Canadian Fruit
Custard
Written By:
Zehra Nasirali
For: Mrs.
Arrowsmith
Course: ENG-OAI
Date: 9th
March, 2001
It was on June 18th, 1996 at precisely 9:42pm when I took my first step into my Grandmother's back door, straight from Pearson Airport's immigration offices. This time and date is extremely momentous. From that very instant to this present day, my opinion about Canadian Identity has changed drastically.
It is ironic how I was the one to convince my parents to move to Canada from Dubai. Since they were already considering the move mainly for my education, I confirmed their thoughts with little dreams, breams about working with white folk, dreams about adapting the lifestyles of white folk, a dream about holding a university degree from a 'white' place that meant so much more than one from the Arab land. But the first time I stepped onto Canadian soil I was miserable. Miserable because I no longer desired the 'white' lifestyle as I had so often dreamt of. However, little did I know what more potential Canada had; Canada's identity became more apparent to me as the years passed by.
Today I am an eight-month old Canadian citizen. When I look at the other Canadians around me, I do not only see white skin as my adolescent opinion made me to believe. In my eyes, Canada resembles fruit custard. A diverse variety of fruits all submerged in one medium. Canada has one identity, but its original identity, ethnic identity, never diminishes. Canadian Identity envelopes a broad spectrum of identities; therefore, allowing the diverse environment, and the freedom and ease of becoming a Canadian citizen to give shape and meaning to Canada's 'one for all and all for one’ identity.
Multicultural society. Those are the first two words that a person who knows his geography well (unlike myself in my adolescent years) comes up with by instinct, when he/she hears of the place 'Canada'. It is a very strong contributing factor to the Canadian identity. For example, if Gait Collegiate consisted of all 'white' students, who would perform an Indian dance in the multicultural show and what about multicultural food week? Would Canadians even know what 'samosas' are? This is who we are. We entertain different cultures, we support eastern relief camps, and we have tours to Italy and France. Susan Belacourt agrees "To be Canadian means to be willing to shrug of your own identity so you can imagine what it's like to be someone else." (Oh, say can you see a Canadian identity?)
Friendly, empathetic and supporting are three qualities that narrow down Canadian identity. Go to any Canadian mall or store, the sales greeting approach to a cultural shopper is not at all hesitant or degrading. We have accepted the different identities that immigrants bring to Canada and we like it. But if only one ethnic origin were to make up majority of the population of Canada, would Canadians be empathetic or tolerable to any cultural issues existing? Umm... okay maybe a little, but not enough to make Canadians stand out as perfect exemplars of these qualities. " Canadians don't just understand or tolerate other cultures at a distance; they're capable of imagining what it's like to be them." (Susan Belacourt) My first day in a Canadian school happened to be the tenth day of Grade 9. The classes and number of students in each class was already settled. My late entrance was a benefit to me; I was welcomed into G.C.I, with such acceptance and indifference by the students and teachers that I realised my notion about 'white folk only' was totally wrong. I vividly remember that a girl with the same ethnic background as I, sat beside me in my very first ", class in Canada; indeed I felt comfortable and easily fit in.
Canada is definitely a place with a special kind. Its environment and citizens build and contribute to the Canadian identity. There is no racial difference or difference of class enforced in this Canadian fruit custard. Fruits of various tastes and colours contribute to the ingredients of fruit custard - it's the fruits that make a fruit custard without the different ethnic groups, the Canadian identity would lose its charm and would drive all the visitors/settlers away by its tasteless and bland custard.
Canada's immigration doors wave a big welcome sign to immigrants, and once they have lured immigrants in. Canada's multicultural society grows. "Nice Canadians believe the way to build Canada is to encourage immigrants to go on being Chinese or Iranians or Ukranians or whatever," (Robert Mason Lee) If fruit custard were to consist of pieces of all the same fruit, where's the unity and pride in being Canadian? The different ethnic groups that Canada invites is what enables Canada to stick by the taste of fruit custard. Neil Bissoondath strongly agrees by sharing his understand about Canadian identity, "... a place of remarkable diversity, a place where - as another newcomer described it - you were simply 'part of the difference".
Canada's welcoming doors make you want to be Canadian; proud to be Canadian. They invite diversity, and "Here, they insisted, you did not have to change. Here you could - indeed, it was your duty to - remain what you were". (Neil Bissoondath) This could possibility assist Canada in creating a post-modern mythology. So what if we don't have a Canadian mythology, Robert Diakiw's solution (200 hours of Canadian study in Grade school) to the absence of mythology would work very well. So many benefits, so many advantages, so many contributions add to the Canadian identity. There is no opposing side to Canada's multicultural identity, 'one for all and all for one!'
There is no fixed colour to Canadians; they can be orange, brown, white, black or yellow. Thy merely share the same custard epidermis that enables them to be called Canadian. If the different fruits in the custard are diced in halves and quarters, the colours and tastes in its lifestyles differ widely amongst the other ingredients. It is Canada's welcoming arms to this rainbow of identities that comprise the Canadian identity to be empathetic, warm and diverse goulash.