Amid 1929 to 1945, a series of events took place, which makes our Canadian History very intriguing. Though some of these events Canadians are not proud of, they still have grand historical significance to everyone. During that period, the Japanese Canadians were notably affected in a terrible way, after the attack on Pearl Harbour occurred. The Japanese Canadians were treated unjustly in numerous ways when the government took away their belongings and rights, blamed them for things that were not their fault and sent them away to internment camps.…
Today is the 100th days after I left my hometown. Even after months, I am still alone living here and repeat the same routine again and again. I couldn’t make myself here as my home. Every day I pretend I am happy to be here, the city where people amaze to come here. I miss my hometown, I miss my family, and I miss me who can make herself connect to the people in Australia, my hometown. This is a beautiful country where romance lingers in the air. I love this place. But, I just couldn’t connect to the people here. I am just “used to standing out as a foreign” in the community. “Even before I have open my mouth”, they will communicate with me in English and stare at me with the sight that telling me I am not their people. Until now, I could not find a friends who I can share my secret, gossip even have meals together. I am lost. I am asking to myself: should I change “my walk? My clothes? My hair?” Will I be able to mix in the circle if I changed? France is not where I belong. I am trap in this cage as I could not connected to the people here neither with the people I used to mix with because I am apart from them. However, now the only person who can rescue me is only I. I must struggle on my own life and work hard in this period of time as the time does not wait for us only we ourselves can find our own way to rescue from this big cage. As Charles F. Kettering said: "You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.” I must keep on moving until the day I find a way out. I should not give up my life when I meet obstacles but fight with it and overcome it until I become successful. Good night parents and the people I am missing.…
Every Canadian community is a gold mine of diverse people, cultures, traditions, and history. Rediscovering their wealth goes to the heart of our Canadian nature. It is the knowledge and high regard of their roots and sense of belonging at home, school, place of work, or place of worship, to name only a few, that strengthens their feelings of who they are as Canadians. If someone has been described as Canadian, it means that he is a part of Canadian society. Canadians are free. They have the freedom to think for themselves, speak what they wish, and live their lives to the fullest, in turn having certain collective ideas, traits, and qualities. Generally, they possess a Canadian attitude, an acceptance of Canadian multiculturalism, and most importantly, Canadian pride.…
Traveling is a rite of passage for some younger people. Many consider these times rewarding to the psyche of a young adult, as experiences in other lands broaden their senses. College students embark on sabbaticals to spend time in the real world. Others temporarily replant themselves, to experience other places, cultures, and languages, and in doing so to find out more about themselves. And there are that select few who use relocation as a form of escape from their tumultuous lives, because as they say, “the grass is always greener…” Some never return home. Whatever your reason for these journeys, it should be understood that going outside one’s comfort zone can test your mettle, and good judgement and wit are crucial in surviving in a foreign land, where language, culture, and even racism are an issue. A few wrong steps and you may find yourself a few shingles short of a roof over your head. It is that last category of drifters who define “Geese,” where Dina and four other ex-patriots find themselves sharing a one room flat in Japan. These misfortunate individuals are escaping from themselves, and through misplaced pride, ill preparation, and execution find themselves on the brink of self-annihilation, finally regressing into their own futileness.…
Throughout Canadian history, the Métis have struggled to gain recognition as a distinct people, particularly from the Canadian government. Often, they were described as being Métis only by virtue of their mixed ancestry, with their own unique identities being ignored. This was seen by many as a sign of impurity, and the Metis were treated negatively as a result. The Canadian government did not recognize the rights of the Métis; rather, the government legislated over the Métis as Indians when it was convenient to do so, or classified them as distinct from Indians when it was more advantageous. This proved to be extremely problematic. At last, in 1982, Métis rights were recognized under section 35 of the Constitution Act. However, as stated…
Today Canada prides itself with how multicultural and diverse it is, taking a look at the 20th century shows that it has not always been that way, and that there have been many obstacles to overcome. The mistreatment of Japanese-Canadians during their internment, denying the 376 passengers of the Komagata Maru food or water for 2 months after not letting them into Canada, forcing indigenous children into the residential schools where they were stripped of everything they knew and taught to be “normal Euro-Canadian citizens”. Those are the 3 main events of the 20th century that showed how truly intolerant Canada was with people of other origins and backgrounds.…
Thailand was a new place where everyone actually ‘looked like me’, but even there they did not accept me as fully Thai. They could tell I wasn’t local just by looking at me. Even my extended relatives joked about my American accent or lack of cultural respect. I’m Thai, but I’m not. I felt so lost in my own skin. So for a brief time in middle school I worked hard (and maybe even a little TOO hard) to embrace my full on “Asian-ness”. I hung out with mostly Asian friends, watched anime, threw up peace signs in all my photos, and the stereotypical list goes on. That quickly ended when I realized the façade of it all. I felt like I was playing a role of someone else, it wasn’t me. Ethnically I’m Asian, but culturally I’m not….…
It all started when we left from the hotel around five o’clock, hoping to get to the CN Tower on time. We were on vacation in Toronto in mid July, we had just arrived here a day ago from Niagara Falls. When we left we would have never imagined that this would be one of the longest walks some of us have taken. Pleasantly, we left for the CN Tower, which we thought couldn’t be a great amount of distance from our hotel. We were wrong!…
I still can recall the feeling of pure unadulterated fear, and even thinking about it now gives me that sense of dread that has become all too familiar. Every first day was slightly different, but they all had the same effect on me, the uncomfortable feeling of being on the chopping block. In four years, I have experienced the feeling of brand new faces staring at me with harsh, judgemental eyes 4 times, something most high schoolers have to endure only once, if at all. However, these four different educational institutions have brought more than just scholarly concepts into my mind. They have each bent and contorted me in ways that have forced me to learn to become inure. Each transfer required me to adapt and learn to make friends with people who were not…
Stephen Harper was elected in 2006 as our Prime Minister of Canada. Since the time he was elected, The Conservative Party and the leader, Stephen Harper have improved Canada and developed the country into more settled through these changes.…
One can safely argue that the Canadian government was solely trying to protect its economy and its citizens. An important foundation of the global and political economy of any country is, of course, its people. Politics is fundamentally about how society and its people are organised in and for public life. A people are better understood by their culture and that culture helps to define and be defined by politics. To understand the politics of a society therefore requires understanding its culture, that is, the ways of life of its people - their beliefs, practices and values - and how these impact on politics and the global economy. (1)…
Children of immigrants in Canada commonly known as second generation Canadians are in a constant tussle to embrace their Canadian identity along with parental pressure to gel with their original roots. Ronia Arab at Winnipegs Churchill High School wants to dress like her fellow school mates, but her attire is opposed by her parents who want her to be like them, an Iraqi inn her mannerisms as well as her attire. Ronia is befuddled as she has no knowledge about the Iraqi customs and is unable to fathom the reason for the insistence of her parents. This constant tussle got too much which led Ronia to leave the home of her parents. It does not end here only. This intercultural conflict seems to be a menace of high degree. It does not end here.…
It’s been a few years now since I moved to United states of America, and my parents were always telling me that I would somehow have to face new experiences and have difficult moments such as: losing my french, losing my spanish and to fit into a new culture. But, living in the USA helped me not only to understand, but also have a different perspective on the American Culture and a different perspective on the world. And after listening, talking and even discussing with my parents, I was not able to not only find out why, but also how to fit in a new environment.…
The Aboriginal peoples were the first people on this land, and yet they have always been treated as second-class citizens. The Canadian government forced Aboriginal Peoples onto reserves and trying to convert them to a more European lifestyle, thus destroying their way of life. Although Aboriginal Canadians made significant contributions during the First World War, they were often discriminated against and did not receive fair or equal treatment. Firstly Aboriginal men and women made important contributions to the war both on the battlefield and on the home front. Secondly Aboriginal soldiers were often discriminated against while serving in the war and not treated equally to their European allies. Lastly, after the war and despite all the heroics of Aboriginal men and women, they were still treated as second-class citizens with no progress towards equality.…
I am not a label. No matter how hard anyone tries to fit me under a label, or define me as something I am not, it will not work. I am a mixture, a melting pot of many different cultures and beliefs. My own unique cultural identity is compiled from many aspects of my life, like my ethnicities, my parents’ backgrounds and food; they all come together to make me who I am and who I define myself as.…