Re Local Ire by Skylar Isaac, June 15:
I’m not sure if it’s worth my time to respond to such an intolerant rant, but I don’t want to remain silent and have our newcomers thinking that this is a typical Whitehorse attitude.
This sounds like the kind of xenophobic nonsense that has been heard for generations, every time a wave of immigration occurs.
Isaac should first of all put himself in the shoes of these brave, hardworking people.
Would he have the courage to leave his country to make a fresh start in a strange place? Would he work hard for $12 an hour? Would he work evenings, weekends or two part-time jobs to support a family? My guess is that he wouldn’t. That’s why businesses are so happy with the Yukon Nominee Program. They can’t get young, high school grads to do these jobs.
So, in two or three years, when these new Canadians can speak fluent English and have worked steadily at one job, they will be the managers or business owners, while Skylar Isaac and those who think like him, will still be complaining about the same old thing.
Blaming immigrants for taking jobs away from “Canadians” is a lame excuse that has been used by the entitled and established class against Chinese, Pakistani, Eastern European, Italian, Filipino and any other group, especially if they are a visible minority.
It’s an excuse for intolerance and hatred and I can’t believe that there are people who still think like this.
Immigrants mostly do jobs that the rest of us don’t want. They work hard at low-paying jobs so that their children will have freedom from fear and oppression and a chance for the kind of life that we enjoy in Canada.
In my opinion, we need the people that choose to come here to live and work and I welcome them because they enrich our community.
Next time I’m in Canadian Tire, I’ll make a point of being patient with any employee who is learning to speak Canadian!
Mike Gladish
Valleyview