Welcoming new Canadians to our peaceful and prosperous communities
By Doyle Piwniuk
This past July 1, Canada Day, I had the opportunity to speak at this year’s citizenship ceremony at the International Peace Garden, right on the border of the US and Canada. While every citizenship ceremony is incredibly important, I cannot think of a better date or venue than Canada Day in this garden. At the heart of the world’s longest border, we find a space dedicated to peace and understanding.
I am a second generation Canadian. All four of my grandparents immigrated to Canada; my paternal grandparents came from Ukraine and settled in the Roblin area, and my maternal grandparents came from England and settled in the Russell area. I am so grateful that they chose Canada as their new home just over a century ago.
Many families in the south central and Westman regions have ancestors from European countries such as France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.
During this year’s ceremony at IPG, over 50 individuals received their citizenship. They came from some of the following countries: Philippines, India, China, Jamaica, Pakistan, Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Ukraine, Nigeria, Sudan, and we had a family of five from Namibia, who are calling Crystal City and Turtle Mountain, home. All the new Canadians that were going become Canadian Citizens all had to be on the Canadian soil, so the ceremony was on the beautiful lower terrace along the border.
My wife, Michelle, came with me to the ceremony. I indicated in my speech that she was glad that her mom, Merline Jerrard, immigrated to Canada from Jamaica in 1959 and chose Canada to call home. Unfortunately, Merline passed away this past February at the age of 94, but she left behind a legacy to Canada, making sure that her children were university educated. Her son Paul became the first Black NHL hockey coach (behind the bench). One of her daughters is a principal in a school in Winnipeg, and her other daughter is an executive director with Shared Health. Merline came to this country to become a domestic helper, but later she became a licenced practical nurse.
Last week Michelle accompanied me to this year’s Killarney Filipino Community Fiesta celebration. The cultural display and entertainment were amazing to experience. I was told that there are approximately 325 Filipinos living in the Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain, almost 10 percent of the area’s total population of 3,500. Many of the members work in the pork industry, healthcare industry and the hospitality industry.
Much of rural Manitoba is facing a skilled workforce shortage and communities in Turtle Mountain could be growing more quickly if businesses could find skilled workers.
Once a business attracts a new employee from outside the community, the next challenge is trying to find housing for the family of that new employee. As a solution, some communities are building senior multi-housing projects to free up existing single-family housing for newcomers to the community. Towns such as Boissevain and Killarney have started to build such multi-family properties.
Last year the Canadian Government welcomed, for the first time, over one million immigrates to Canada. Almost half of these new Canadians located to Ontario and majority of the rest moved into major cities such as Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary. I was in Toronto this summer at a Canadian Parliamentary Association conference and people from the Greater Toronto Area mentioned how much more congested the traffic has become since 2020. They also mentioned how expensive real estate has become in the GTA. It is so hard for new immigrates moving into these areas to make ends meet.
We have the solution. Come to rural Manitoba! We welcome diversity in our rural population.
How do Manitoba communities let new Canadians know that our rural lifestyles and quality of life are the best in the country, and that they also will not be stuck in rush hour traffic?
We are going to have to work with all levels of government to attract some of these new Canadians to fill the job vacancies here.
We need to promote and to share the many success stories of new Canadians calling rural Manitoba “Home!”
Doyle Piwniuk is the MLA for Turtle Mountain. His column will be an ongoing feature in Lifestyles to help promote our knowledge and understanding about the amazing things happening in the part of our province.
