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I’m a second gen Indian in Canada born in USA. It’s become so us vs them between locals and immigrants, that Im caught in the middle, I belong no where and everywhere. There’s no room for my voice, because I’m no different then any Canadian or American in how I act but nothing separates me from Punjab and Kashmir other than accident of birth and one generation. My English is NE United States, my French Québécois, my Hindi Dehli,Punjabi Jalandar, Urdu Lahori, and Turkish Ankara. I speak six languages and I’m fluent in none, I’m from three countries yet none of them want me. It would be great if more of these types of investigations included our voices, as we’re neither here nor there yet caught in the middle of all of this.

You speak neither English or French? You make broom handles? you belong to a sexist idiot religion? You have 15 kids and can't even take care of yourself? You hate the West and want to see it destroyed? Your kids are annoying, loud and terrible? Ok you are perfect for Canada and here's 80 grand and house. Honestly, these are the people I'm constantly meeting as a teacher. Canada will be crumbling for the next 40 years, easy.

I get harassed for not speaking French in mtl, I can’t order a simple coffee in English. Yet these lovely couple managed to stay without speaking both official languages of Canada. \nWell if I can’t get coffee, neither will them.

Canada can't continue with this amount of immigration. Honestly, IMO, Canada should only be considering skilled immigrants, and importantly, immigrants who can speak either English or French articulately. My daughter had a resident doctor who was Indian, who was going to perform a procedure which included using a scalpel on her tongue (she was tongue tied, minimally). I couldn't understand a word he was saying, neither could she. He got so mad he threw the scalpel at the wall. I went and got the supervising physician, and we got the procedure done. My point here is, yes we need skilled workers, but they need to be able to communicate with the general public.\nAlso, the family reunification program needs to be overhauled. No seniors unless the sponsors can pay for them out of pocket until death; and no extra money for children who are brought over that arent the sponsors biological children.

Honestly, I don’t know how to describe and definite my experience. I came to Canada for my university education by the end of 2013 after I finished my high school in my hometown. That was my first time to go abroad, and living in a totally strange country all alone. New surroundings. New friends. New culture. English speaking. Everything is new for me, and I cannot figure out how I feel at that time, because it’s so complex. Both excited and afraid. In the next few years, I traveled among several different cities. Winnipeg. Vancouver. Toronto. I met many people and experienced lots of things. Some were good and warm, and some were not, and the worst thing was I found I cannot get used to my life in Canada. I don’t mean bad, but I still feel I’m an outsider. I cannot get in. Neither my life nor my schoolwork. So much loneliness. I left Canada and go back to my hometown by the August of 2017. There was nothing strange for me at first 2 years. Everything looks normal, but by the flying of time, I found myself cannot stop missing the old days and experience in Canada. Even the worst part looks so beautiful. I have no idea how could that happened.