HOW DO WE AT CMT WORK TOWARDS A BALANCE: BRING IN THE BENEFIT OF NEW CULTURES AND ENCOURAGE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CANADIAN LIFE?
In St. James Town, we have a community strengthened by the variety of contributions from many cultures. That strength helps us deal with challenges and our common goal of adapting to life in Canada . When we ask people what they want to achieve through participating in Community Matters Toronto (CMT), their answers reflect these goals:
'We love living here among so many different cultures,so much to choose and benefit from the traditions, food and celebrations!' and;
'...I want to find what unites us all, a common humanity, in spite of our differences.........'
Settlement or 'Shuffling the Deck' towards fuller participation? The 'settlement' process has often been described and many settlement services assist families. These immigration policies and practices succeed to one degree or another, so that a certain percentage of immigrants carve out successful lives.
However, a recent Canadian study looks at the impact of our multiculturalism policies, noting the pattern of 'parallel lives' that many New Canadians live. They often interact more with their own cultures and are geographically isolated.
The best policies reflect what actually happens on the ground, in the daily lives of its citizens. Using 'Neighbours Helping Neighbours' as our motto, we 'shuffle the deck' of cultures, language and experience. The neighbourhood is the best melting pot-providing a series of local, personal interactions. We learn and benefit from this richness. These opportunities help newcomers find the balance between their personal and family identity and full participation in Canadian life.
WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING VALUES AND PRACTICES THAT PEOPLE BRING? '......The law here says we are equal in the eyes of the state .It is amazing to have a public statement like that. I have my background and prejudices..................'
We are constantly challenged to listen, really listen! Every new encounter forces you to start from zero with an open mind, knowing that your perception of reality may have very little to do with how that other person sees you, and judges how you dress, your gestures, expressions and attitudes. Added to the mix between Canadian and new Canadian, there is the bewildering and exciting reality that it is also between the 60+ cultures in St James Town, between tribes, social classes and religious traditions.
As we think of an exchange with our neighbour, we are learning be aware, to keep in mind how fundamental values are expressed. It is hard to resist our inclination to assign our meaning- it's just the way we have also learned to behave in our culturally acceptable way:
1. Rules of secrecy and privacy. There are some things which are never discussed in public, between men and women, people who are strangers to each other, those we know and have a good relationship with,
2. Family Practices Parenting ideas are radically different both within and between cultures whether it is regarding discipline, problem solving, how to teach your child, academic expectations, social behaviour and developmental stages!
3. Authority A policeman may conjure the image of an enforcer for some, for others the policeman was the local social worker, confessor and mediator rolled into one.
4. Participation versus passivity One of the challenges in CMT's Job Club is to encourage self promotion. Looking people in the eye, marketing oneself is considered very poor form for some.
In the book 'Secondhand World' by Katherine Min, a father tries to explain his perspective:
The thing you way Koreans feel? Kind of like regret? ' My father twisted his mouth in frustration. “ No real translation in English' he said. “ It's a kind of sadness, or longing. A sense of loss. So much suffering, so much oppression. From China, Japan, from our own Korean kings and governments. Political corruption. Violence, brutality. To understand Koreans, Myung Hee, you must understand this concept of han. We learned the hard way that one's individual will cannot overcome external forces. Some factors are too large, too overwhelming. You Americans don't feel this, I think
Social status How do you get along in a egalitarian society when birth or social position has counted for more? How do you act in team when you have been the owner, the boss, the professional?
5. Socializing and celebration A number of CMT programs have been blessed at their inception with fruit, incense and deities. People enjoy the moment and each other by lingering over celebrations with wonderful food and traditions of marking time and accomplishments.
6. Personal responsibility versus that of the state There are no words for 'tutor', 'autism' or 'therapy', concepts that we take for granted in talking about social welfare. Accidents that occur on residential properties carry no personal liability for the owner in many cultures.
LET'S ENCOURAGE CANADIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS
'Are we supposed to 'follow the rules' here? What is common Canadian social behaviour?'
Douglas Coupland a Canadian author jokes about our beer, the beaver, the loonie, Tim Horton's coffee, then more movingly about our sense of the land and the wild, as essential parts of our Canadian identity.
We need to define our cultural practices in a way that newcomers can learn It is hard to define a 'Canadian culture' and often ends up as a definition of what it is not, i.e. not American, not this, not that! It bewilders many newcomers that this culture is so understated and tolerant.
We still filter information through our cultural bias and personal perceptions. We have to ask ourselves why does a person ask what they do? We bring our own bias and are surpirsed when asked. 'Do they provide free lunches at a new program? They may not know how to express themselves, or may be asking do they bring lunch, or misunderstand the program or the language.
We need to find value in learning from these traditions and cultures. It's not just the new kinds of interesting food and clothing.
Life in our safe, peaceful world can lead to a complacency. The power and fascination of different world views, learning from what is truly alien to us, the force of other traditions, belief and history can immeasurably enrich how we see ourselves.
OF MUTUAL BENEFIT.......................
'It is so very different here. I have to change so much and so fast to survive and make a new life for my children”
This balance comes through work both with new and established Canadians. The Canadian culture in which you were brought up was not necessarily inclusive given how similar everyone was! Our mutual benefit is toearn how to 'shuffle the deck' of cultures and mix our contributions
When we take the first step in helping someone else – we are helped – often in ways that we do not know. We become part of a community that matters to us. We matter. We all matter, and the only way we know that is through the eyes and hearts of others.
'I want to learn how to live live with Canadians, to understand their culture and become part of it'
Ali Moallim the Coordinator at CMTsays, “Look at me, I came from a very chaotic and war-torn country. I want to become fully Canadian through engaging all the resources available at all levels of thissociety. With this knowledge, I want to help others develop to the fullest of their capability. I have joined CMT to make this happen for as many people as possible.' He suggests that we all work on a more open, balanced life together, to:
Demonstrate an openness to change and evolve. Transform parts of yourself and your habits over time.
Absorb the positive part of other cultures, including those of other new Canadians
Adopt good Canadian values of tolerance and acceptance
