Feeding the homesick
Upon examination of many national and local newspapers from major cities including: Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec, among many others, it is clear that there is a greater amount of international news featured than would otherwise be expected. A great deal more than one would expect the Times or Independent to feature here in the UK. The main reason for this could be due to a number of immigrants who feel naturally homesick and long for a link with their motherland. ‘The Globe and Mail’, which prides itself as ‘Canada’s National Newspaper’, shows a considerable range of international news, from countries such as; USA, UK, Europe, Russia and Asia. The wide variety of international news could suggest that many immigrants don’t feel at home in Canada; that in fact unity could be hindered, as many feel their hearts to be elsewhere. This, it seems, only acts as a way to feed the homesick news of their countries of origin; from which it is impossible to let go, as it naturally takes many years and generations before a family is totally settled. Individuals would feel grateful to their new adopted family, but the link with a mother country is too strong to fully break. This Suggests that ethnic diversity is working in the long term, with the creation of new generations; but the problems of homesickness can never be fully addressed as they lie too deep within the human conscious to be fully removed.
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'Hybrid Leaf was designed to recognize, strengthen and celebrate the multicultural Canadian identity'
- Hybrid Leaf (Advert) |
But there can be a number of negatives, seen throughout the Canadian media, most importantly its newspapers. With so many positive news stories, it may come as a surprise to see that there are many negative articles hidden below the surface. The ‘Metro’ on Wednesday 1st August 2012 reported the story: ‘Vandals uproot immigrant’s prized garden’. This story possibly suggests a hidden resentment towards racial groups who have gained greater success, such as financially or socially, than that of their fellow white European peers. This once again touches upon the issue between the white/coloured divide left within society by the British Empire. Furthermore, a number of articles, in a range of Canadian newspapers, are on immigration rather than Multiculturalism or ethnic diversity; this could lead one to believe that there is little or no media interest of the positives that ethnic diversity has brought to Canada. Therefore the division among a few, it would seem, does not reflect upon the whole nation; who, in the main, have little time for ethnic diversity as it is a historic occurrence in Canada and has little or no importance in daily life, unless it is to celebrate its accomplishments; for example Multiculturalism Day on 27th June (which could actually be viewed as a ridicule of ethnic differences, rather than a celebration of unity).
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Lastly, it should not be ignored that, contrary to the requirements of Canadian bilingualism, a great majority of newspapers are written in English, rather than French and English for example. Even in the capital city of Ottawa, which houses a French and English speaking population (among others), its newspapers are written in English. One could argue that the decreasing influence of the French language over English, would allow the country to move closer towards a single mother tongue; which will in time possibly lead to greater unity, if it were to happen. But Quebecois resistance to English speaking Canadian influences seem to only have become stronger in recent years, rather than weaker; with their demands to break away from the rest of Canada.
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