years ago, but my parents and me (and others from our era and same history) have noticed through our CANADIAN eyes that the quality of immigrants has regressed. They are also more individualistic than previous eras of immigration where they really wanted to build Canada. The immigrants today are just here to get the “freebies” here and are just here for work. They send a lot of their earned money over to their native countries. They reflect the regression of developing countries (ie. unruly, undisciplined, loud, not mannered) and it is revealing that the government is just going for numbers. Some are wondering, does the government have a quota or something? Is it so that they’ll get more taxes and they have an excuse to keep building those ugly houses in the boonies so that immigrants will buy them? They say that immigration is need to keep the population going and to help the work force. True. However, there is really no need for much immigration today because the seniors are living longer, there’s a pension problem, the baby boomers are not retiring and the younger people are finishing school and looking for work but the boomers are still out there. And now the latest is that we have a recession and job loss, so it’s totally inappropriate to have immigration now. The developing countries are having population growth but it doesn’t mean that we have to take in our share of them for balance. But the government makes it seem that is so. Also, not every place has to be so developed. Not every place has to have a huge population. Is it a rule that every place must have so many houses, roads, horrid malls and big box stores and is it a rule that every place has to have many of its woods, farmlands and ponds eliminated to make way for “developments”? NO. Especially today. We need to look after our home, our country.
Alejandro
Monday , April 6 , 2009 at '20:58'
Hi,
Thats true, I agree.But Its not mandatory that people from Asia or other developing countries are not civilized or mannered. We in India have more respect for foreigners coming to our country.I donot support any one race. We are one -Human Beings. Differences make us more exciting and a need to know each other.
Amit
Thursday , June 11 , 2009 at '23:03'
I love what you said. It is very true that the immigrants arriving into the country have degressed and no longer want to work to build canada and be a part of canada, they work and send there money home. If they dont want to be a part of canada then they can get the hell out. Its our country and you must conform.
Robert Bridgewater
Friday , July 31 , 2009 at '11:06'
Orville,
I take issue and find flaw in much of what you have to say:
“Every single year there are land disputes and the racial tension between the Aboriginal Canadians and white Canadians.” Do you not mean, non-Native Canadians? After all, the land disputes are between governments and various Native groups. Or are you saying that these governments only represent and are comprised of ‘white Canadians’? On a related note, how do you justify the all-encompassing ‘white’ and then turn around and criticize Statistics Canada for lumping ‘black Canadians ‘together into just one group”?
“[M]any people from other countries that are engineers, doctors, teachers can’t receive accreditation in Canada because their education doesn’t meet ‘Canadian standards’. Another racist term utilized by human resources people in Canada is acquiring ‘Canadian experience’.” Just recently, the CBC aired a documentary about and English and a Scottish doctor who had both faced these challenges. Care to comment?
“If you visit the Canadian books stores and want to read about black Canadian culture you will find the following writers Dionne Brand, Austin Clarke, Nalo Hopkinson, Makeda Silvera, Lawrence Hill, George Elliott Clarke and that’s about it.” To think that Canada has so many award-winning writers (with sales to match) drawn from such a small number of people. Something to take pride in, I would say.
“If you have cable or a satellite dish watch the CBC, CTV, or Global television you will see countless stories about curling, hockey, the ‘traditional’ Canadian culture.” I don’t care much for curling, but recognize that it is extremely popular. Hockey is, of course, our national winter sport. Part of the culture? Certainly. I’m afraid I don’t understand your objection.
“Does Statistics Canada not know there are black Canadians that live in the province of Nova Scotia?” Of course. They record the number as 19,320. What is the issue here?
“The city of Toronto has more visible minorities then white people. ” Actually, visible minorities make up 47% of the population. A small point, but I see that I am not the first to correct you on this: http://orvillelloyddouglas.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/america-is-a-land-of-freedom-and-opportunities-for-people-of-colour/
“So why is the mayor of Toronto always the Mythical Norm?” Hope I don’t seem rude, but before you dig yourself into another hole (see http://orvillelloyddouglas.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/america-is-a-land-of-freedom-and-opportunities-for-people-of-colour/), you might want to define “Mythical Norm”.
“Why is the news anchors mostly white?” You yourself recognize that Canada’s population of visible minorities stands at 16%. Not to say that there isn’t an unbalance, but we do have people like Ian Hanomansing and Ron Ozawa, and Carla Robertson hosting the national news.
“Why is CBC still a white out?”Jian Ghomeshi, Ron Charles, Gregory Charles, Marivel Taruc, Ian Hanomansing, Ron Ozawa, Aamer Haleem Aamer Haleem, Carla Robertson. Would you like others?
“There is a facade that exists in Canada that has become a tainted mythology to the rest of the world that Canada is all about multiculturalism.” Sorry, but I have no idea what you mean. Perhaps you could clarify.
JCH
Sunday , April 26 , 2009 at '13:11'
You absolutely destroyed this racists narrow minded hate filled view of Canada. I being a white canadian who was born here and whos parents were born here and whos grand parents were born here. We and every other white canadian who is being discriminated against in our country Thanks you.
Robert Bridgewater
Friday , July 31 , 2009 at '11:12'