The Toronto
Watching TV coverage of last weekend's flamboyant Caribana party in Toronto made me think of the 1967 changes in Canada
Have I totally lost you?
Could you let me have a few minutes (paragraphs) to explain the thought processes that caused me to link Caribana, Immigration Policy and the Parkdale library?
A TV station interviewed a Caribana onlooker, a woman from Miami , who said that her city had an annual Caribbean festival that she always enjoyed. But friends had told her she had to go to Toronto
Recently, an American blogger called Toronto the coolest city in North America .
Back in the 1960s, I don't think anyone would have called Toronto
Not 'cool'.
The 1967 Immigration Policy legislation changed all that.
Pat and I and the family returned to Canada in 1966 after our postings in Leeds and London
From time-to-time I would take time off from classes and visit my Immigration friends in Manpower and Immigration to catch up on what was happening.
A lot was going on.
The Minister, Jean Marchand, and his Deputy Minister, Tom Kent, were proposing to Cabinet that Canada
There was no doubt in the minds of my colleagues that these policy initiatives would dramatically change the mix of immigration to Canada and therefore of the ethnic composition of Canada
Some of them were worried about the impact on Canadian society, about how Canada
One person wondered whether there might be riots in Toronto
No one would claim that the integration of persons from non-traditional countries has been free of stresses and strains. There have been, and remain, many challenges.
But there have been no riots of old against new.
There are many reasons for this. Government and private sector programs, including multi-cultural and language training programs, have helped as have laws against discrimination.
Laws promoting employment equity have also been important. As a digression, I was in Toronto
But another important---although often ignored---contributor to the integration of newcomers has been the Canadian public library system.
Which brings me to the Parkdale Library at. 1303 Queen St. West Toronto
See, everything links up!
I started visiting the Parkdale Library several years ago to pass the time while Pat was shopping across the street at the Designer Fabric Outlet, one of the world's largest and greatest fabric stores. (I am told that an indication of its pre-eminence in the fabric world is that knowledgeable Canadian and American clothing designers and interior designers refer to it simply as 'The DFO'.)
During my first few visits to the library, I read a book, or drafted a report but I gradually found myself getting absorbed by things going on around me.
The patrons were the young, the old, the unemployed, the affluent, the homeless, and everything in between.
Although the main ethnic groups served by the library seem to be Chinese and Tamil---judging by the collections of books, newspapers, periodicals and digital material devoted to these groups---there are patrons from every ethnic origin imaginable.
It cannot be easy providing service to such a diverse clientele. Yet, during every visit I watched as the library staff treated the library users with courtesy and respect, and resolved issues with civility and a smile---issues that could easily have become ugly.
As I observed events unfolding in the library I came to realize that public libraries, and the Parkdale Library in particular, play two roles. One of the roles---the ostensible one---is to make available all kinds of information to the public, while the other---the unarticulated one---is to inculcate, by example, Canadian values.
Let me explain.
In terms of information and assistance, Parkdale offers all the usual kinds of information services---from books, periodicals, digital material to internet access. It also offers movies (this is a low-income area) for adults and teens, Homework Help for Teens, a quiet study hall (for students living in crowded apartments). And, in partnership with the Parkdale Community Information Centre, it offers English language training and Peer Tutoring.
The inculcation of values by example, is a little harder to describe, but it is real.
A few examples may help make my point.
The staff members gently but firmly enforce the notion of waiting one's turn, there is no jumping the queue. A basic Canadian value.
Another example.
A mother, probably from an African country, came into the library with two children, a toddler and a baby. Sitting at a table, she pulled a video out of her bag and asked the toddler to take it to the person at the desk.
The young fellow started off on this important mission with the video clutched tightly to his chest. Unfortunately, the video box was upside down and the video slid out onto the floor. The boy's face clouded over, as he looked first at his mother and then at the person at the desk. Moving quickly, the clerk picked up the video and slipped it into the box. Then he leaned down, said 'thank you' and gave the little boy a big smile.
The mother beamed. And the little boy smiled.
A small thing, but important.
Yet another example.
A young woman at a computer is getting frustrated. A staff member walking past spots the problem, and leans over to give advice and encouragement. The young woman relaxes, her problem solved.
And one more example.
The library has two public washrooms, just inside the front entrance. They are always busy, with street people and library users.
Working in many countries, I've seen and used almost every kind of public washroom imaginable,. Too often, they were untidy and unhealthy. left that way by people who didn't feel any sense of personal responsibility for the condition of the facilities.
By comparison, the Parkdale Library's washrooms are remarkably clean and hygienic.
I am sure that the condition of the washrooms is largely due to the good work of the Library's cleaners but it seems to me, based on my experience of entering freshly vacated washrooms, that users also show greater respect for the facilities than one would find in many countries.
By keeping washrooms clean, the library encourages newcomers to understand that that is how we do things in Canada
A final example.
The library offers a free Wi-Fi service and encourages people to bring their computer and a cup of coffee, and to work at one of the tables.
And it promises not to turf them out when the coffee cup is empty!
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So, that's it.
As you can see, I really like the Parkdale Library.
It can't be an easy branch to manage or to work in. There must be times when the staff dream about working in a branch located in a less diverse setting.
But the Parkdale Library is 'where the action is' when it comes to helping newcomers learn to live with the rest of us.
To the librarian and staff: Thank you for your wonderful work!!
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See you on August 15th for Posting #82 with more stories from our family’s universe! If you have comments or suggestions, please leave a comment at the bottom of this posting, or email me at johnpathunter@gmail.com.
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