Nick Noorani Website

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.

Curious to hear what other immigrants thought about this issue, I asked a person from my country of origin who his friends were, and his answer was “Indians, of course!”
He threw the question back to me and I answered that my friends were from India, yes, but also Canada, United States, Iran, United Kingdom, China, Romania, Russia, Philippines, Africa, Nigeria, South Africa, Bangladesh (I hope I have not missed out anyone!). His expression was priceless.
I gently said to him, “I left India to make Canada my home. What sense would it make if I went out and made friends only with Indians? I don’t make friends based on where they come from, but where they are going.”
While I do understand the desire, and even need, that immigrants have to make friends from the old country, what I don’t get is why so many immigrants seem to be restricting themselves to these friends to the exclusion of others — others from whom we could learn so much if only we stepped out of our comfort zone.