Dear Editor,
The editorial captioned “Up North” (07.12.20) was an interesting piece on the Canadian experience. I have to confess that I left the shores of Guyana as a teenager in 1987 and I was able to survive in Canada due to the discipline I learnt from policemen like Ovid Glasgow, Winston Felix, Paul Slowe, and Wilberforce Noble when I did a short stint there and military men like Major Lyte and Warrant Forrester when I was in the National Service. I am proud of both these experiences which I can count as significant growing and experiential aspects of my life.
Toronto has its fair share of racism, gangs, guns and drug problems. This is partially due to the past Conserv-ative government of Mike Harris pouring money into building a prison industrial complex and significantly cutting social programmes and education programmes.
There is an undercurrent of anti-immigrant bias. How else can one explain the high percentage of foreign doctors driving taxis etc. in Toronto, when we have a shortage of doctors and other skilled professionals.
Canada is, however, a place where, if one is tenacious, determined and willing to overcome the obstacles, s/he can achieve a fair degree of success.
Again, an excellent editorial.
Yours faithfully,
Selwyn Pieters
