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Are you serious? Canada had slavery in Ontario and Quebec. Canada then banned non-white immigration until the 1960's and most of the ex slaves in Canada moved back to Africa but those in the US stayed (I guess it wasnt the racial utopia you describe?). Black people werent even allowed to move to Canada until somewhat recently, not the case in the US.
Black Canadians have been here for generations....Obviously not in absolute or even relative percentages compared to the U.S but to dismiss the fact that Canada isn't home to a black population with roots here for hundreds of years is just as ignorant as saying racism doesn't exist in Canada..
Canada is more "culturally mosaic" than a melting pot. People are allowed to keep their cultures and display overt signs of difference (hijab, turban ect) whereas in the states this is frowned upon and these people are often subjected to some kind of racism (especially Muslims). Our immigrants I notice tend to integrate more with other Canadians and are generally accepted - on the other hand how likely would it be for an all american guy to befriend a Muslim? Second to none.
In Canada people are more likely to be themselves. There is not as nearly as much societal pressure to conform to be someone else. I notice most of us girls can be less dressy here in Canada and we often decide to not wear makeup, in the states it's another story. Women down there are WAAAAY more obsessed with image. Probably not in every state but certainly in the major cities. Toronto girls are very casual.
These are the type of initially subtle but very profound culturally differences in Canada that you'd have to live here for more than a year or so to really pick up on. A visiting American who stays here for a week may come back home saying "I've been to Canada, it's exactly the same" but for someone who stays here longer they'll witness the profundity of our differences.
Gosh, I just don't know where to begin, but I'm gonna help ya out a little bit.
The state of Michigan has the largest Muslim population in the West. I pointed out in another recent thread that in Hamtramck, Michigan (a section of the city of Detroit originally settled by Polish immigrants), the city council 10 years ago voted in favor of Islamic call to prayer 5 times per day via loudspeakers from the city's mosques and youth centers. And as a former resident of Michigan, I can assure you that there are hijab and burqas everywhere throughout Metro Detroit. No one bats an eye.
I didn't make the thread. Some Americans DO get angry that Canada does not have the same racial tension and dysfunction.
I'm black and have lived in the US and Canada, and have not found this absence of racism you speak of in Canada. No offense, but I greatly prefer the US in this regard since people honestly talk about racial issues; there are too many like you in Canada who sweep it under the carpet and claim that Canada is colorblind (among other outrageous claims). You are doing a great job of making Canadians look like their mentality is still stuck in the 50's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canadiangirll
Canada had less than 2,000 slaves on Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia and ended very early. This was before Canada was "Canada". I did my home work. There were never any slaves in Ontario. They were all in the east.
Absolutely false. During the War of 1812 about half of the Upper Canada legislature owned slaves.
Black Canadians have been here for generations....Obviously not in absolute or even relative percentages compared to the U.S but to dismiss the fact that Canada isn't home to a black population with roots here for hundreds of years is just as ignorant as saying racism doesn't exist in Canada..
I didn't dismiss that.
I said Canada had slavery and most ex slaves returned to Africa. That implies that some stayed, does it not?
I'm black and have lived in the US and Canada, and have not found this absence of racism you speak of in Canada. No offense, but I greatly prefer the US in this regard since people honestly talk about racial issues; there are too many like you in Canada who sweep it under the carpet and claim that Canada is colorblind (among other outrageous claims). You are doing a great job of making Canadians look like their mentality is still stuck in the 50's.
I'm not so sure it is so much about the fact that Canadians don't talk about matters of racial inequality as much as it is there is just a much larger number of Black Americans in not just abolute total but relative percentages so there simply is going to be a larger group that run the gamut, from poor to middle class to wealthy than in Canada. There is power in numbers....
I agree, Canadiangirl is not helping but this sort of ignore the issues and sweep them under the rug deal isn't representative of all white Canadians by a long shot including myself!
I'm black and have lived in the US and Canada, and have not found this absence of racism you speak of in Canada. No offense, but I greatly prefer the US in this regard since people honestly talk about racial issues; there are too many like you in Canada who sweep it under the carpet and claim that Canada is colorblind (among other outrageous claims). You are doing a great job of making Canadians look like their mentality is still stuck in the 50's.
Absolutely false. During the War of 1812 about half of the Upper Canada legislature owned slaves.
What happened to you in Canada that you developed this negative perception in our country? Honestly. I can speak for most Canadians that we try our best to include everyone.
I said Canada had slavery and most ex slaves returned to Africa. That implies that some stayed, does it not?
Fair enough, lets just not dismiss the fact that we do have a decent number of Black Canadians with a strong heritage in Canada and roots going back hundreds of years.
What happened to you in Canada that you developed this negative perception in our country? Honestly. I can speak for most Canadians that we try our best to include everyone.
Probably nothing bad happened to him. What he noticed was hypocrisy in Canada while living there which is why he doesn't view it with rose tinted glasses.
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