By Balwant Sanghera – TWENTYSEVENTH IN A SERIES ON MY LIFE
When a person comes to a new country, he/she is very curious about everything the new environment has to offer. Upon arrival in Canada,the first thing that struck me the most was the gentle nature of Canadians and the welcoming environment. This was reinforced when I had a brief work experience while working at a lumber mill in the interior. It was reinforced again when I attendedSimon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain. Soon after that, in 1967 Canada hosted a remarkable international event known as Expo.
Every country has some significant events and/or landmarks as part of its history that stand out. In Canada, Expo 1967 was such an international event. Canada invited the world to thisworld fair in Montreal to celebrate the centennial of its Confederation. That was the beginning of a new chapter in its rather restrictive immigration policy. Since then, this nation has not looked back. During the last fifty plus years Canada has become as one of the most attractive and welcoming countries for immigrants from around the globe.
Going back in history, originally, it was the Aboriginal communities who inhabited Canadian landmass. Their ancestors are reported to arrive here from Central Asia/Siberia some 14,000 years ago. These First Nations/Aboriginal communities, through their very rich cultural and linguistic diversity, have made a commendable contribution to Canada. The Europeans are reported to arrive here around 1,000 A.D. British and French explorers’ facilitated settlements that later on took the form of a nation called Dominion of Canada in 1867.Gradually, Canada has become one of the most attractive countries for immigrants around the globe.
According to latest media reports there are close to 750 million people worldwide who are looking forward to put down their roots in a foreign country. Of course, their favourite countries are in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Canada has been chosen as a favourite country to move to by 44 million of them. This country has always been popular with people of India in general and Punjabis in particular. Our pioneers set foot on Canadian soil more than 130 years ago. To-day, more than two million South Asians call Canada their home. In Metro Vancouver alone there are more than 300,000 South Asians. They are the third largest ethnic group after Caucasians and ethnic Chinese. In the Metro Vancouver and Greater Toronto area Punjabi is the third most spoken language behind English and Chinese. Cities like Surrey, Abbotsford, Calgary, Edmonton, Brampton and Mississauga have become like mini Punjabs in Canada. Speaking of Canada, this country is very special in many ways.
Canada is the second largest country in land mass after Russia. This parliamentary democracy has an area of almost 10 million square kilometers. Canada has world’s longest coastline at 243,042 kilometers. It has the longest undefended border of 8,891 kilometers with the United States.Canada is also home to the world’s most northerly settlement on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island in the Arctic. Canada has one of the most diverse landscapes in the world. It ranges from the beautiful lakes, rivers, forests and mountains of British Columbia, to Alberta’s oil fields, to Saskatchewan and Manitoba’s miles and miles of prairie wheat fields .The Canadian Shield at the western border of Canada’s largest province is just marvellous. So is Ontario vastness. Quebec’s unique French culture, its maple syrup and cities like Quebec City and Montreal are adelight to visit. Incidentally, Quebec City is still the only walled city in Canada. Then there are the Maritime Provinces with their own charm .All of these unique places are a reminder of Canada’s diverse landscape,language, people and culture.
Canada is a truly multicultural and multilinguistic country. More than 200 different communities representing every corner of the globe call Canada their home. Over the years, Canada has become as one of the most welcoming, inclusive, multicultural and multilingual countries in the world. It was the first western country to adopt the Multiculturalism Act in 1971 which made this nation a truly and officially a multicultural country. Consequently, over the years Canada has become as one of the most popular and favoured countries to live in by the rich and poor alike.
Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist.
