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Refugee Stories
The following stories and quotes are taken directly from MOSAIC's recent report on homelessness of refugees and immigrants in the GVRD. The stories are true, but the names and photos are false in order to protect identities.
Ali
Ali arrived in Canada by himself in 2003 from Afghanistan. At the airport Ali's appendix burst and he was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery. Without any knowledge of the medical system or social support, Ali was charged medical fees and was required to take antibiotics after his surgery which cost him well over $200 a month. After one month of staying in Canada, Ali received his first welfare check totaling $500. He found housing with a friend and they each paid $350 a month in rent. Ali's medical expenses exceeded the $150 that he had left over after paying his share of rent. In addition, Ali spoke of shrapnel wounds that he had endured during the war. He said that for months he required medical attention that he just could not afford. With no money left over, Ali said that he went hungry and thirsty for months. He stated that he had fainted several times owing to starvation and dehydration.
Brenda
A single mom from Congo has been paying more than 75 percent of her income on housing since she arrived in Canada in 2003. After staying in two emergency centres for the first three weeks here, Brenda found a one-bedroom apartment in New Westminster. Her rent costs $660 a month with an additional $140 for her phone bill and utilities. As a single mom, Brenda is entitled to $845 plus an additional child benefit of $246 a month. Brenda's monthly income totals $1,091, while her housing expenses total $800. Brenda has been on the waiting list for BC housing for over one year. She is frustrated that she and her son have to survive on the provisions of his child benefit. Brenda began crying while discussing her situation, she says, "..it's so difficult now... you can't buy food, buy anything. Maybe if you go to the food bank, I can't eat meat, I can't eat food from my country. It's so difficult. I went [to the welfare office] to ask I need some [bus] tickets because I am going to school. They said we don't give tickets. I said how can I find a job if I can't learn English?"
Paulo
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51-year-old man from Mexico, discussed his frustrations about the Canadian labour market. Paulo was a very successful businessman in his country and has worked in film production and within the media for over 25 years. In addition, he has taught related subject matter at a university. With all his training, skills and impressive facility in English, Paulo has been unable to attain work since his arrival here in 2000. He says that he is discriminated against because he does not have Canadian experience in his professional field. However when Paulo attempted to look for low-skilled work in the local cafes, he reported that he was then discriminated against for being too old and overqualified. Paulo has had to spend a number of years volunteering in a variety of places in order to attain Canadian experience. He says, "In my culture we don't have this culture to be a volunteer... but sometimes like now when I need the money... after I arrived they said if you want to be a volunteer you are very welcome. I said ok fine I need to learn to speak English and learn many things. But now I can't be a volunteer anymore, I need money. And they still say that if you want a job at the cinema because you have some knowledge in it... they ask why don't you volunteer here. Because I don't have time to be a volunteer I need a job, a real job. So the housing could be a problem for me and my future... Paulo feels very desperate at this point and confesses that he has nowhere to turn. Without employment income, Paulo feels his housing situation is very unstable."
More Quotes from Refugee Claimants...
"Things there are in a mess... there were cockroaches everywhere. But the rent was cheap. There were a lot of seniors living there; they are dirty and have a lot of personal belongings, so things are in a mess. A lot of cockroaches. Dirty, stinky."
- 39 year old male claimant from China
"The rent is high, I wish it could be lower. I am on welfare; the supportive allowance is $185, but housing costs me $325. The $325 I have received plus the amount of my younger brother, that is $650 [combined]. The $650 could hardly get us anything good; it is very, very hard."
- 22 year old male claimant from China
"There are too many processes going on at the same time: you have find a house, you have report to immigration, you have to find a lawyer, you have to do your welfare papers, you have to go do immigration exam and if you lose the date, and then you have to go apply for the work permit and then you have to go apply for social insurance number and then you have to go and apply for a job, and then your hearing comes and . its too many things to do at the same time . And you only have twenty days to do everything and what if you don.t have your lawyer at that time and what if the lawyer asks for too much money and you don.t have the time to collect all of that money."
- Albanian woman talking about the initial period of claiming refugee status
"It is hard because when you come, you don't know nothing, you don't know where to go. You don't know no English... it's hard if you don't know somebody."
- 32 year old male claimant from Albania
"It was small; we were together in one room, because when I was looking for [a] house, it was difficult because they all ask me about how many people and I have children and many times they tell me 'No' if I have kids."
- a single mother claimant from Peru
"...they said that I had to go...I said where do you want me to go? [The officer] said anywhere...[I said] I don't know anywhere....you have to tell me. I [asked], if I can sleep on the floor. She said yes. So I slept on the floor . I am pregnant."
- a claimant from Nigeria who was 8 months pregnant accompanying her one and four year old children
"Guys, they can go around and get the information, but ladies, in our country, we are taught that it is scary and especially because we don.t know the language and we cannot trust any body and so we cannot find the information right away."
- a single mother claimant from Sri Lanka)
"Actually in the first house when I move, I don.t have nothing with us, only buy a . pillow, and the floor, we sleep on the floor, for 3 days, before we receive bed, mattress."
- a female claimant from Mexico who arrived with her husband and two kids
"It was just a one bedroom and it was very hard for us; my son needs a bedroom and also me and my husband need one bedroom . for our culture it is very important for our child. My son got the bedroom and me and my husband sleep in the living room. It was really, really, really hard time."
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