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Speaking with Veronika Kotyk about her recent work, A Nest in the North, revealed the kindness, unexpected support and welcoming hospitality of Canadians to new immigrants, refugees and displaced people. It is immediately apparent that Koytk is both surprised and grateful for the welcoming support and assistance she received when arriving in Canada and every day…
People often study for years to achieve the degree of professional experience they need to excel in their careers. However, all this effort can seem wasted when a person immigrates to a new country, only to find their credentials and experience are not recognized or not enough for the host country. Even in a place…
In their public conversation on Jan. 26 entitled “Homelands: Exile and Return,” Amyn Sajoo and Kamal Al-Solaylee will delve into that feeling of belonging and the yearning immigrants have about returning to their homelands. Al-Solaylee will look to unpack these restless quests, including his own. Sajoo, a term lecturer and scholar-in-residence at SFU, and Al-Solaylee,…
Released last December, a new study, entitled Perceptions of shared values in Canadian society among the immigrant population, compares the proportions of Canadian-born people and immigrants who believed that Canadians share values to a significant extent. These values represent the democratic norms or standards that provide a basis for social inclusion in a diverse society, providing…
Last October, MOSAIC launched the Accessibility for Newcomers Program, an innovative new program that will enhance accessibility for immigrants, refugees and newcomers in the Lower Mainland. Funded by the City of Vancouver in accordance with their new Accessibility Strategy, the innovative program will connect newcomers with disabilities to employment and disability support services while working…
How did Indigenous communities historically view immigration to Canada? As immigration is predicted to rise in the following decades, it is important for fresh voices to join in on matters of global importance. Marking its 50th anniversary, the Immigrant Society Services of BC (ISSofBC) will offer, in a joint effort with the Ismail Centre Vancouver,…
They were relatively civilized middle-class Europeans who looked more like the family living next door than the refugees western nations had become so accustomed to seeing trickle across their borders. At least, that’s how Western news media and politicians depicted the Ukrainian citizens forced to flee their homes following the start of Russia’s invasion of…
Canada is responding as quickly as possible to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan by helping bring Afghan citizens and their families safely to their new home. We remain firm in our commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan nationals, and our partnerships with provinces, territories and settlement service providers across the country are key to achieving this…
Although the North American film industry has been recently evolving toward being more inclusive, there is still a long way to go, especially for Middle Eastern actors. Vancouver-based actors Hani Mefti, Panta Mosleh and Mostafa Shaker discuss the daily challenges they face in their acting careers. The number of auditions and callbacks Middle Eastern actors…
“The news coming out of Afghanistan is about how women leaders are fleeing for their lives, and girls are being denied the right to education,” says Holly Benna, Pacific Immigrant Resources Society’s (PIRS) communications and marketing associate. PIRS, a grassroots organization focused on local action, is one of the few organizations across Vancouver and the…
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Bridge Program, which helps newcomer youth in Canada adapt to their new surroundings and set meaningful goals for their future, took on both common and unique challenges. Rachel Nelson, an associate director at the Office of Community Engagement (OEC) at SFU, who helps lead…
Immigrants have been an integral part of Canada’s mosaic cultural landscape for a very long time, and recently, innovative researchers have been asking some thoughtful new questions about the immigrant experience in the last few decades. How have changes and challenges in the new environment impacted their psychological wellbeing? How can policies help immigrants to…
Cultural disorientation can inflict strain on personal relationships, says Pooja Tuli, a certified intercultural competence facilitator and a mental health first-aider. “Couples often see that they are slowly moving away from their traditional cultural roles and adapting to the Canadian lifestyle,” says Tuli, who also has an academic background including psychology and sociology. She is…
