Not everyone is happy with the increasing number of immigrants arriving in Canada every year.
Hate crimes are a cause for concern for immigrant communities after a racist graffiti was spray-painted at a shopping mall in Richmond, which is home to the largest Chinese group in British Columbia.
Officials from both the opposition and the administration have denounced the alleged hate crimes. They said the act of vandalism that targets Canada’s Chinese community cannot be tolerated.
But Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said hate crimes are related to the growing problem of gangs, guns and drugs on Vancouver streets, and it should be everyone’s concern.
“Immigrant groups are no different from any other group, whether it’s Canadians who have been here for generations or new Canadians. People in immigrant communities need to understand that their children could become prey to these gangs, and they need to be educated about what these gangs are doing on the streets. And if they feel that their communities are in danger, they should be working together with the police in order to resolve those concerns,” said Toews.
Filipino community leader Irene Yatco is helping raise awareness of the problem as she gathers support to rid Vancouver’s east side of drugs and violence.
Yatco has been making the rounds in this problematic riding as part of her campaign for a parliament seat.
“You can see needles on the sidewalk and condoms. You can’t walk the streets when it gets dark. It’s very dangerous. You might get mugged or you might find drug addicts. It’s not safe at all,” said Yatco.
Yatco added that while it is mostly the Chinese who have expressed concern for now, Filipinos should not be indifferent.
“This is our city. It is not just because the Chinese live mostly in Chinatown. Filipinos live everywhere in Vancouver. This is a Vancouver problem. This is a Canadian problem. We should all be concerned about this problem. Of course, the general problem is it affects our children, it affects our families, it affects our businesses and that’s why we’re so much against it like the government. That’s exactly what we’re fighting for,” Yatco explained.
Local reports from the Vancouver Sun said Filipinos have already overtaken the Chinese as the largest source of new comers to Canada last year. This includes permanent residents and temporary workers in the country.
Source: ABS CBN News
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