Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Canada Essay

You know the world is off tilt when the best bosom is a white guy (Eminem), the best golfer is a ignominious guy (Tiger Woods), the t allest basketball player is Chinese (Yao Ming, 76) and Germany doesnt want to go to war (in Iraq). Charles Barkley realmd in a 2003 interview, pointing emerge various misconceptions with stereotypes. A stereotype is outlined by dictionary. com as just aboutthing conformist to a fixed or general pattern especially an much oversimplified or biased mental picture held to fictitious characterize the typical well-nighbody of a group.I fool commonly heard stereotypes much(prenominal) as the French argon good cooks, Italians are great lovers, and the Irish are purposeless or comments made like dumb jock, lazy Cape Bretoner, or that women are not strong The list could go on endlessly as thither appears to be stereotypes escorting people of all feedtracks, religions, sexes and ethnic groups, etcetera. Stereotypes can be either positive or disconf irming. most stereotypes tend to make us feel superior in some way to the person or group being stereotyped. Stereotypes ignore the singularity of separates by painting all members of a group with the same brush. end-to-end the course of this paper I plan to discuss some racial and ethnic issues in Canada. Where some of these issues originated from, what we can personally do to befriend eliminate discrimi body politic in the employment and what the government activity is doing to rise to assault such contrast. Let me first begin by defining discrimination, racialism and ethnimetropolis since these bournes are all important terms to understand sooner going into further discussion. To discriminate is simply defined by yourdictionary. com as To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit show preference or prejudice. therefore, discrimination occurs when a person is not treated equally because of their gender, race, religion, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. Yourdictionary. com defines racism as The belief that race accounts for differences in gentle character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. inequality or prejudice based on race. In other words, when an individual or group is treated unfairly or abused because of their peel color or racial heritage they are victims of racism. Ethnic, as defined by yourdictionary.Com is Of or relating to a sizable group of people communion a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage. B. Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture only if residing outside its national boundaries. With that being said, it is my belief that stereotypes and ignorance about others most much lead to discriminatory behavior both inside and outside the landplace. I pitch heard Canada described as a multicultural nation meaning that Can adians are not of any one cultural background, race or heritage.For all Canadians, including pristine People, this multicultural diversity can be traced to an immigrant past. This does not mean that the majority of todays Canadians are immigrants simply rather that the majority of Canadians befool in their past, perhaps many generations ago, a family member who migrated here from some other country. That is why many of us learn a mixed ancestry, for example Irish, Scottish, Ukrainian, French and Aboriginal, and the list can go on. Canadas Aboriginal People were the first to immigrate, and settle across the continent, tens of thousands of eld before European settlers.After the European settlers came the French, followed by the English, Scots and Irish formulating Canada into the diverse country it is today. In the years before the American polite War, thousands of black slaves escaped slavery in the United States by avocation the Underground Railway conjugation to Canada. Th en, at the turn of the century, American farmers move northward into the Canadian prairies to develop farm lands. Although Canada originally consisted of a great variety of immigrants, some people were not as welcome in the country as others and were therefore not treated equally.Those who were of different race, color, or religion then the majority of Canadians were labeled as foreigners. The use of the term foreigner held many connotations for example, different, strange or inferior and many at the time wanted to see the foreigners assimilate to fit into Canadian society. There are many events in Canadas past that has contributed to the racism and discrimination in Canada today for example, the disregard and unfair treatment of Aboriginal Peoples by Europeans who settled here.Even though a ample majority of African-Americans moved to Canada to avoid slavery, from early in the 1600s until 1834 there was a recorded 4092 slaves throughout the country, mostly living in Quebec . The Asian Exclusion League, which originated in California in 1905 as an anti-Oriental movement, moved north into Vancouver in 1907. The league was the main instigator in anti-Asian riots in the city since their main goal was to have all Chinese and Japanese immigrants upstage from North America out of fear that they were taking jobs away from Whites .It withal appears that throughout history the acceptance of immigrants in Canada greatly depended upon the economic state of the country at that time. During the Great Depression of the 1930s immigrants seeking jobs were unwanted and overlooked for employment. Although the Government of Canada has made many advances in breaking the barriers that Aboriginal People, immigrants and minorities face in the country immigrants today inactive face a number of problems when trying to tape the chore market, for example ? Non-recognition of international corroboration and work experience ? Lack of Canadian work experience ?unfitness to communi cate in English or French ?Insufficient labor market information prior to immigrating to Canada I have traveled to some of the major cities in Canada and was a little surprised by the tip of segregation that is apparent in these cities. By this, I mean that these big cities, like Toronto and Vancouver, have communities which are almost completely independent from the simplicity of the country. These independent communities that I saw, of Chinese or Italian people, seemed to have everything they essential to survive within the community including their own schools.I could not sustain but wonder what effect this type of segregation has on the country. I respect the fact that all people are trying to defend their identity. At the same time, by choosing to live in Canada, shouldnt they try to integrate into the country a little much while still preserving their identities? Shouldnt they try to assimilate? How can Canada thrive as a country with so much segregation? We hold to be come a unified country. Not such a historical thought pattern, I guessIt is people who have attitudes like mine that are do problems in the country or do all people have these thoughts and choose not to admit it. I have similar negative feelings about scholarships being available only to certain people or government funding for certain people to attend university because they are a minority. I understand that differential treatment is required in articulate for equality to become a possibility. However, I still feel a degree of resentment about these programs being offered when I have to scoop out money in an effort to obtain my university degree.Will this resentment uprise? When I hold a management position in the future, go forth I discriminate against a person because he or she doesnt have a huge student loan to pay and another does? It is cases like mine that causes racism to continue in society and the workplace today? With the announcement of Nova Scotias plan to increase immigration into the body politic came an increase in the racist comments I have heard. Since I work in bars I hear, and partake in, a great struggle of conversation. When people are drinking they tend to be even more likely to say things they normally wouldnt.That is why I have heard, at times, some very racist remarks. People have said that the government should be trying to retain people in the province that are born here before they bring foreigners here. They need to take fear of their own first It is because of these comments and feelings that I am doubtful that discrimination against people, because of their race or color, will ever be completely eliminated in the country. How do we achieve equality with so much differentiation? How do we figure or personal opinions at the door when we go to work?Since it is inconceivable to eliminate racism and discrimination entirely in society, we need to do as much as possible to eliminate it in the workplace. We need to make change s similar to the changes companies have made in an effort to engagement discrimination against people because of their religion. For example, adapting zero tolerance rules, providing more education for employees, human resource departments need to provide more opportunities for people of minorities, immigrants, and Aboriginal Peoples and barriers have to be removed for all these people who are trying to enter our labor market.March 21, 2005 is International Day for Elimination of Racial divergence a day to remember the struggles and challenges that Aboriginal peoples and people of color have endured. It is also a time to recognize and applaud the fact that members of these dickens communities have made anti-racism struggles a significant part of labors agenda. Lets respect this day and try to make some positive changes at home, school, or work toward eliminating racism.