My early morning shopping trip included an interesting dialogue with a young Sikh. This is 2020, and there were waves of immigration (Canada, but also America, Europe, and elsewhere) in the last 30 years of the 20th century, and that continues, and will continue.
I like to talk with folks, there was nobody else in the cashier's line (he's young, tall, in turban) ... so I started with ... born in Punjab, or in Canada? That was the opener. Turns out he's only been to Punjab once, family went back for 2 months one summer. Heck, I've been to India more often than he has.
So ... here's the question ... when you see a visible minority, do you jump to any conclusions at all?
Here are some facts about early immigration to Canada.
Before 1920 ... Chinese to work on the railroad, runaway slaves, Japanese fisherman, Muslim fur traders from Lebanon, Sikhs to British Columbia ... all of these and more have been here over 100 years, and descendants are into 4th and 5th, yet are still visible minorities.
1960s and 70s ... waves of immigration from India, Indian diaspora, Islamic countries, Hong Kong, Africa, Caribbean ... now into 3rd generation ... still visible minorities
Simultaneously there's been a lot of immigration from Europe, and it continues. Non-visible minorities
So ... there is really no indicator that would indicate the time of immigration/ Are you still making false assumptions? If you get curious, what do you do about it, if anything?
I like to talk with folks, there was nobody else in the cashier's line (he's young, tall, in turban) ... so I started with ... born in Punjab, or in Canada? That was the opener. Turns out he's only been to Punjab once, family went back for 2 months one summer. Heck, I've been to India more often than he has.
So ... here's the question ... when you see a visible minority, do you jump to any conclusions at all?
Here are some facts about early immigration to Canada.
Before 1920 ... Chinese to work on the railroad, runaway slaves, Japanese fisherman, Muslim fur traders from Lebanon, Sikhs to British Columbia ... all of these and more have been here over 100 years, and descendants are into 4th and 5th, yet are still visible minorities.
1960s and 70s ... waves of immigration from India, Indian diaspora, Islamic countries, Hong Kong, Africa, Caribbean ... now into 3rd generation ... still visible minorities
Simultaneously there's been a lot of immigration from Europe, and it continues. Non-visible minorities
So ... there is really no indicator that would indicate the time of immigration/ Are you still making false assumptions? If you get curious, what do you do about it, if anything?