Michelle’s Very Personal Blog

Well I told you not all my posts would be pretty

I know, there aren’t many posts here to begin with.

So this is bothering me & so this isn’t just one long post, I’m just going to create a new post for each point I’m trying to make so when someone comments, we will know which issue they are commenting on.

I’m a spiritually conscious person who usually respects everyone until they give me a reason not to, so my feelings are getting to me.

I’ve never been racist before even though I know even covering up your purse when you see a black person can be construed as being a racist.

BUT, I realize it when I’m doing it & I try to adjust & I certainly don’t think that all black people steal, quite the contrary.

My post here isn’t even about black people. For me black people are as mainstream as white people.

I live in the Toronto, Ontario area. Actually just outside of Toronto because Toronto is too expensive.

I used to LOVE Toronto for it’s diversity, culture, different foods, etc.

Well maybe it’s because I’m no longer living right in Toronto anymore, or maybe it’s something else, but I feel it warrants a discussion if someone is secure enough within themselves to add on to my post.

I noticed a few months ago that I started to have racist thoughts, moreso towards Orientals, East Indians & Pakistinians.

I’ve been going through a rough battle with an Oriental man who refused to return my money to me after misrepresenting what he would do in a Rent to Own deal.

I’m not saying that is what started me to feel this way, I’m saying it probably pushed me over the edge & here’s why…

For quite a few years now I’ve been getting upset by the fact that Canada does NOT require foreigners to learn the English language.

They allow them to become landed or citizens, & stay in this country not having to learn a bit of English & normally this would pose a problem for them if there were such segregation, but there is.

When I was 21 years old or so, I met a Portuguese guy who took me to his neighbourhood. I was shocked to meet an older couple that had been living in Canada for 25 years & didn’t speak a word of English.

At the time I didn’t care, I thought it was amusing, but being a lot older now, I don’t have the patience like I did when I was 20 years old.

When I call up a restaurant (usually Chinese or Japanese) & can’t even understand a word they are saying & vice versa, this PISSES ME OFF!

When I walk into Tim Horton’s & the girl behind the counter can’t even understand what I’m asking & I try to rephrase it 3 different times & she STILL can’t understand me, this irks me.

I’ll state this so I’m being very very clear here…

I have nothing against people speaking different languages, that’s great, that makes them more educated, diverse, etc., BUT, if they can’t even speak the native language of the country they are living in, I don’t feel they have a right to open a store, work in any store where they have to deal with the public & I don’t feel they should be allowed to become a citizen of the country they live in.

If I went to live in any non English speaking country, OF COURSE I would want to learn the language of the people. Not just because it’s respectful but because it’s moronic to sit around not understanding a word anyone is saying. If I want to be part of that country, I should start assimilating, not alienate myself.

BUT, if that country doesn’t care whether you learn the language, & they allow you to move to an area that ONLY has people from that country, then why would anyone care about learning the language of the country?

Another thing that bothers me & other people who have mentioned it, is when foreigners go around speaking their own language bad mouthing the people in front of them & us English speaking people can’t understand a word they are saying.

This is RUDE, and DISRESPECTFUL!

My last point is, HOW DARE Canada allow stores to open up that have NO English signage on them, or they have menus that have no English on them & it’s clear these stores/restaurants don’t want us Canadians in there, they only want their own people in there.

I don’t know, this situation has been getting worse & worse every year & Canada does nothing to stop it. Hey, they started it all by allowing all of this to happen in the first place.

I’ll reiterate for the last time because I know people will read, get upset & not understand my English.

I live in Canada, I expect to see English on signs, menus, everywhere I go, I mean Canada forces us to have French on all of our packaging (another sore spot with me) & 80% of Canada doesn’t speak a word of French. If they want to force companies in Quebec or New Brunswick to have French everywhere, I can understand why, but to force the rest of Canada to do this so we lose out on products that companies refuse to import into the country, or Canada won’t allow them in, leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

If I wanted to live in China where there is ONLY Chinese written everywhere, I would MOVE THERE, but I don’t. I want to see English.

I want to hear people who understand me, & I understand them.

While I don’t expect people to know English the minute they arrive in Canada, I’m not talking about those people, I’m talking about the ones who have been here a year or longer & there are thousands of them.

I really really feel Canada needs to step up to the plate & start enacting some rules/laws about this issue.

Thank you for anyone who listens with an open mind.

Michelle