Building Connections between Canada and Places of Origin of Immigrants
Laura Madokoro et al

Imagine BC is asking British Columbians to think big, and dream large about the future they envision for the province. To be able to make what is possible a reality for BC, we believe that we must put the people of the province at the centre of its future. Our vision is one which highlights the role of migration in making the province great by maximizing the talents and capacities of all those who have come and become part of British Columbia. It is one that considers where people come from, what they bring with them and where they might go.

The 2006 Census revealed that the population of foreign-born people in the metropolitan area of Vancouver increased five times faster than its Canadian-born population between 2001 and 2006. These figures point to the phenomenal opportunity to build connections economically and politically between Canada and the places of origin for these migrants, particularly those from Asia. It is an opportunity that requires deep and wide vision, looking beyond the dollar signs to consider the social and cultural capital that generations of Asian Canadians carry with them. It means investing in instruction in Asian languages in BC, starting with Mandarin language education, and funding progressive curriculum at all levels of education; from pre-K to post-secondary. The 2006 Census found a total of 320,765 people in Vancouver who cited Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese or another Chinese dialect as their mother tongue (37% of non-official languages).  Linguistic capacities are a resource that cannot be ignored.

Attached is a study of some of the Chinese communities in Vancouver and their perceptions of the provincial and federal Asia Pacific Gateway Initiatives. The report reveals that many Chinese in Vancouver are unaware of, or uninterested in, multi-million dollar projects that focus on highways and ports. A recent well-attended dialogue session on the report on the Asia Pacific Gateway Initiative held at St. John’s College, UBC brought together academics, policy makers, business people, members of the diplomatic corps and community representatives. The consensus of that session confirmed the report’s findings: that an important resource for enabling a bright and prosperous future for the province of British Columbia -- namely people -- is being ignored.

We imagine BC as a province that builds on the multi-generational social networks of families, friends and neighbours to offer educational and professional opportunities that place language and culture at the centre of BC’s future.

Signed,
Mr. Hans Driesser, Consul General of the Netherlands in Vancouver
Mr. Maarten den Ouden, Trade Officer, Consulate of the Netherlands in Vancouver
Dr. Henry Yu, Associate Principal, St. John’s College, University of British Columbia
Dr. Alison Bailey, Assistant Professor and Director, Centre for Chinese Research, Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia
Dr. Ross King,Professor and Head of the Department of Asian studies, University of British Columbia
Ms. Winnie Cheung, Director, International Community Engagement, University of British Columbia
Ms. Laura Madokoro, PhD student, Department of History, University of British Columbia

Please note: the opinions expressed in these stories are those of the authors and not necessarily shared or endorsed by Dialogue Programs