THE Toronto Star reported on Friday that anti-immigration flyers targeting Sikhs have reappeared in Brampton, though Immigration Watch Canada, whose name appeared on the flyers and who had produced such flyers in April, claimed they had nothing to do with it.
The single page flyers show the face of a Sikh man with a turban with a red cross through it and carries the words: “Say ‘NO’ to the Massive Third World Invasion of Canada!” It also shows a group of multicultural people and states that government policy has ruined the country.
However, some white Brampton residents told the Star that the flyers do not represent their view and they were proud to live in a multicultural city.
PEEL Regional Police on Friday said in a statement that they “have become aware of the most recent flyer that is now in circulation in our region depicting insensitive and racially intolerant messaging.”
They added: “Peel Regional Police strongly oppose this type of messaging and we remain committed to identifying possible hate crime within the Region of Peel and investigating identified instances to the furthest extent.
“Peel Regional Police have initiated an investigation into the content and nature of the flyer in question and its author. At the completion of the investigation, as matter of legislative requirement, investigators will be consulting with the Ministry of the Attorney General to seek the authorization, if applicable, to lay hate crime related charges.
“The Region of Peel is incredibly diverse and it is this cultural diversity that makes our region a wonderful place to work, live and visit. Peel Regional Police are committed to promote the value of diversity in our community and police service, and to provide a safe community for everyone to enjoy.”
I have to somewhat agree with these flyers.
As a daughter of an Italian immigrant, I have been on the receiving end of reverse racism. My husband and I constantly get looked down upon, or pushed aside by Indo-Canadians and it’s made us rethink where we want to live after 15 years in Brampton. They’ve made their own communities and expect us to live by their rules and laws. It’s making it tougher and tougher to just stand back, smile and, not say anything after being treated poorly. They can say and/or do what they please.
I am a believer in diversity and multiculturalism, but why the sudden overflow of Indo Canadians settling in Brampton communities not able to speak a word of English? Canada is suppose to be bilingual, french and English. It should be mandated that they know the English language BEFORE settling in our great nation!
Brampton’s infrastructure is poor and getting worse. I ca’t seem to understand why they can’t settle elsewhere in the province or country. There has to be a point where “enough is enough”.
EDITOR REPLIES:
“As a daughter of an Italian immigrant,” you should be keenly aware of how Italians first settled in Canada and the U.S. – and all the horrible discrimination they faced, too, partly as a result of NOT speaking English at the beginning. If it had been mandated that Italians know the English language BEFORE settling in this great nation – you would NOT have been living in Canada! Isn’t this ironical? One reason why immigrants tend to live close to each other at first is because of discrimination and racism. People of Italian origin should know that better than anyone else! I could write volumes on this topic, but I will just add: Canada IS multicultural and will remain so; those Canadians who can’t face this reality, should move out of the country!