Sign in Richmond, B.C.
At almost 9.6 million square kilometres, China is the fourth biggest country in the world. However, it is first when it comes to population.
A nation-wide birth control policy and stories of its consequences are well known, and with the birth rate continuing to grow, it is easy to see that the country cannot support its population any more. This is one reason why Chinese immigrants are going everywhere.
Statistics B.C. reports that in Metro Vancouver, almost 19 per cent of the population is of Chinese ethnic origin.
According to Jun Ing, from the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, an association that “provides leadership to the Chinese community and to speak as a single voice on behalf of the community,” Canada is a common choice for immigrants because it “offers many attractions to new immigrants, such as better access to higher education, improved living environment, government universal Medicare and pension/old age security for seniors.”
That is also the opinion of Fuyuan Lei, 24, an international student who came to Canada do study. She said that in China it is more difficult to enter university.
“Education here is better than in China,” she said. “In China, after you graduate, you have to do a test to enter university, and this test is difficult. Here is easier to get into university, but you have to work hard. In China, you don’t have to work hard in university.”
Lei also said that in China there’s no health care for the population. “Here there’s more quality food!” and “another thing that is good here is the environment. The air, the water…”
Lei lives alone here and said she has never suffered any kind of prejudice. Ing, from the CBA, says that multiculturalism is a Canadian value. “Inequality/discriminatory practices targeted towards certain ethnic groups are in the past and no longer an issue today,” he said.
However, that’s not what Yichen Liu, 20, felt about the teacher when taking the English as a Second Language program. “I think she has some prejudice with Chinese and it made me thinks she is racist.”
Beyond these problems, Chinese immigrants have troubles trying to find the same lifestyle they had back in China. Lie, for example, thinks Canada is boring.
“What I miss more about China is the entertainment. Here there’s no entertainment, it’s so boring.” For example the “KTV 24h – karaoke 24 hours there – here doesn’t exist.”
The biggest problem, however, is the language. Both Lie and Liu said that the English is the hardest challenge they have living in Canada. Because of the big Chinese community here, it is common for them to talk in their mother language. Also, there are a lot of places, such as restaurants, markets and stores, where the service can be provided in Mandarin and other Chinese languages.
According to the Statistics B.C., more than 27,000 people aged 15 years or more who are officially employed use Mandarin or other Chinese languages as their most common language at work.
Lei has witnessed this reality.
“There’s old people who live here and don’t speak English. Especially in Richmond, but they have some difficulties such as when they are sick and have to go to the hospital, they need somebody to go with them and translate, or they can’t talk to the doctor,” she said.
However, Ing says it is not different from other immigrants.
“Most people (regardless of nationality) prefer to speak in their mother tongue or in a language they use most frequently. People tend to feel most at ease using a language they have a good command of. When talking to another immigrant from the same country, speaking the common mother tongue would facilitate for better bonding/bridging. This is typical for other ethnic groups,” he said.
Canada, the second biggest country in the world in area, but not even in the top 10 list of the countries with the biggest population, is always open to new residents and cultures, and will always be adapting to become “home” for each one living here.
“New immigrants feel very much at home as there is already little difference between the lifestyles in their homeland and in Vancouver,” says Ing.
Aasim Raza
A lot of immigrants face these problems. I myself have not faced any blatant racism as such, but I have heard many such stories where people who can not converse in proper English feel prejudiced against.
Canada is still better than many other countries where people have to live with in your face kind of racism day in day out
Julia Vergara Carnero
I’ve been living in Canada for the last 13 years and i think this is a great country to start a new life. Yes, I agree there are some challenges involved, like different life styles and habits but overall much better than other places. I love that Canada is so multicultral. You are making great points in your article, I agree with all of them.
Danielle Himbeault
When Lei mentioned our environment, all I could think of was the pollution in Shanghai over the last week. Having lived in Toronto and Montreal, I have found that Vancouver is the most welcoming to minorities, specifically from China. Though I agree it is much easier to get stuck in your own little communities. But there is so much opportunity for immigrants in Vancouver, it would definitely be my choice destination were I from another country.
Joao Vitor Correa
Good points. With regards on the English-facing problem I would say the bottom line here is that people make choices and from that they take responsibility for the consequences. If you’re a foreigner with a clear goal to achieve, there’s no Chinese community that will stop you from learning (English) – using the example of the story.