Feature: "Color immigrants" struggle for better life in Canada amid "systematic barriers"

Feature: "Color immigrants" struggle for better life in Canadaamid "systematic barriers"

by Shan Qiao

OTTAWA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Pedro Andrade finally has a stableincome of 570 Canadian dollars (some 467 U.S. dollars) a monthduring the worst economy downturn in Canada. It is a welfare chequethat Andrade calls "social assistance."

Andrade came to Canada from Ecuador when he was 11 years old.Walking out of an alternative college, unable to find a job, wronglyaccused of assault charges, at 34, he has been hovering around thepoverty line for years.

Currently, Andrade has only a part time job at a Torontorestaurant, for eight hours a week with the minimum wage of 9.5Canadian dollars an hour. That is about 326 Canadian dollars amonth.

With no budget for tomorrow's necessity, Andrade otherwise has arolling debt of nearly 10,000 Canadian dollars from his collegeeducation and the legal fees. He huddles with his relatives at anaffordable housing unit at China Town. The rent is another 200Canadian dollars.

With only 126 Canadian dollars left, Andrade has to watch everypenny carefully. Sometimes it is always about the two-Canadian-dollar-for-two-burger promotion for the day. Internet and cell phoneare something he cannot afford.

"I used to have many seasonal jobs such as construction work. Butit's hard to find these days," Andrade said, admitting the recessionhas an impact on him too.

"I should have made some money, but for the most of the case, Ijust don't get paid as what I was previously promised," he said,indicating that one of his employers left him empty-handed after six-month's work in Hamilton because the employer claimed he has todeduct his meal and accommodation from the salary.

Andrade is only one of thousands of "color immigrants" who cameto Canada with high hopes for a better life but only find themselvesstruggling below poverty line. Various barriers that bar them fromfinding a proper employment is one of the important reasons.

According to a report entitled "Color of Poverty" jointlyproduced by several ethnic organizations in Toronto, between 2001and 2006 in Ontario, employers were ordered by the Ministry of Laborto pay over 168 million Canadian dollars in unpaid wages toemployees -- disproportionately people of color.

The report indicates that "racialized" workers are most likely tobe in low-status jobs. They make up over 40 percent of workers inthe sewing, textile and fabric industries, over 36 percent of taxiand limo drivers, and 42 percent of electronics assemblers.

Film director Haris Sheikh, who immigrated to Canada fromPakistan, drives a taxi cab in Toronto to make ends meet. Sheikhholds the masters degree in Political Science and Fine Arts heobtained in Pakistan but finds nowhere here in Canada to utilize hisintelligence.

"There's a hidden deal for newcomers. Swap your credentials fromminimum wage and work long hours and your kids will get the benefitsof a quality education and better job opportunities. Meanwhile, youget a lifetime guarantee on welfare cheques, burritos and halalmeat," Sheikh argued.

The recession is nothing new for immigrants. Jobs have alwaysbeen hard to find. Work that uses their skills and pays them fairlyis even harder to secure.

Far from getting better, this "racialized" economic downturn isgetting worse, said Tanya Molina, the executive director ofMennonite New Life Center, a Toronto-based community center fornewcomers.

Molina indicated that one of the biggest reasons why immigrantslike Sheikh have been shut out of his field of profession in Canadais the "non-recognition of their skills and credentials," as well as"unrealistic demands for work experience in Canada."

"Even Ontario has released an official Anti-Poverty Strategy toattack the intergenerational cycle of poverty, for many newcomers,this intergenerational focus misses an important point -- poverty isnot a learned behavior, but the result of systemic barriers," shesaid.

During the recession, Sheikh went back to campus, enrolling inSheridan College's bridge program, Canadian Journalism forInternational Writers. At the same time, he is working on adocumentary and writing a book to keep his dream alive.

Veteran journalist Innocent Madawo, originally from Zimbabwe andimmigrated to Canada five years ago, blames protectionism as theroot cause of poverty among immigrants.

"I have approached many local media outlets in the GreaterToronto Area, offering my close to 20 years' experience ininternational business reporting and editing but, in various ways,editors have told me to acquire local skills before I apply foremployment," Madawo said.

"Employers and professional associations are reluctant to openthe doors to 'outsiders,' particularly in professional andleadership positions. This is why there have been countless storiesof doctors who end up driving taxis and engineers who becomejanitors," he added.

According to Statistic Canada, the unemployment rate forimmigrants in Ontario in 2008 was 6.8 percent, compared to Canadian-born workers whose unemployment rate was 4.4 percent.

At least there is a silver lining: this year, Ontario governmenthas released an official Anti-Poverty Strategy to address thediversity of poverty and racialized groups are among those to behelped. (1 U.S. dollar = 1.221 Canadian dollars)