Senator Vivienne Poy says New Brunswick should welcome immigrants with open arms or face the consequence of losing one of its most valuable resources.
Poy, who became Canada's first Asian senator when she was appointed to the post by former Prime Minister Jean Chretien in 1998, made her remarks prior to a luncheon hosted by the Asian Heritage Society of New Brunswick recently.
The event was held in conjunction with Asian Heritage Month, an annual celebration of Asian culture that Poy helped pass into law in 2001.
"The province needs to be more accepting to immigrants," she said. "If they do that and they become more multicultural, immigrants will feel comfortable not just coming here, but they will stay and you need people who will stay.''
Poy, who is also the chancellor of the University of Toronto, said she has seen Canada take great strides in its acceptance of minorities since the country's first official Asian Heritage Month eight years ago.
But she said there are still areas that need improvement. She said public schools have a role to play in helping immigrants feel accepted.
"I call it intercultural education because we need to talk to everybody and it begins with curriculum. We must educate the young people of Canada on the fact that because of immigration the face of Canada has changed.''
The luncheon was held to discuss issues faced by New Brunswick's Asian population and how diversity can be better promoted in classrooms. Representatives from the Department of Education and various multicultural groups were on hand.
"We want to be an active part in policy making," said Madhu Verma, chairwoman of the New Brunswick Asian Heritage Society.
"The discussions and awareness shouldn't end after the month of May. We want to be able to continue on the theme of Asian Heritage Month in the schools and everywhere,'' Verma said. "The theme is the rich history of Asian Canadians we have right here in Canada, and celebrating their contributions because they have contributed to building our nation."
Barb Hillman, a social studies curriculum learning specialist at the Department of Education, attended the luncheon to get input into how the department could better promote diversity in its curriculum.
She said New Brunswick schools do well in educating children on multicultural issues and the different contributions made to the country by different cultural groups.
"I think if people would take a look at the curriculum they would actually be quite pleased and I do feel the department has done a very good job of addressing diversity."
The Best Employer for New Immigrants in Canada
The Best Employers for New Canadians competition is funded by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program.
2009 Winners:
(in alphabetical order, click for our editors' reasons for selection)
Bank of Montreal
Bell Aliant Regional Communications, LP
Business Development Bank of Canada
CAE Inc.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce / CIBC
Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Energy Resources Conservation Board
Focus Corporation Ltd., The
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
Halton, The Regional Municipality of
KPMG LLP
Manulife Financial Corporation
Maple Trade Finance Inc.
MDS Nordion Inc.
Nexen Inc.
Providence Health Care
Rescan Environmental Services Ltd.
SaskEnergy Incorporated
St. Michael's Hospital
TD Bank Financial Group
Toronto Community Housing Corporation
TransCanada Corporation
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Wardrop Engineering Inc.
2009 Winners:
(in alphabetical order, click for our editors' reasons for selection)
Bank of Montreal
Bell Aliant Regional Communications, LP
Business Development Bank of Canada
CAE Inc.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce / CIBC
Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Energy Resources Conservation Board
Focus Corporation Ltd., The
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
Halton, The Regional Municipality of
KPMG LLP
Manulife Financial Corporation
Maple Trade Finance Inc.
MDS Nordion Inc.
Nexen Inc.
Providence Health Care
Rescan Environmental Services Ltd.
SaskEnergy Incorporated
St. Michael's Hospital
TD Bank Financial Group
Toronto Community Housing Corporation
TransCanada Corporation
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Wardrop Engineering Inc.
Saskatchewan on recruitment blitz to fill jobs. by Michael McKiernan, National Post
Saskatchewan is backing up its Ontario recruitment drive with a cash inducement of $20,000.
The money will be available to university and college graduates who relocate to the province for at least seven years.
Next week a delegation led by Premier Brad Wall will descend on Toronto, where he will announce further details of the incentive program.
A group of about 25 politicians and business leaders from Saskatchewan, including Pat Fiacco, the Mayor of Regina, will try to sell their province and fill vacant jobs at a series of events on March 31 and April 1.
"It's fair to say there is no area where we aren't looking for people. In the financial sector, health care, construction, in engineering, anything you can think of," said Mr. Fiacco. "The growth in our province has been huge and we still need more people." Saskjobs.ca, a Web site run by the province's career and employment services department, lists more than 6,000 jobs currently available.
The visit comes hot on the heels of last week's tax-cutting surplus budget announcement in the province.
Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer bucked the national downward trend, projecting a surplus of $424.5-million for 2009-10 despite a 12% increase in government spending. Revenue from Saskatchewan's rich supply of natural resources has fueled the economic boom in the last few years.
While oil and gas revenues have taken a hit in the recent downturn, potash has filled the void. The province produces a third of the world's supply of the mineral, which is used to make fertilizer.
Donald Atchison, the Mayor of Saskatoon said he would play up the affordability of life in his city when he makes the trip next week. The average price of homes sold in his city in February was $281,681, $80,000 less than in Toronto, but the Mayor also emphasized that commutes of more than 15 minutes are rare in Saskatoon.
"I hear all the time from people who came out for two years for university or a job relocation and they've ended up staying for a lifetime," he said.
But the challenge of getting people to head west in the first place remains. The province, with a population of about one million, spent about $800,000 on recruitment efforts last year, including a similar mission to Toronto as recently as September, 2008.
Mr. Wall held a reception at the legislature in Regina earlier this month to welcome 86 new families who moved from Ontario since that campaign, but Mr. Atchison hopes the extra cash can tip the balance for those whom he failed to convince last time.
"I think people from Saskatchewan are too humble. They aren't vocal enough about what a great place this is to live. But now the rest of the world is beginning to find out. I think the Premier is doing a great job of promoting us," he said.
In Regina, Mr. Fiacco acknowledges Torontonians may fear losing the amenities of a big city, but he puts that down to ignorance, citing museums, a symphony and theatres he argues are cheaper to attend than in Toronto.
The money will be available to university and college graduates who relocate to the province for at least seven years.
Next week a delegation led by Premier Brad Wall will descend on Toronto, where he will announce further details of the incentive program.
A group of about 25 politicians and business leaders from Saskatchewan, including Pat Fiacco, the Mayor of Regina, will try to sell their province and fill vacant jobs at a series of events on March 31 and April 1.
"It's fair to say there is no area where we aren't looking for people. In the financial sector, health care, construction, in engineering, anything you can think of," said Mr. Fiacco. "The growth in our province has been huge and we still need more people." Saskjobs.ca, a Web site run by the province's career and employment services department, lists more than 6,000 jobs currently available.
The visit comes hot on the heels of last week's tax-cutting surplus budget announcement in the province.
Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer bucked the national downward trend, projecting a surplus of $424.5-million for 2009-10 despite a 12% increase in government spending. Revenue from Saskatchewan's rich supply of natural resources has fueled the economic boom in the last few years.
While oil and gas revenues have taken a hit in the recent downturn, potash has filled the void. The province produces a third of the world's supply of the mineral, which is used to make fertilizer.
Donald Atchison, the Mayor of Saskatoon said he would play up the affordability of life in his city when he makes the trip next week. The average price of homes sold in his city in February was $281,681, $80,000 less than in Toronto, but the Mayor also emphasized that commutes of more than 15 minutes are rare in Saskatoon.
"I hear all the time from people who came out for two years for university or a job relocation and they've ended up staying for a lifetime," he said.
But the challenge of getting people to head west in the first place remains. The province, with a population of about one million, spent about $800,000 on recruitment efforts last year, including a similar mission to Toronto as recently as September, 2008.
Mr. Wall held a reception at the legislature in Regina earlier this month to welcome 86 new families who moved from Ontario since that campaign, but Mr. Atchison hopes the extra cash can tip the balance for those whom he failed to convince last time.
"I think people from Saskatchewan are too humble. They aren't vocal enough about what a great place this is to live. But now the rest of the world is beginning to find out. I think the Premier is doing a great job of promoting us," he said.
In Regina, Mr. Fiacco acknowledges Torontonians may fear losing the amenities of a big city, but he puts that down to ignorance, citing museums, a symphony and theatres he argues are cheaper to attend than in Toronto.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Check our online courses now
Click Here now!!!!