I write extensively about racism because I genuinely believe that, despite Canada’s self-proclaimed inclusive culture, racism remains the single greatest barrier to the country’s growth as a truly equitable society. And no, this isn’t one of those usual rants about how “everyone is against Indians.” Instead, this article puts everyone—not just Indian immigrants—on the hot seat, because, in many ways, we’re all responsible for how immigrants are perceived and treated.
It’s been five years since I moved to Canada—a country that prides itself on being multicultural, inclusive, and welcoming. I came with the same hope that most immigrants carry: a better life, safety, opportunity, and acceptance. But as the years passed, I came to realize a difficult and uncomfortable truth—racism in Canada isn’t just systemic, subtle, or institutional. It’s personal. And it’s everywhere.
And by “everywhere,” I mean from every corner of Canadian society, whether born here or naturalized through immigration. Someone might say, “But you’re not Canadian—you weren’t born here.” To that, I say: once someone is granted citizenship by the government of Canada—after due diligence, interviews, and assessments—they are Canadian. Period. You don’t get to pick and choose who’s “really Canadian” based on heritage or accent. If that bothers you, maybe the issue is with your understanding of what Canada truly is.
But here’s what I’ve learned—many of us immigrants, for all our talk of inclusion and shared struggle, bring with us deeply rooted biases. And we rebuild those walls in Canada too.
Living in Bubbles: Cultural Comfort Zones or Cultural Cliques?
We speak of diversity, but what we often practice is self-segregation. Look closely and you’ll see it:
- Chinese Canadians working predominantly with other Chinese.
- Koreans with Koreans.
- Filipinos with Filipinos.
- Greeks with Greeks.
- Italians with Italians.
- Russians with Russians.
- The list is virtually endless, reflecting the rich diversity of immigrant communities across Canada…
Religious and linguistic lines add another layer to the segregation. Within the Indian diaspora alone, there’s a stark division—Gujaratis prefer to work with Gujaratis, Sikhs with Sikhs, South Indians with South Indians (And don’t even get me started on the divisions within South Indians themselves—where language becomes yet another barrier, splitting communities along Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada lines). The moment two people from the same region meet, the conversation switches from English to their native tongue, excluding others without a second thought.
This isn’t about culture or language pride—it’s about exclusivity, often subtle but intentional. If you’re doing this, then yes—it’s racism, and you are being racist. When we prioritize only our own, we alienate others. That is a form of racism too. And it’s rampant—not just among the so-called “mainstream” Canadian population, but deep within the immigrant communities themselves.
A Personal Story: Racism at the Workplace
My wife worked at a Tim Hortons—one of Canada’s most iconic franchises. She got the job after a fair interview with the owner. But once she joined the team, the real challenge began. The manager, despite being of Indian origin herself, belonged to a different community. From day one, my wife was treated as an outsider—sidelined, micromanaged, and subtly pushed out. The message was clear: “You’re Indian, but not our kind of Indian.”
That’s not just workplace politics—it’s ethnic bias. It’s racism. But no one wants to talk about that. It’s easier to blame “white Canadians” for racism while ignoring the toxic divisions we, as immigrants, perpetuate among ourselves.
Time to Talk Honestly About Racism—Including Our Own
When racism is discussed in Canada, the conversation is often centered around systemic discrimination from white Canadians toward minorities. And yes, that exists. It must be acknowledged and addressed. But we’re not doing the full work unless we also talk about racism within immigrant communities—the casteism, colorism, elitism, and cultural hierarchies we bring along and practice here. These attitudes often manifest in hiring practices, social cliques, community groups, and even marriages.
We didn’t leave our home countries just to recreate the same divisions elsewhere.
Call for action – Step out of your bubble—and open your mind to a broader, more welcoming reality
Canada has given every one of us—yes, every single one—the chance to build something better, together. It’s time to put Canada first. But to do that, we have to go beyond flag-waving multiculturalism and face our own biases. Integration isn’t about assimilation or losing cultural identity—it’s about mutual respect, collaboration, and inclusion beyond convenience.
Racism isn’t just a Canadian-born issue. It’s a human issue. And immigrants are not immune from perpetuating it. If we want to confront racism in Canada seriously, we have to start by cleaning our own house too.
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