How can BC become more welcoming for new immigrants and refugees?

Canada has a reputation for being a welcoming destination for new immigrants and refugees. However, this reputation is not always reflected in the reality these newcomers face in British Columbia. Gaps exist in terms of education, healthcare, employment and social services, and new immigrants often face real struggles accessing the support they require. Hear from our panel of UBC and community experts online as they discuss the barriers that exist for new Canadians and explore the ways that BC and Canada can better support these individuals and families. Moderated by Michelle Eliot, BA’98, Host, BC Today, on CBC’s Radio One.

Panelists

The Honourable Janet Austin, OBC – Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Chris Friesen, BA’88 – Director, Settlement Services, Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)
Amira Halperin – Sessional Lecturer, UBC Department of Sociology
Guofang Li – Professor and Canada Research Chair in Transnational/Global Perspectives of Language and Literacy Education of Children and Youth in the Faculty of Education, UBC
Danny Ramadan – Author, Public Speaker, LGBTQ- Refugees Activist

Links to information and organizations reference in the webinar:

• Canadian Paediatric Society – Immigrant and Refugee Health
• Decoda Literacy Solutions
• Immigrant Employment Council of BC
• Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC)
• Law Clinic at ISSofBC - a community resource for lawyers or others interested in the area of immigration and refugee law for low income newcomers with or without a legal status
• MOSAIC
• Vancouver Chinatown Foundation – Chinatown Storytelling Centre
• YMCA Immigrant Services
• YWCA Pathways to Leadership