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Canada a tolerant and open society? Think again.

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Suranga3

Member
- one in six adults, or 17 per cent of those surveyed, said they had experienced racism personally.
- seven per cent, or 1.7 million Canadians, would not welcome someone of another race as a next-door neighbour.
- 13 per cent (3.1 million Canadians) said they would never marry or have a relationship with a person of another race, and 15 per cent (3.4 million Canadians) said skin colour makes a difference in their workplace.

CTV News

Numbers seem a bit high to me, but I'm sure if you broke down the respondents into age groups, you'll find some discrepancy.
 

Iceman

Member
flip the numbers around.. doesn't sound to bad to me.

83 percent of people ahve never experienced racism personally?

93 percent have no problem with another race moving in as neighbors

87 percent would consider getting married to a person of a different race

Not bad...

Except isn't Canada basically all white?
 
Only 87% of us would marry someone of another race? Good God, pack the bags maw, we're moving to America, where tolerance is preached and accepted!
 

Socreges

Banned
Something tells me the inflammatory title was just to get people in here...

Iceman said:
Except isn't Canada basically all white?
Er, the most densely populated areas are often some of the most multicultural in the world.

Suranga3 said:
- one in six adults, or 17 per cent of those surveyed, said they had experienced racism personally.
- seven per cent, or 1.7 million Canadians, would not welcome someone of another race as a next-door neighbour.
- 13 per cent (3.1 million Canadians) said they would never marry or have a relationship with a person of another race, and 15 per cent (3.4 million Canadians) said skin colour makes a difference in their workplace.
What should be mentioned is that, from my experience, it would be the Brown or Asian people that would be more likely to be discriminatory (I'm really just referring to the "never" marry/relationship one which is the most surprising). But at the same time white Canadians are only so accepting because they're surrounded by people of different ethnicities.

Suranga3 said:
Numbers seem a bit high to me, but I'm sure if you broke down the respondents into age groups, you'll find some discrepancy.
Also true.
 

Kuro Madoushi

Unconfirmed Member
87% would marry another race?

I don't see as many inter-racial couples to warrant any number NEAR that...

I also don't see it as a big deal for me even as someone who's faced it often enough (goddamn it can suck to be a CBC sometimes)

I'm starting to prefer foreign women more as I strangely have more luck with them than Canadians :p

What should be mentioned is that, from my experience, it would be the Brown or Asian people that would be more likely to be discriminatory.

What?! What kind of experience is this?
 

Socreges

Banned
Kuro Madoushi said:
87% would marry another race?

I don't see as many inter-racial couples to warrant any number NEAR that...
The question requires you to say "never", so I think it's warranted.

Kuro Madoushi said:
What?! What kind of experience is this?
Um, the Lower Mainland.
 
I'd say those figures are pretty positive actually. I mean if you did the same survey in the US, lol, it'd probably be a lot worse.

And inter-racial marriage is taboo for just about any ethnicity. A lot of Asians, black, etc. would have problems with an inter-racial marriage.
 

Iceman

Member
The only experience I have with Canadians are from my brief stay in downtown Montreal (where I met Adam Oates ROCK) and my one year in Upstate New York at Clarkson University which was basically populated by white New Yorkers and white Canadians.
 

Iceman

Member
Cyan said:
Except that you can't do that. You're assuming too much if you simply flip it around.

Not if the sampling was truly random.

(and as long as the questions were unambiguous)
 

Tabris

Member
I wonder what the numbers would be for americans.

I also wonder what the numbers would be if you excluded senior citizens (racism dies little by little with each generation)
 
Tabris said:
I wonder what the numbers would be for americans.

I also wonder what the numbers would be if you excluded senior citizens (racism dies little by little with each generation)

And if you excluded the South :lol
 

Iceman

Member
Tabris said:
(racism dies little by little with each generation)

Now that's quite the assumption. Where do you get that notion from?

and then the south comment?

This whole thread is rife with stereotypes.. people whose collective thinking is riddled with stereotypes (myself included) are trying to assess a study on racism?
 

Tabris

Member
I think even if you excluded "jesusland", the american numbers would be at least increased by a third.

If you included jesusland, I'm assuming it would be at least 2x
 

Kuro Madoushi

Unconfirmed Member
Ahh...the early morning threads of GAF...

And inter-racial marriage is taboo for just about any ethnicity. A lot of Asians, black, etc. would have problems with an inter-racial marriage.

Really? I often see enough female Asians with Caucasian guys here in Toronto that wouldn't make it seem so taboo.
 
Kuro Madoushi said:
Ahh...the early morning threads of GAF...



Really? I often see enough female Asians with Caucasian guys here in Toronto that wouldn't make it seem so taboo.

Ask their parents if they were thrilled about it, chances are it ruffled some feathers.
 

Socreges

Banned
Tabris said:
(racism dies little by little with each generation)
There's a strong chance that racism in future generations could increase due to immigration.

Iceman said:
and then the south comment?

This whole thread is rife with stereotypes.. people whose collective thinking is riddled with stereotypes (myself included) are trying to assess a study on racism?
You don't think people in the south are generally more racist?
 
after 9/11 its hard to have brown skin look even remotely middle eastern and not have ppl look weird at you and give you dirty looks in NY.
 

Tabris

Member
Well regarding my racism dieing with each generation, that's just what I personally see. The younger generations are just generally more accepting, and most don't even see the colour of people's skin. I know I personally don't.

soundwave05 said:
Ask their parents if they were thrilled about it, chances are it ruffled some feathers.

And this helps support my above comment. I do think racism (in canada) is dieing more and more with each generation.

...and regarding my south generalization? Well we won't know for sure until we see numbers, but I think it's a fair bet. They support a president who's against gay marriage, that's a good tell sign, don't you think?
 
I think you still take note of a person's ethnicity (is "race" really even the proper term?) as soon as you look at them.

Agreed though, the younger generations probably have less of an issue with it.

Kobe Bryant's father wouldn't speak to him for like two years because he chose to marry a Hispanic woman, now that's a high profile example, but I'm sure this sort of thing happens all the time.
 

Tabris

Member
Actually I don't.

I think it's maybe the 4th thing I'll notice, and it's never a factor in any first impression.
 

Iceman

Member
I was raised in the south.. I experienced racism everywhere I've lived. I've noticed it moreso in places like Arizona (some may consider that the south) and California. And how far north does "the south" extend? Baltimore? Upstate New York? They feel exactly the same as any county in Florida in terms of racism. IMO. But then again we're just throwing around anectdotes aren't we?
 

Socreges

Banned
Iceman said:
I was raised in the south.. I experienced racism everywhere I've lived. I've noticed it moreso in places like Arizona (some may consider that the south) and California. And how far north does "the south" extend? Baltimore? Upstate New York? They feel exactly the same as any county in Florida in terms of racism. IMO. But then again we're just throwing around anectdotes aren't we?
I believe we're presently avoiding the question, Iceman. ;)
 
soundwave05 said:
I think you still take note of a person's ethnicity (is "race" really even the proper term?) as soon as you look at them.
I'd honestly be surprised if anyone didn't. When you first meet a person you take mental notes of the person. Their skin color, hair color, what their face looks like, how they act, how they talk.. I find it surprising that anyone would categorically deny that they do so, since that doesn't constitute as racism.
 
BobbyRobby said:
Sure, there is less racism in Canada, but they kind of sacrificed free speech to do so.

Examples?

In Canada an incident like Janet Jackson having her top exposed for a second wouldn't have caused that much of an uproar.
 

Socreges

Banned
Mike Works said:
I'd honestly be surprised if anyone didn't. When you first meet a person you take mental notes of the person. Their skin color, hair color, what their face looks like, how they act, how they talk.. I find it surprising that anyone would categorically deny that they do so, since that doesn't constitute as racism.
Yeah. It's one thing (and perfectly normal) to immediately identify someone as black, brown, Asian, white, etc. It's just quite another to then treat them a certain way or make particular assumptions.

Even the most 'colour-blind' person is not unconscious to such a distinguishing feature. So, Tabris, I don't buy it. :p

BobbyRobby said:
Sure, there is less racism in Canada, but they kind of sacrificed free speech to do so.
...hm?
 
soundwave05 said:
Examples?

In Canada an incident like Janet Jackson having her top exposed for a second wouldn't have caused that much of an uproar.

Both sides of the political spectrum have their own ways of opressing speech, and both are no good. I have no conservative agenda here. Quick example I found:

http://www.stcynic.com/blog/archives/2004/10/canadas_attacks.php

Though I shouldn't even have to say this, I have no problem with homosexuality whatsoever, just the actions taken by the government.
 

Tabris

Member
It's the same feature as hair colour, eye colour, height, weight.

It's just something that makes someone unique.

So when I say it's the 4th thing I'll notice, well, weight, height and probabaly just general stance would be before it.

...and I never let it effect my impression of that person.
 

peedi

Banned
soundwave05 said:
And inter-racial marriage is taboo for just about any ethnicity. A lot of Asians, black, etc. would have problems with an inter-racial marriage.

Sad but true. You really have to be one backwards thinking trog to be opposed to interracial marriage. I date white women all the time.
 
Well I live in a Northern Manitoba city were there's about 50% white people and the other 50% native. The racism here is very apparent as both sides stick to their own bars, social gatherings, etc. And personally I never was prejudice until I moved here. No offence to anyone on these boards, but a high percent of the natives that live here are a bunch of freeloading drunks that have no positive effect on society.
 

android

Theoretical Magician
BobbyRobby said:
Both sides of the political spectrum have their own ways of opressing speech, and both are no good. I have no conservative agenda here. Quick example I found:

http://www.stcynic.com/blog/archives/2004/10/canadas_attacks.php

Though I shouldn't even have to say this, I have no problem with homosexuality whatsoever, just the actions taken by the government.
Should these people/groups be allowed to spread hate against homosexuals or Muslims, just because they want to? What if a Islamic fundamentalist took out a full page in the New York Times berating the US. I bet you he would be in jail by the end of the day. In Canada we are very intolerent of people who claim someone is evil because of their sexuality or religion. If it was a Muslim or Gay person and they did the opposite, they would have recieved the same "punishment". And that's the way it should be. Unlike the US we believe that hate shouldn't be allowed or advocated. (I do agree that the man fined for "fifi" was wrong but that was the extreme.)

Right wing groups claim that they are down trodden in Canada, but that isn't because of Canadian laws. It's because the majority of us think they are off their rockers and therefore they don't have the support that they have in the United States. A Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly would not last long here outside Alberta.

As far as real freedom to speak or express your mind, Canada has far more freedom of speech than the US. Nudity and strong language are allowed on tv as long as there is a warning. I've seen full frontal nudity of both sexes on the CBC. Hell CTV shows the Soprano's unedited. That's like ABC, CBS or NBC airing it without having to worry about the FCC. Canada is a far more open and free country than the US. Geez we let Quebec vote on whether they wanted to break away from Canada. Do you think the US would allowed California to vote like that. Hell no. That's freedom to speak and express your believes regardless of what the majority thinks.
 

Socreges

Banned
BobbyRobby said:
Both sides of the political spectrum have their own ways of opressing speech, and both are no good. I have no conservative agenda here. Quick example I found:

http://www.stcynic.com/blog/archives/2004/10/canadas_attacks.php
How that equates to:

"Sure, there is less racism in Canada, but they kind of sacrificed free speech to do so."

is beyond me. What a ridiculous thing to say.

Regarding the link, though, I think that the philosophy behind the government infringing on free speech is not at all misguided, but I'd agree that the government has gone too far at times. I disagree that this is a slippery slope problem, though.
 
android said:
Should these people/groups be allowed to spread hate against homosexuals or Muslims, just because they want to? What if a Islamic fundamentalist took out a full page in the New York Times berating the US. I bet you he would be in jail by the end of the day. In Canada we are very intolerent of people who claim someone is evil because of their sexuality or religion. If it was a Muslim or Gay person and they did the opposite, they would have recieved the same "punishment". And that's the way it should be. Unlike the US we believe that hate shouldn't be allowed or advocated. (I do agree that the man fined for "fifi" was wrong but that was the extreme.)

Right wing groups claim that they are down trodden in Canada, but that isn't because of Canadian laws. It's because the majority of us think they are off their rockers and therefore they don't have the support that they have in the United States. A Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly would not last long here outside Alberta.

As far as real freedom to speak or express your mind, Canada has far more freedom of speech than the US. Nudity and strong language are allowed on tv as long as there is a warning. I've seen full frontal nudity of both sexes on the CBC. Hell CTV shows the Soprano's unedited. That's like ABC, CBS or NBC airing it without having to worry about the FCC. Canada is a far more open and free country than the US. Geez we let Quebec vote on whether they wanted to break away from Canada. Do you think the US would allowed California to vote like that. Hell no. That's freedom to speak and express your believes regardless of what the majority thinks.

"Spreading Hate" is so subjective. I don't think the government really has any place in the matter unless they're threatening them with physical abuse. Suppose a hypothetical homosexual existed that felt, "dehumanized, humiliated and degraded", whenver someone wasn't calling him a faggot. Why should he be held to the same standard as all other homosexuals? Yes, this is a very extreme, and bizzarre example, but it kind of shows my belief that group rights shouldn't exist. Making laws protecting minorities, based upon what is believed how a "reasonable" member of that group thinks and acts, is prejudice IMO.

BTW, I agree with most of your criticisms of the US. The governments actions against free speech are deplorable, with the Patriot Act coming to mind. I wasn't trying to imply that they are any better overall, though I do believe they are better in that they have not reached such a level of political correctness.
 
Tabris said:
I wonder what the numbers would be for americans.

I also wonder what the numbers would be if you excluded senior citizens (racism dies little by little with each generation)

never been to Northern Ireland huh?
 

Malakhov

Banned
lol what a way to turn around numbers.

Also, this does not apply to Montreal. This city is so open to everything.
 

Nerevar

they call me "Man Gravy".
Socreges said:
What should be mentioned is that, from my experience, it would be the Brown or Asian people that would be more likely to be discriminatory (I'm really just referring to the "never" marry/relationship one which is the most surprising). But at the same time white Canadians are only so accepting because they're surrounded by people of different ethnicities.

While I think that's an oversimplification, it's mostly true - however, not in the way that you apply it. It's most likely immigrants who would answer that they would never marry a person of another race. In America and in Canada, immigrants are two times as likely to judge another person as having negative personality characteristics based on their race alone. This is especially true of recent hispanic and asian immigrants. We've become so ingrained with the "racist white man" stereotype that most people have a hard time reconciling modern-day racism with it and mistakenly blame "white people" for latent racism in free societies. If someone wants me to I'll try and find the studies that proved this.
 

Azih

Member
49% of Toronto's population was born outside of Canada and 43% is classified as a visible minority. Not sure if Eastern Europeans, French, Greek, Italian etc. peoples are seen as visible or not.

But it's true that the minorities themselves have a tendency to be extremely conservative in terms of marriage. One of my Jewish professors is married to an Asian lady, a friend of a friend is a South Asian married to a black guy, a guy I know from uni is South Asian married to an Arab girl and of those three I Know that the Jewish Prof and the Arab girl got Hated on like crazy by their parents (edit: apparently the hate mellows after grandkids show up :lol).

Plus hot damn multi ethnic chicks are insanely good looking; Lisa Ray from Toronto and Kristen Kreuk from Vancouver for example. There's also a Half Chinese, Half Greek girl I run into occasionally on the train that's pretty cute.
 

darscot

Member
Gotta love mindless stats. It makes no sense to post states with no comparison data. I've seen my fair share of the world and nowhere is as tolerant of things like sexual orientation, racism and mixed couples as right here in Canada. The thing that gets the most flak in Canada is probable religion, people just have little tolerance for it.
 

dem

Member
Theres a race problem in Canada... its just that it involves natives more than anything. I dont know what the situation is for blacks in the states really, but I have a hard time believing its worse than it is for natives in Canada.
 

darscot

Member
dem said:
Theres a race problem in Canada... its just that it involves natives more than anything. I dont know what the situation is for blacks in the states really, but I have a hard time believing its worse than it is for natives in Canada.

The Native issue is sure a tough one for me. I firmly believe that they have every chance to be succeful even more so then a lot of groups. The fact that so many of them just aren't, that makes me wonder. I'm not sure what else we can do but it clearly isnt working. Half me just feels fuck it we've done enough it's time for them to do something themselves. The other half thinks we need to take a new approach and reach out in new ways.
 

Suranga3

Member
By the time Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2017, more than half of Torontonians and Vancouverites will likely be members of a visible minority, says Statistics Canada.

Across Canada, one out of every five people, or between 6.3 million and 8.5 million, could be a member of a visible minority by 2017.

Statistics Canada's study defines visible minorities according to the Employment Equity Act – "persons, other than Aboriginal persons 'who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.' "
CBC News

Pretty interesting to say the least.
 

Azih

Member
Ah that's pretty interesting. Toronto has a very heavy presence of Greeks, Italians, and East Europeans that aren't counted. Hell I'm sitting across from a Ukranian and in front of a Russian right now.
 

SickBoy

Member
Personally, I'm shocked, because I had thought there had never been any incidents of racism in Canada's recorded history.

But seriously, I've lived in some homogenous, mostly white towns. Not only are they boring, but some of the people have disgusting attitudes towards minorities. Larger communities have a tendency to be more diverse and open, but even then you don't take out all the people who are morons.

I could generalize about what sort of people seem to be racist in Canada, but that's not very productive... needless to say, racists exist everywhere... yes, even in Canada.
 
I'm an inidan guy living in ontario, i've experienced racism when I was younger. Not a big deal anymore, but I can still tell that some people are racist at Uni (ones that come from small towns). Ah well, ain't much I can do about that, I'm as much Canadian as them and if they can't live with that, that's their problem not mine.

Also, I was born in Canada, Montreal to be exact. Speak english and french and have seen more of Canada and know more about Canadian history than most people I know. Does that make me any less Canadian than white Canadians with european background? I fucking hate the people I know from small towns...so ignorant.

Oh and I grew up in a community that is mixed, whites, asians, indians, blacks...everything. So I have an appreciation for all types of people and their varying cultures. Nowadays its a bit different where I live, there's white, brown, asian neighbourhoods accross Brampton and Mississauga. It kinda sucks, I hate that shit, and will go to great lengths to not let my kids grow up in a all indian community. I don't want my kids to be close minded and not open to others of different backgrounds. I probably would have been if the first 10 years of my life were filled with only inidan people. I'm personally quite happy that never happened.

And inter-racial marriage is taboo for just about any ethnicity. A lot of Asians, black, etc. would have problems with an inter-racial marriage.

From my experience this stems mostly from parents than anything. A lot of the kids I know that are coloured don't have a problem with it, but their parents sure do. Me personally, my parents want me to marry a, as they say, "nice indian muslim girl". And to that I say, we'll see how it goes. I'm definitely not against marrying a white, black, asian girl. Personality > skin colour, regardless of what my parents say. I don't see a lot of asian (including south asian) kids bold enough to say that to to their parents, especially heavily religious or new immigrant teens. So it isn't as cut and dry as you make it.
 
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