Nick Noorani Website

By the time you read this, I, along with my family, will have been sworn in on Canada Day as Canadian citizens. A journey that started nine years ago has intensified my love affair with Canada and its people.
I was especially honoured to be asked by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to say a few words at the ceremony because of my role with this magazine. I will share with you what I told my fellow new citizens that day:

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Four Life-Changing Questions to Ask Yourself
By: Eileen P. Gunn, Photo: Peter Chin
Think about all the people you encounter throughout your workday–and how wide-ranging their ethnic backgrounds are–and it’s easy to believe you have the diversity thing down. But think harder: How many of these diverse people do you have lunch with or invite to your birthday dinner? How many are top-of-mind when you have to staff a new project? How many would help you out in a pinch and vice versa?
“Just because you’re surrounded by different kinds of people doesn’t mean you embrace diversity,” notes Magda Yrizarry, vice president of workplace culture, diversity and compliance at Verizon Communications.

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A while back I was talking to a manager at an immigrant settlement agency who was looking to hire a new settlement worker. The settlement agency in question predominantly focuses on one ethnic community and he explained that he was having a difficult time finding someone from the same ethnic background to hire. I found that interesting and asked him why he insisted on having someone from his own ethnic community to fill the job rather than focusing on someone with the requisite skills.
“It would make the new Canadians more comfortable,” he responded.
But isn’t that a mistake? I believe that new Canadians need to start getting to know people from all walks of life and not live in silos based on language and culture.
So I asked him: “Shouldn’t your agency prepare immigrants with the reality that they will have to integrate into this country where more than 200 nationalities co-exist?”
It seems obvious to me that not only does connecting across cultures benefit individuals, but it also creates a stronger, more harmonious Canada.

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