the back-broken farmer in China, that somewhere on God’s green earth there is a land, and kindness enough to embrace them: Canada. While stories abound of immigrants making it big financially others have found the peace of mind that this country offers to be wealth in itself. Not waking up to the rat-tat-tat of gunfire or the piercing cries of the maimed may be enough to make one declare Canada a paradise.
Peace of Mind
Two Nigerian doctors who have worked in Africa, England, the Caribbean, and the United States have found a haven for their medical practice in Canada. In the United States they had to be on guard all the time against the possibility of violence. The two, Dr. Onochie Aghaegbuna and Dr. Didi Emokpare met following their graduation in Nigeria and both, while practicing south of the border, faced threats of lawsuits and physical harm from patients and drug addicts alike. “Both men trained in U.S. emergency departments and Dr. Emokpare still works about 10% of the time in the Pasqua Hospital emergency room in Regina. But Dr. Aghaeghuna lost his desire for ER work partly because of an incident when an assailant burst into the Washington hospital ER to finish off an injured patient. The assailant fired four shots before security officers could shoot the attacker” (Driver 2003).
For some immigrants, coming to Canada then is not just a matter of making more money. Doctors in the United States can make more money but because of the possibility of malpractice suits and other threats a doctor might not necessarily sleep well at night nor be relaxed by day. According to Dr. Aghaegbuna some doctors in America find it very frustrating dealing with Health Management Organizations (HMO). HMOs control thousands of health centres, clinics, and hospitals across the United States and because the bottom line is all important doctors often need to seek permission from HMO management in order to perform some procedures for their clients. The HMOs maintain control by not so subtly reminding doctors who threaten to go on strike about the need to observe the Hippocratic Oath! Do No Harm!
Not surprisingly, not a few doctors in the United States who are working under HMOs are fed up. Even though these two Nigerian doctors are earning less in Canada compared to the United States they understand that there is a price to pay for their choice. “If lower taxes are what you look at, you go to the States,” said Dr. Aghaegbuna. But the trade off here is a more comfortable life. “Your quality of life is obviously better,” added Dr. Emokpare. “At the end of the day, it’s not really about the money. For the peace of mind I have working here, I’ll take a pay cut” (Driver 2003). Reflecting on his experiences practicing in many countries around the world, Dr. Emokpare maintains that medical practice in Canada is the real deal. Even though he is used to moving around he believes that Saskatchewan is a place where he can live for a long time.
CHAPTER TWOSUCCESSFUL RACIAL AND CULTURAL MINORITIES
Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean, 27th Governor General of Canada: Prepared for Service
If Canadians were thrilled to see Ms. Adrienne Clarkson, a Canadian of Chinese ancestry, in Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence in Ottawa, the appointment of her successor, Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean, should dispel any doubts about where immigrants in Canada belong – as much in the centre as every other Canadian, although from the margins unlike other Canadians.
Immigrants – who have chosen Canada – need not whittle down their dreams simply because they were not born in this country or are still in the margins of Canadian society.
Originally from Haiti, which is often presented in the media as a place of despair, Ms. Jean could have allowed herself to be constrained psychologically by her origins.
Rather, she has affirmed, or proven, that where you come from need not determine how far you can go.
Canadians increasingly appreciate that we, or our ancestors, may have come from somewhere else but that in this place we call home, Canada, we are all one, and that by working together we can continue to make Canada an example of oneness in a world of division and discord.
Ms. Jean’s fluency in five languages, French, English, Italian, Spanish, and Creole, reveals more than her intelligence; she clearly knows the enriching value of the different cultures that make up our world. In addition, her pursuit of further education in linguistic and literary studies at the University of Perouse, the University of Florence, and the University of Milan, following her Bachelor of Arts in Italian and Hispanic languages and literature and a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature at the University of Montreal, points to a passion for knowledge and mastery. Ms. Jean, however, did not cloister herself in an ivory tower; she worked for almost a decade to improve the lot of battered women in Quebec, and later, as a journalist and broadcaster, she had a platform from which to enlighten Canada and the world about various social issues.
It is no accident that Ms. Jean was appointed Governor General of Canada. Here’s a woman who did not allow her academic excellence to constitute a barrier between herself and ordinary Canadians such as the women whose broken lives she helped mend. And she did not fearfully sit at the margins of the society, uncertain of her place in it. Rather, through her service Ms. Jean recognized that as a Canadian she is called to join with her fellow citizens, from all backgrounds and stripes, to move Canada ever forward towards the ideal of unity, a Canada that is truly one; a Canada that shines in all its colourful array.
Adrienne Clarkson, 26th Governor General of Canada
Perhaps there is no better evidence of the opportunities that await immigrants in Canada than that of Adrienne Clarkson, who arrived in Canada as a child refugee from Hong Kong; this was during World War II when Hong Kong was occupied by Japanese soldiers. Clarkson assumed the role of Governor General of Canada in 1999, and as a representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Canada’s monarch, Clarkson was essentially the nation’s head of state. In her position, she was consulted by the Prime Minister and members of cabinet; of course, on the surface it may not have appeared as though she had any real power, but as Mark Bourrie reports in the article “Former Refugee Crashes Old Boys Club,” (Interpress Service March 1, 2000), the Governor General has the power to dismiss the government if in her judgment, it no longer enjoys the confidence of Parliament. It is not surprising that Adrienne Clarkson’s elevation to the position of Governor General has delighted immigrant and women’s groups. Margaret Lo, chair of the Canada-Asia Association of Canada noted following Clarkson’s appointment: “She is the first refugee to be head of state of a major Western country. That sends a great message to the world… She is also a brilliant woman, the best person for the job” (Bourrie 2000). Another Canadian, famous feminist Judy Rebick, commented that not only would Clarkson sweep out the cobwebs from Rideau Hall but also the appointment reminds people that no longer is Canada the property of the ‘old boys’ who controlled the country for so long (Bourrie 2000).
When Clarkson’s family arrived in Canada in 1942, both as immigrants and refugees, they did not have much in the way of material goods. They had to start from scratch but rather than bemoan their lot they saw opportunity and determined to go for it. Clarkson writes in the Maclean’s article, “An Immigrant’s Progress” that next to her family’s influence, she counts her experiences in the public schools and universities that she attended as having had the most critical effect on her life. She also noted that her parents felt grateful that education in Canada was affordable compared to Hong Kong where education was so costly (Clarkson 2001).
Today, immigrants from Somalia, Albania, and Mexico may be telling their children to study hard and participate fully in Canadian life so that, like Adrienne Clarkson, they too can become an inspiration to future generations of Canadians.
Clarkson did not get to where she is today by being a wallflower or a couch potato. As a former broadcaster she has a record of success behind her and though she has sometimes
