Assimilation

[Fencesitter]

Hi folks,

I watched a video with Minister Kenny talking about assimilation and how he feels it is very important. What's your take on this? Should new immigrants assimilate or rely mostly on their own people, culture, etc?

Personally, I don't care...but it would be nice for new immigrants to try and learn about Canadian culture and etiquette. As a liberal democracy (Canada), I think people should be allowed to live the way they like, without government or anyone telling them different.

I know my wife doesn't want to rely on the Chinese community or live amongst them. She said that if she is going to travel across the world, it would be stupid to simply live in Chinatown. What's the point of leaving China? I can respect that...and of course we will still do Chinese stuff and eat homemade Chinese food...no problem...I like some Chinese food...what I crave is good Indian food, Vietnamese...Thai...oh Thai...I love it! I like the fact that my wife wants to experience Canada...live outside her comfort zone, and experience something new and exciting.

Here in China, it is impossible to assimilate because this country is not a "melting pot" of different cultures. You have "foreigners" and then "Chinese"...no real possibility...though I have done my best to learn about Chinese culture and all that...

Let me know what you guys think...

FS

 

[CharlieD10]

I am all for assimilating. I'm Jamaican to the bone, but when I leave here, Canada will be my home because it is my husband's home, and better understanding of my husband will come with knowing his home and his culture. He is extremely proud of being Canadian, and I want nothing more than to be exposed to all the things that made him the way he is, as much as I can. When he came to Jamaica, I hauled him hither and yon around Jamaica and he took it all in stride, and soaked up every experience, the good, the bad and the indifferent. I watched with pride and so much joy as he embraced living in a country so different from his own, and I want him to feel the same way about my efforts to embrace living in Canada.

 

[Mrslwsn]

Here in Toronto, it is a bit different. You assimilate to a certain point, but there is enough different ethnicities and communities that we all can at some point fall back on our own, or retain some of our traditions. For example in my home I mostly cook Jamaican food, with the odd Canadian dish here and there. I mostly associate with other Jamaicans socially, and only know ppl from other cultures from work. We listen to Jamaican music, and try to keep as much of the culture as we can. I personally find some of the assimilation that even myself has taken tend to be not the best strong points of life in Canada. For example, we do everything here easier, lazier and more greedy. We lose a lot of pride in ourselves, that we were taught in my country. Back home my children clothes would have to be pressed and it great condition, as would their school uniforms. Here in Canada kids go to school dressed anyhow, raggedy "play clothes", they dont care at the school either. It is just a normal way of life here. Because my time is often shared between the 2 worlds, I can clearly see the diffrence, so for at least in my household, I try to be proud Jamaican with Jamaican traditions, who just happens to live abroad.

 

[CAforCA]

I think this is a very important topic and every one should think about this topic, specially people coming in from Islamic countries. People should understand that assimilation will get them to the dream life. The reason they are leaving their country is because of non availability of resources and the unstructured lifestyle without the freedom. With all the organization and freedom Canada provides it is a good reciprocation to melt in the cultural pot than to stick around with your old countries cultural baggage. Eating food and what clothes you wear at home does not matter - but once you are on the road you should look and act culturally western as it is a respect to the country you have voluntarily adopted. The reason I said Islamic countries is because they are the ones who you see will assimilate in bits and pieces. No disrespect to their culture but to give you an example in Tonga a small island in pacific people go to offices wearing their local dress which is a cloth tied around their waist. Now would a person from Tonga who has a thousands of years old culture more old than Islamic culture look formal working in a bank in Toronto wearing his traditional dress - I would say no. So it is time to give up your traditional garbs and burkhas and atleast look and act western while keeping your culture alive in your hearts. And again no disrespect ;D

 

[Fencesitter]

I don't necessarily agree. I am very liberal in my beliefs, but those are my beliefs...nothing I would ever push on anyone else...nor would I want people to push their beliefs on me. In fact, I think it would be cool if I saw some Tonga dude wearing his traditional clothing...it would add a bit of spice to life...and if it was a beautiful woman, all the better...

When I think of assimilation, I think of people living wherever...like a Chinese choosing to live somewhere far from Chinatown...I respect that...it takes courage to try something new. A friend (Chinese) and her mom travelled to Europe a tour group from China. They all wore the same hats to identify them as part of the tour group...they, get this, only ate at Chinese restaurants the entire trip...when my friend asked to go out and explore and experience the culture, the tour organizer said "no"...and if they leave the group, they will be "fined"...can you believe that? So my friend wasted all her money to travel to Europe...or was it China within Europe? Stupid!

And speaking of Jamaican food, I worked with some guys from Jamaica when I worked in Toronto...awesome food! I miss it! Crave it, in fact!

FS

 

[CharlieD10]

And speaking of Jamaican food, I worked with some guys from Jamaica when I worked in Toronto...awesome food! I miss it! Crave it, in fact!

FS

Jamaican food rocks, and I'm not just saying that because I'm biased. Well, maybe a little, LOL. The best part? I married a Canadian who loves and cooks Jamaican food like he was born and raised here! As part of our discussions about me moving, he asked me what foods/dishes I would miss most, and made a list. Some things he said, yeah we'll have to go to Toronto for that, and others he said, no problem, you already know I'll cook you those.

Re your point on the Chinese tour group that ate Chinese food during the tour of Europe, yep, I cannot tell you how often I wonder at tourists who come to Jamaica and eat at KFC or Burger King, LOL. It's familiar, sure...but where is the fun in being somewhere else and doing what you always do??

 

[Mrslwsn]

But Charlie, you and I know that even Jamaicans eat Burger King n KFC like its top food, not to mention Pizza Hut.

 

[CharlieD10]

Haha, yes, but if that was what we were used to, I would wonder about us too! If I travel abroad, I look to eat like everyone else eats, I don't look for Jamaican restaurants, LOL. And I've been to some places where those restaurants didn't exist, either, and just had to eat whatever was there. I just made up my mind to have an adventure and went for it. Mind you, some things I just won't go near more than once. I remember being in Curacao and being introduced to turtle soup and deciding after 2 spoonfuls it wasn't for me, and I could cross it off my list of things I've tried and add it to "eaten that once, won't ever do it again!". LOL.

 

[Fencesitter]

Yes, but not when on holiday in a totally different part of the world! And okay, a few meals of familiar food, cool, but every meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner? How utterly boring!

Bugs in Thailand...tasted...gagged...no thanks...

And hell, the meat I'm eating in China....who really knows what it is...


FS

 

[mobeyk]

Assimilation. Maybe I am the most assimilated multiculti one here. Born to a Iranian dad and German mom, lived in Iran during revolution, 20 years in Germany, now the last 13 years in Canada, married a Chinese woman and I have three citizenship. I eat what does not eat me or crawls. I like each nationality present in Canada for their traditions and am happy the culture in Canada is evolving. Jewish, muslim, christian, all have their own character and we should tolerate it to a certain degree. As long as people do not harm others, who cares about a burka, its a free country and that is why we are living or striving to live in Canada. You know you are canadian when you hear the national anthem and you sing proudly along.

 

[awor]

Bring parts of your culture - it is, after all, part of what makes each person who they are, but assimilate is the only way to have a unified country, any country. America is going to hell in a hand basket for many, many reasons, but a large part of it is immigrants don't give a )$*@# about national pride. Be proud to be a new Canadian!

 

[ABOWOMAN]

I think this is a very important topic and every one should think about this topic, specially people coming in from Islamic countries. People should understand that assimilation will get them to the dream life. The reason they are leaving their country is because of non availability of resources and the unstructured lifestyle without the freedom. With all the organization and freedom Canada provides it is a good reciprocation to melt in the cultural pot than to stick around with your old countries cultural baggage. Eating food and what clothes you wear at home does not matter - but once you are on the road you should look and act culturally western as it is a respect to the country you have voluntarily adopted. The reason I said Islamic countries is because they are the ones who you see will assimilate in bits and pieces. No disrespect to their culture but to give you an example in Tonga a small island in pacific people go to offices wearing their local dress which is a cloth tied around their waist. Now would a person from Tonga who has a thousands of years old culture more old than Islamic culture look formal working in a bank in Toronto wearing his traditional dress - I would say no. So it is time to give up your traditional garbs and burkhas and atleast look and act western while keeping your culture alive in your hearts. And again no disrespect ;D

Well being a wife of an immigrant from "Islamic country", this is surely disrespectful for me. I think you are new to Canada and that is why you are not familiar with "bits and piece" integration. You should go and visit Scarborough town centre and you will find more people in Indian clothes and red spot on their foreheads than any others, they are not "Ass-imilating" . I know that Indian immigrant hold enmity against Muslims in general. I am a Canadian and being polite as by the Canadian values, I will put this on your ignorance and lack of knowledge of our Canadian cultural. Next time before even writing such a tacky piece of *** on a public forum look around "Its not India, Its Canada". The only people who need to assimilate are people like you(not referring to all Indians) and the sooner the better ...Oh and one more thing the European settlers did not assimilate into native culture as well and despite that they(First Nation) dont brag about it why should you! ..........No disrespect.

 

[missmymexi]

I dont think Canada is a country that requires assimulation, everyone keeps saying "melting pot", That is the US not Canada. We are a multicultural society and that is a huge part of what being Canadian is. Every person in this country is an immigrant of sorts, most of us are only 3 or 4 gernerations in Canada and before that our families came from somewhere else. This is a country were you are free to continue to practice your religious belief and your cultural values. Now this doesnt mean because you are Chinese you live in China town or if you are Indian you live in Little india, but it does mean that your culture is shared with all of us. Being raised in Canada in very multicultural city, I am thankful for this, I have developed my own personal cultural from all the cultures I have been exposed to my whole life. I eat food from every nationality (and like some only try it once !), but how lucky are we that we can walk down the street and try some vitnamese, indian, chinese, japanese, jamaican, mexican, etheopian, thai, brazilian ect ect food. That we can have a cultural experience at the Chinese new years celebration or the Sikh parade. I think this makes us as Canadians more tolerant when we travel and meet new cultures, we are open to explore them because its a part of our culture.

Just to make things clear, I am all Canadian, with ancestory in France and the Ukraine, I am come from a very white-bred roots but because I am Canadian, I dont see that, I see us as all one big culture and embrace all the cultures I have been priviledged as Canadian to be exposed to.

So to say assimilation, what is Canadian assimilation ? I am sorry that doesnt exist and I am glad it doesnt or we would have far more right wing racists in this country and be more like our neighbors to south.... So be proud to be apart of this country but dont leave who you are at home, bring it with you and share it with us and learn about other cultures as well

 

[Mrslwsn]

Yes I agree, best part about being in Canada, is the freedom of being who you are.

 

[parker24]

I'm half and half. I mean, I love culture and I love learning about it and experiencing it. But on the other hand, they move to Canada and while it being said that they should be able to use there own language and such, they also should take the time to learn about our country and our languages. My doctor is originally from South Africa and he became a citizen about 10 years ago. He was told he should learn French as well, and he did(He already knew English). I'm all for immigrants wearing their culturally attuned clothing and eating their foods here, but to a point they should try to fit in as well. Learn English/French for one. I'm a "tri-lingual" woman, I know English, American Sign Language and French. I grew up on English though. But when travelling to Quebec, it's important to know French as they can be a bit annoyed when you assume they speak English(SOME of them, not all of them. There are some WONDERFUL people in Quebec as well). The reason I know ASL is because I'm hearing impaired as well and took classes so I could meet people like myself; so I can fit in. I know it sounds weird and I am not sure if I'm making sense but the gist:

I'm for it, to a point.