The Quest for an Inclusive City - Metropolis BC

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kind of support from the government or from the system here. Why do we have to do
that’ (FG Ind5).
This is a poignant plea, and when we ask her to elaborate on how she thinks it should be, she
‘An organisation like the CTC should be funded or encouraged by the government
here. It shouldn’t be like, ok, it’s your problem, it’s your community’s problem, and
it’s your community’s responsibility to do something. We also like, buy into that. We
are like, ya, it’s our problem, oh gang violence, oh it’s our community’s problem so
as a community let us do something, and then we have to prove to the government
that we are a legitimate organisation… Why does it have to be as, you know, the
Tamil community. Why doesn’t it have to be, you know, the Canadian, you know,
larger community How come they don’t see that it is a Canadian problem’ (ibid)
Now this provokes even more reflection among the group about the way that immigrants are
viewed, perhaps rather instrumentally, as good for the economy, but nevertheless not really part of the
body politic, or political community.
‘Are we citizens of this country or are we visitors… It is in the interests of this
country to make us a part of the political process. It should be seen that way. Because
it is an investment in the people, right (FG Ind7)
Someone else has another way of thinking about this issue of participation, and the
role/responsibility of an organisation like the CTC.
‘I think partially the problem we are discussing is the way the funding models are in
place is basically the government funding would be available to organizations that
are at the front end of actually delivering a tangible service, as opposed to an
organisation like this which is basically creating awareness among the community
and also representing the community’s interests. I guess this role is not recognized as
an important role… There is no mechanism to support (us), and there is actually a
negative incentive, I would say [loud agreement]’ (FG Ind1).
This comment raises a critical issue for our understanding of citizenship as active
participation in the political community. It challenges the host society to take some responsibility,
financially, for assisting in overcoming the barriers to participation that have been identified thus far.
But now another participant wants to dig deeper into this issue of barriers, into the heart of the
newcomer experience with mainstream institutions.
‘You know, it is a whole different ball game. So this is how – if you go to welfare,
for example, the way that they treat you. You have no (pause), of course, the welfare
worker has lots of cases, which I understand on another level, right But the way the
client is being treated… So this is how, these are the experiences a newcomer has
within the country, right And that actually would make them don’t want to be
participating in it. They just want to look after themselves only and get on with it…
So this is where that participation has to be developed and sensitized so that the