COM 101: Contrasting Perspectives on Immigration in Canada Essay

This essay provides a comparative analysis of the immigration experiences of Rosie DiManno and Shree Paradkar in Canada, highlighting the differences in their treatment and perspectives. DiManno, the child of Italian immigrants in the 1990s, faced challenges related to cultural assimilation and the pressure to abandon her Italian identity, experiencing a sense of racial inequality rooted in her heritage. Paradkar, who immigrated for higher education as an adult, encountered a different form of inequality primarily related to skin color and racial privilege. The essay contrasts DiManno's struggle with cultural expectations and Paradkar's awareness of racial dynamics, ultimately concluding that while ethnic and racial discrimination persists in Canada, the nature of these challenges can vary significantly based on individual circumstances and historical context. Desklib offers access to similar essays and study resources for students.

RUNNING HEAD: COMPARISON OF EXPERIENCE IN CANADA
COMPARISON OF EXPERIENCE IN CANADA
1

Introduction
Canada has been open to international immigrants since a long time now with people
from various countries opting for the same. Canada is in need of skilled immigrant along with
various other non-skilled workers. Though there exists not many racial or ethnic inequalities in
the country, some immigrant recall the distinction or feeling of belonging to an altogether
different identity. The scope of the current discussion compares immigration experience of Rosie
DiManno and Shree Paradkar in Canada. The focus of the thesis statement is on identifying the
difference in treatment that was received for each of them.
Analysis
Rosie DiManno was child of Italian immigrant in Canada in the 1990s whereas Shree
Paradkar had come to Canada for her education. Rosie DiManno recalls her experience of
growing in Canada in downtown Toronto’s west end. She recalls that her along with many other
immigrant children’s childhood being limited to that street in Canada (DiGiammarino, 2001).
She did not learn to speak proper English as there was no intermingling with Canadian residents,
until she could join formal education. At school, she recalls all possible attempts were made to
depict one to be more English and less Italian. Most shocking incident she recalls was being
renamed as Rosalba from Rosie. She was humiliated at school and made all efforts to hide her
Italian identity, as she found herself trapped in identity perceptions. She started loathing her
Italian heritage and wanted to have an American identity.
Shree Paradkar recalls her experience of being treated as a second class citizen. While
she moved to Canada for higher University degree and was happy with the first paced lifestyle,

but these all factors was associated with wealth to her (van Oudenhoven & van Oudenhoven).
She found herself happy to be able to express her emotions freely through her writing but there
were various other disadvantages as well. She felt the disadvantage arising from ethnicity, racial
privilege, skin color, class privilege and caste privilege. She recalls that she enjoyed her skin
color privilege in Asian countries, where she was treated as a first class citizen but in Canada she
felt that her education or class privilege would let her overrule the loss for racial privilege. She
does not feel that all white people are racists or are successful or do not work hard. But there is
an unearned benefit to an individual who is a white as compared to a non-white person.
Comparing the experience of the two persons, it can be said that both of their point of
view is quite different to one another. DiManno had wanted to hide her identity even with white
skin color; she felt that her Italian decency was to be blamed for unequal treatment. This was
large racial inequality as contrasted to Padarkar’s experience which she recalls to be related to
the skin tone color. DiManno was faced with caste and racial inequality as she recalls living in a
separate world altogether as compared to the Canadian residents. But that was way back in the
1990s and the situation have transformed now significantly with 1 in 5 in the population being an
immigrant. Cultural inequality had graver impacts as immigrants from different culture even
with white skin color were expected to have similar practices as that of the Canadian residents.
DiManno recalls that it was as-if their entire community was betraying their forefathers since
they had to display contrasting traditions outside and could only practice their own cultural
tradition at their homes. Most important shift that DiManno had to undertake was that Italian
community did not value education and the church protested children from getting educated as it
would take children away from their parents. The entire community felt at a loss practicing
contrasting cultural traditions, though DiManno managed to become a journalists. Paradkar’s

experience was different as she immigrated as an adult and does not have childhood related
experience. She is highly educated felt a bit of distinction and inequality in terms of skin color
only. She does not have growing up experience to analyse the depths of inequalities faced by
Canadian immigrants.
Conclusion
Ethnic identities and racial discrimination still remains one of the most integral
challenges especially amongst immigrants in Canada. Though most immigrate in search for
opportunities and betterment, they remain in the shadow of pretense. DiManno had to overcome
greater barriers being an immigrant into the country as compared to Paradkar.

References
DiGiammarino, A. M. (2001). Me and school: The elementary and secondary school experiences
of first-generation Canadian males of Italian heritage. Accessed from
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0026/MQ59166.pdf
van Oudenhoven, N., & van Oudenhoven, R. J. Navigating Childish Times: What roles for
children and young people in a fragmented and polarized world?. Gompel&Svacina.
Accessed from https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=Hs5dDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA7&dq=Shree+paradkar+immigration
+experience&ots=pLPR_zceFv&sig=hx-YS7Pl-
mSe1ERILWo4_8FzvHc#v=onepage&q&f=false