There are few stories that are as compelling as to how the US has changed since WWII than the enormous growth of its Hispanic population. People from throughout Latin America (particularly Mexico, Central America, and the Carribean) have travelled northward and have created a vastly diferent United States.

The growth has been pervasive: rural as well as urban, north as well as the lands along the Mexican border and areas like So FLA adjacent to the Carribean.

There are so many similiarities of the draw and allure of Canada to that of the US. Both these countries high a high standard of living and have always been magnets for immigrant groups, particularly those from poorer nations who want a new start for themselves and their families.

As an American, what I do find is that I am painfully unaware of how Hispanic population affects your nation of Canada. The movement that draws Hispanics north past the Ohio River would logically not stop when it reaches the Great Lakes or the St. Lawrence.

COULD YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW CANADA HAS BEEN CHANGED (TO WHATEVER DEGREE) BY HISPANIC IMMIGRATION AND COMPARE THAT TO THE U.S.'S EXPERIENCE.

Hispanic growth in Canada is almost nearly non-existence

Yeah, there are almost no hispanics at all. I did'nt know hispanics were in the Northern US as well. I thought they more or less were concentrated in the SouthWest area from California to Texas.
In Canada, most of our immigrants are South Asian (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) or East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Philipinos, Vietnam).
Our closest to Hispanics would be Portuguese...we have lots of them in Toronto!

There has really been no influx of hispanics to Canada, with one exception that I know of.

Mexican Mennonites have been coming continuosly over the past 10 years or so and settling near old-order mennonite communities northwest of Kitchener/Waterloo, in Ontario. Their population is rather small though, and is limited to a particular area.

Migrant workers from the Carribean come every summer to work in tobacco and produce farms in Ontario as well, and I'd suspect that there are Mexicans as well, though I can't confirm it.

The only Canadian celebrity I could think of that might represent hispanics is Tommy Chong, of Cheech and Chong fame... but I can't confirm what his background exactly is.

I only know of a few hispanics in Canada, but even then they're all moved here after living in Miami. There really isn't a huge hispanic population in Canada, and the one that does exist is mostly overshadowed by the minorities with the greatest populations (majority minorities).

There are a lot of Caribbeans but they're mostly black trindadians, jamaicans, bahamians (?) in TO and the GTA, which don't count, but they have AMAZING food here so I can't complain.

i think the next census will show strong growth of the hispanic population for toronto. In my area of the city their are plenty of new mexican and central american immigrants. I also hear alot more spanish being spoken on the TTC.

Based on my own observations I have noticed a massive increase in Hispanic immigration to Nova Scotia, particulary the Halifax area. I can easily strike up a conversation in Spanish with many of the people in my workplace and many people on the street. I've also noticed an increase in Hispanic culture in Halifax as well. A couple of weeks ago there was the first ever Halifax Latino Festival in the Commons, Mexican/Central American cuisine is becoming ever more present and events such as Noches Latinas (every weekend at the Halifax Forum) are taking place more frequentley. There is also an been an increase in Latin radio programming. It seems almost everyday when walking the streets I notice at least a few groups of people speaking Spanish (maybe because I speak it as well I am more prone to noticing it?). I'd almost say Spanish would be giving Arabic a run for being the second most spoken language in Halifax.

A lot of eurpoeans came over post war, especially during the 1950s.

Based on my own observations I have noticed a massive increase in Hispanic immigration to Nova Scotia, particulary the Halifax area. I can easily strike up a conversation in Spanish with many of the people in my workplace and many people on the street. I've also noticed an increase in Hispanic culture in Halifax as well. A couple of weeks ago there was the first ever Halifax Latino Festival in the Commons, Mexican/Central American cuisine is becoming ever more present and events such as Noches Latinas (every weekend at the Halifax Forum) are taking place more frequentley. There is also an been an increase in Latin radio programming. It seems almost everyday when walking the streets I notice at least a few groups of people speaking Spanish (maybe because I speak it as well I am more prone to noticing it?). I'd almost say Spanish would be giving Arabic a run for being the second most spoken language in Halifax.

There are Hispanics in NS? That's news to me. I've never seen or heard anyone sign of Spanish. Maybe I just don't go into town enough.

To me, I've always thought of the US as being Anglo with a Spanish subculture, while Canada is Anglo with a French subculture. Though Canada is probably more French than the US is Hispanic. I'm not bilingual, but I know at least 500 common words in French and maybe 5 words in Spanish. And that's after I think for a moment.

Thanks for the responses; and the answers really surprised me. I thought for sure that there would have been a continued migration northward at this point.

Would you Canadians agree with me that it is a reasonable expectation that the Hispanic migration northward across the border is an inevitability? It would seem to me that it was a far more major decision to go north to the US from Latin America thanit would be to go from the US into Canada. Wouldn't it seem logical that if cities like New York and Chicago have large hispanic populations, eventually there would be spillover into Toronto? And wouldn't you expect, at some point, California's huge hispanic population could see people going northward into Oregon, Washington, and BC?

its not that easy to settle in canada for illegal aliens as in US,there is already enough legal immigration happening in canada to take care of labour shortage and canadian economy is not that big to take care of large influx of illegal aliens.Also being a relatively small country pop. wise,immigration laws are stongly enforced and no employer will give you job without legal status and finally culturally also canada is different as compared to US states that have similarities to mexico,not everyone can survive canadian winters!

i personally wouldn't expect to see hispanics in canada. it would be too far to travel. there are many illegal immigrants in the us, and they get here literally by foot; they walk across the desert to avoid the border patrol. additionally, many immigrants like to stay near their country so that they can be somewhat close to their family, be near their culture, etc. as a result, a very big proportion of the hispanics in the us live in states like california, arizona, new mexico, texas, and florida.

Regarding: "Yeah, there are almost no hispanics at all. I did'nt know hispanics were in the Northern US as well. I thought they more or less were concentrated in the SouthWest area from California to Texas."

Yes. Buffalo has a huge Puerto Rican community. Many Puerto Ricans come to Buffalo after living in NYC because the cost of living is so much lower upstate. If they've tapped into public assistance at all (Medicaid, perhaps) it's best for them to stay in the State and not move to, say, New Jersey. The West Side of Buffalo, all around the Peace Bridge for example, is known for its Hispanic flava. Though there have also been many Vietnamese immigrants adding to the diversity in that part of the city lately. And that's cool 'cause it's easier than ever to get to an Asian Food Mart.

If there is many Hispanics in Buffalo, they literally stopped at the border. Thanks for the infor NYC007.
I personally don't see a large influx coming to Canada. As mentioned earlier, we don't have the same issues with illegal immigrants for one. If a person risk all to get from Mexico to USA. Would they really want to risk crossing another border.
However, most Hispanics are in fact legally in the USA. There is alot more of a Hispanic culture in the states that may make them more comfortable than in Canada which has almost none whatsoever (at least from my perspective in Toronto).
Even weather may be a factor as the majority are probably in the SouthWest (I know not all). A common misperception in the states is that Canada is ultra cold despite Toronto being like NYC & Vancouver being like Portland for example.
Only way for there to be a massive migration is if something happened in which there was a sudden backlash against the Hispanic community (ie: mass deportation of illegal aliens, xenephobia, racism, etc)

There are Hispanics in NS? That's news to me. I've never seen or heard anyone sign of Spanish. Maybe I just don't go into town enough.


I think you need to get into town more man! A large percentage of my co-workers are from Mexico, Central America and South America. One reason you may not be noticing Hispanics is that you are unfamilar with their culture, don't speak Spanish or wouldn't notice a Latin person on the street if they were speaking English.

Alot of the recent immigrants I spoke to say that Halifax was reccomended to them by their immigration lawyers due to the characteristics they were looking for. On another note it may actually be easier for some people from Mexico, Central America to immigrate here (illegally) because of the fact that Canada does not require visas for many of these countries that the U.S. does. I know quite a few Costa Ricans who flew into Canada with just a passport and were able to find work almost immedietley.

...Alot of the recent immigrants I spoke to say that Halifax was reccomended to them by their immigration lawyers due to the characteristics they were looking for...

Characteristics? Such as what?

Some Brazilians travel A LOT to reach the USA ehhe. Haven't noticed too many of us in Toronto (as immigrants) though.

Talking about Portuguese, I saw 2 women in the bus speaking Portuguese (from Portugal), met a lady in the street and she gave me 20 dollars (!!! she said I looked like her brother-in-law who had just died) and a Portuguese family in the airplane. Dundas West has plenty of them! :P

But hey, immigrating to Canada, at least for me, seems much easier than to the US.

You see a lot of hispanic people in Vancouver, especially downtown. My last building had high numbers. I would imagine they are comming up the coast from California. In recent years there seems to be more and more. The beaches downtown are full of them too, it's almost like your in Brazil or something (demographic wise).

For here in Edmonton we actually have a sizable Chilean community. Also the Alberta government has set up a program to bring in hundreds of Mexican workers every year to work in the agriculture section so they tend to come and stay for up to six months at a time. Apperently some of these same guys come year after year and now some are choosing to settle here with assisstance from the provinical government. The same situation is also happening with Venezulans as these people have experience in the oil industry and are getting help from the government to come settle here as well.

Some Brazilians travel A LOT to reach the USA ehhe. Haven't noticed too many of us in Toronto (as immigrants) though.

Talking about Portuguese, I saw 2 women in the bus speaking Portuguese (from Portugal), met a lady in the street and she gave me 20 dollars (!!! she said I looked like her brother-in-law who had just died) and a Portuguese family in the airplane. Dundas West has plenty of them! :P

But hey, immigrating to Canada, at least for me, seems much easier than to the US.

I never considered Portuguese to be Hispanic pesonally. When I think Hispanic, it would be Spain, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, etc. In other words, spanish origin.
But your right, there are alot of Portuguease in Toronto mainly in Portugal Village & Rua Acores (both of which are on Dundas West).

Like westcoast604 said there area lot of Hispanic's immigrating to Vancouver. Now that you've mentioned it in recent years iv seen more hispanic people moving in to my area, there are a quite few at my work. It is a bit odd that central Canada hasn't had a recent influx of hispanic immigrating.

I would definatly say that seening a Hispanic person in Greater Vancouver is not uncommon now, but I have no seen any degree of change as a result.

Characteristics? Such as what?

From what they told me they were looking for a large town/small city, safe neighborhoods, good schools but with plentiful emplyment oppurtunities. Some people that I spoke with were disappointed with the crime in some areas though. Also there are many obstacles for new immigrants looking to continue working in the field they were originally trained in. I work with a guy from Colombia who is a university educated environmental engineer but is working as a server in a restaraunt for the past two years. Only recently has he been cleared to become a professional engineer.

since most hispanics look white, leads to the perception that their aren't many ( refering to toronto). for me spanish is the language other than english that i hear the most in my area of central toronto.

since most hispanics look white, leads to the perception that their aren't many ( refering to toronto). for me spanish is the language other than english that i hear the most in my area of central toronto.

Good point. Alot of people wouldn't recognize many people of Latin decent, because for the most part they are, or look caucasian. I've lived all over Central America and Mexico so its probably alot easier for me to recognize people of Latin descent then the average Canadian who hasn't lived in a Hispanic environment.

I was thinking about it more, and read a post that reminded me more of things. I remember reading an article a while ago about how the Canadian governemnt has a program to bring around 10,000 Mexican workers to Canada a year to work on farms and rural areas. I know that if you live in Southern Ontario (primarily vineyards in the niagra area) that there are actually a lot of Mexican workers there. Most seem to be sesonal but the article that I read said that about 66% of all workers brought here to work apply for landed immigrant status and a large percentage then become Canadian citizens. It doesn't say where they live (i expect they move out of the rural areas once the season ends) but I found it somewhat interesting.

I never considered Portuguese to be Hispanic pesonally. When I think Hispanic, it would be Spain, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, etc. In other words, spanish origin.

Actually, the very definition of hispanic is a person descended from the peninsula of Hispanola, the land mass containing Spain and Portugal.

Hispanola is the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It's the Iberian Peninsula (part of which was called Hispania way back in Roman times).

There are just about no Hispanic people here, though we do have one good Mexican restaurant I got food from a little while ago.

Oh yeah, Hispania, that's what I meant.

There are just about no Hispanic people here, though we do have one good Mexican restaurant I got food from a little while ago.

Mexico Lindo?

Well, there was the Toronto Hispanic Day Parade today. Looked like there were quite a few people.

North Bay has definitely seen an increase in the Spanish speaking community within the last 5 years. There's even a Spanish speaking choir that does performances around town.

This is mostly from personal experience and observations made within Canadian Latino communities (my wife is from Latin America), with only minimal references to Stats Canada's census material from 2001 to back it up.

Canada's Hispanic population seems to be the product of successive waves of immigration rather than the constant flow that you see in the U.S. There was a huge influx from Chile after the coup d'etat in 73. There were increases in the 80s as a result of conflict in Central America. Lately, with changes to visa requirements, there seem to be greater numbers of Mexicans here. You'll find over 100 000 people in the Toronto metro area claiming Latin American roots. In mid-sized cities like Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton, the numbers are closer to 10 000. I don't know if permanent residents and refugee claimants are included in those numbers. Canada's Hispanic population will never be as prominent as that of the United States, but in one article published after the last census (in 2001), Stats Canada reported that Spanish was among the fastest-growing language groups in the country, percentage wise rather than in terms of brute numbers.

In Canada, we grow corn, soya, wheat ... etc, but no Hispanics are grown in Canada. ;)

Why does everyone keep using the term 'hispanic'? This is an American term. In Canada no one uses this term... we say Latino or Latin American or Spanish.

Speaking as a Canadian and a person of Latin American descent Latinos do not self-identify with this word within our own communities either.

Interesting fact:

Toronto to Vancouver 4362 km
Toronto to Mexico City 4135 km

Mexico Lindo?

Yes.. I guess it's good, because it's the only one around. Well, except for Taco Bell...

I live in Victoria and there is a large latin community here. Of course being of latin descent myself perhaps I notice it more. Though most of the community here is not from Mexico but from other parts such as Guatemala, Chile, Brazil and Cuba. Also the english language schools here also attract a lot of latin americans here as well.

Victoria is also home to the Latin Caribbean festival which is the largest festival of its kind west of Toronto.

Actually, the very definition of hispanic is a person descended from the peninsula of Hispanola, the land mass containing Spain and Portugal.


Hey Nouvellecosse, I asked one of my Portuguese co-workers if she considered herself Hispanic.
I learned two things today. One, they DO NOT consider themselves so.
Two, Portuguese women hit really hard :hahaha:

Why does everyone keep using the term 'hispanic'? This is an American term. In Canada no one uses this term... we say Latino or Latin American or Spanish.

Speaking as a Canadian and a person of Latin American descent Latinos do not self-identify with this word within our own communities either.

Hey Nouvellecosse, I asked one of my Portuguese co-workers if she considered herself Hispanic.
I learned two things today. One, they DO NOT consider themselves so.
Two, Portuguese women hit really hard

Well I guess it isn't surprising that Portugese people don't use the term if no Latinos use it. But the fact remains that the people who do use the term generally use it to describe both. It's probably popular since it includes people of Spanish speaking countries as well as Brazilians.

Just out of curiosity, are Italians considered Latino? I don't think I've ever heard them called that.

The only reason that I was using [Hispanic] is because it was in the title of the post and the original question. As far as what term Canadians use, I wouldn't know. I've never really talked about Latinos enough to have my own preference, so I just use whatever term the person I'm talking to uses.

I personally think your right. Portuguese should be considered Latinos. But I think they interpret that as saying a Canadian is an American. So I can see them taking it personally.

As for Italians, no I've never heard of them being considered Latino. If anything, we should call it Mediteranean. This would include Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, etc

I think the three biggest cities have the most significant populations of Latinos in Canada. Montreal has a cluster, and it's a quickly growing population from what I've seen. Same goes for Toronto. The Latino area seems to be Christie and St. Clair, I've been told.

It is ironic that the Canada hasn't attracted many Hispanics, considering that it's world renowned as a magnet for 3rd world immigrants. That may change however, as I read in the Toronto Star that they'res a growing hostility towards Mexican immigrants in the US now, and more and more Mexicans are now looking at Canada as an alternative. If that trend ever catches on in a big way, we may see Hispanics rivalling the Chinese and East Indians in numbers in Canada.

I saw a Mexican on the bus once. :happy:

there are a lot of latin americans in montreal -- spanish is the city's third language. it has been widely embraced, too, perhaps to counterbalance the french-english dichotomy that has defined the city for so long.

I saw a Mexican here once . He had a cow boy hat on , was about 5' 5 and 70 years old. I think he was lost .

It is ironic that the Canada hasn't attracted many Hispanics, considering that it's world renowned as a magnet for 3rd world immigrants. That may change however, as I read in the Toronto Star that they'res a growing hostility towards Mexican immigrants in the US now, and more and more Mexicans are now looking at Canada as an alternative. If that trend ever catches on in a big way, we may see Hispanics rivalling the Chinese and East Indians in numbers in Canada.

Thats not true. There isnt growing hostility towards Mexican immigrants, however there is action being taken against illegal immigration....which is fair and acceptable. I doubt many Mexicans will jump ship-mainly because the Mexican community here is so well ingrained into American society. Not only are they closer to a larger Mexican community (ie. California, Texas, Illinois, Arizona etc.), but they are close to Mexico itself. From what I have heard and seen--Mexicans are doing quite well here. I doubt they will ever challenge the Asian population in Canada.

Some Brazilians travel A LOT to reach the USA ehhe. Haven't noticed too many of us in Toronto (as immigrants) though.

Talking about Portuguese, I saw 2 women in the bus speaking Portuguese (from Portugal), met a lady in the street and she gave me 20 dollars (!!! she said I looked like her brother-in-law who had just died) and a Portuguese family in the airplane. Dundas West has plenty of them! :P

But hey, immigrating to Canada, at least for me, seems much easier than to the US.

I dont know about that. Americans who wanted to immigrate into Canada after the Bush election were not allowed in. I heard its not exactly that easy to immigrate into Canada, there is a year waiting list--and it takes three years to be a full citizen. We let in about half a million a year--so your chances getting into the U.S. may be easier. I dont know for sure.

you have to reach certain levels of education, etc, to get in. I think it's a 48 point test or something, and you have to fill it all in to become a citizen. They'd probably have troubles. They could become refugees, but thats not as good as citizen and I think they only let a certain amount in.

I dont know about that. Americans who wanted to immigrate into Canada after the Bush election were not allowed in. I heard its not exactly that easy to immigrate into Canada, there is a year waiting list--and it takes three years to be a full citizen. We let in about half a million a year--so your chances getting into the U.S. may be easier. I dont know for sure.

Right now, Canada's immigration system is in a knot, and a lot of times a successful application depends on luck, a truckload of post-secondary degrees and family. Right now, the feds lets in an excess of family immigrants, and the feds has no long-term plan to provide them with adaquete services (e.g. ESL, job training) and/or to integrate them with mainstream society.

Latino- American in urban centre in 2001:
Toronto ->75 915
Montreal -> 53 155
Vancouver ->18 715
Calgary -> 8605
Ottawa/Gatineau -> 7655
Edmonton -> 7515

Based on my own observations I have noticed a massive increase in Hispanic immigration to Nova Scotia, particulary the Halifax area. I can easily strike up a conversation in Spanish with many of the people in my workplace and many people on the street. I've also noticed an increase in Hispanic culture in Halifax as well. A couple of weeks ago there was the first ever Halifax Latino Festival in the Commons, Mexican/Central American cuisine is becoming ever more present and events such as Noches Latinas (every weekend at the Halifax Forum) are taking place more frequentley. There is also an been an increase in Latin radio programming. It seems almost everyday when walking the streets I notice at least a few groups of people speaking Spanish (maybe because I speak it as well I am more prone to noticing it?). I'd almost say Spanish would be giving Arabic a run for being the second most spoken language in Halifax.


i grew up in Halifax, And when i was there there were barely any Latinos.....by the way im Latino and i knew the majority of Latinos living there. It is Acutally easier for Latinos to get residency in the States, its harder in Canada. Canada prefers imigrants from asain countries, China And India.

^^Im pretty sure Canada isnt letting more Mexicans immigrate here because they arent asian.

Sure, the tiny Latino population across Canada is just roughly 1% of the US Latino population. However, when you compare Latino populations in nearby metros across the borders, the differences aren't that big. Toronto has a smaller Latino population compared to Detroit. But it has about the same Latino population as Cleveland. And Toronto has nearly twice as many Latinos as Rochester and more than twice as many as Buffalo. In Buffalo, the Latino population is still primarily Puerto Rican. Toronto has significant numbers of Latinos from almost everyplace but Puerto Rico! Montreal has a much smaller Latino population compared to Boston, but then Boston has a rather Large Latino population. The Latino population around Ottawa isn't much smaller than that around Albany. Considering the difference is metro size, the Latino population around Vancouver isn't that much smaller than in Seattle, where Latinos have just become a visible presence in the past decade or so. Aside from size, biggest difference is in the composition. In US, the Latino population is mostly Mexican with Puerto Ricans and Cubans the next largest groups, a distant second and third. In Canada, the Latino population is primarily Central & South American. But in total numbers, the Central & South American population in the US is much larger. While Canada is starting to attract Mexicans. I would guess that however modest, the Mexican presence in southern Ontario is as least as significant as in the adjacent areas of upstate NY. So the difference is as much about geography as borders.

I would love to see more hispanic flavor in Winnipeg. With strong Ukrainian/Polish presence, a growing black population, a large Filipino population...an influx of hispanic residents would be wonderful for our subtle cultural mosaic in the 'peg!!!

I never considered Portuguese to be Hispanic pesonally. When I think Hispanic, it would be Spain, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, etc. In other words, spanish origin.
But your right, there are alot of Portuguease in Toronto mainly in Portugal Village & Rua Acores (both of which are on Dundas West).

The term "hispanic" as used today means "spanish-speaking," and not of Spanish origin. A good half of Latin Americans have no Spanish origins and yet they are hispanic, because they speak Spanish (language), like the Spanish (people of Spain). There are many hispanics of Amerindian and/or African blood, although most are mestizos (Amerindian-Spanish mixed) and mulattos (African-Spanish mixed), aswell as Amerindian-African-Spanish mixes, like Chavez, president of Venezuela. I forgot the term for that trio-mix quite common in the Caribbean and South America. Then you have Latin Americans of recent European-immigrant descent, such as German and Italian. Many Argentians are of Italian descent, not Spanish descent, and yet they are hispanics, because they were born in a Spanish-speaking country.

And you did not know there are many hispanics in Northern U.S.?? You meantioned that earlier in this thread. Ok, true...most of the northern states have very few to nearly no hispanics, but you didn't know Chicago is full of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, and Northeast cities are full of Puerto-Ricans and Dominicans and their children??? You've never heard of Westside story??? :ohno:

There is a growth of Hispanophones northward for sure, from just the Northern big cities to small cities and towns in the US now. There is less of a concentration like in the US of communities (Mexicans in California, Puertoriqueños in NY, for example) than there is in Toronto, Montreal, etc.

Latino originally comes from the work Latin. As you remember the Romans spoke Latin. Over time Latin changed and was eventually called dirty Latin by the Romans. Over time 6 main languages developed from Latin. Spanish, Portuguese,French,Italian and Romanian. These are called Romance languages and no, it's not because they are romantic. But because they developed from the Roman language. So anyone of these 6 groups can be called Latin "latino" being the spanish word. The spanish conquered most of america leaving their blood, language and culture. Over time Americans have called us Hispanics....which is not completly correct as Hispania was what the romans called spain. Latin is not totaly correct as not all hispanics have spanish blood, but the mayority do. Spanish is wrong as Hispanics are not born in spain. Only a person born in spain is spanish. But as you can see it's quite difficult to explain to every single person. So being called Latino, Hispanic or Spanish have all been accepted as proper words to describe anyone from latin america or spain. There are a lot of ignorant people that like to make racist coments about hispanics but here are some facts. Besides English, spanish is the second most spoken language in the world in both bussiness and pleasure. Being hispanic means being a hard worker and having strong family values. Some bad apples cannot represent a whole culture. Americans like to complain about all the Hispanics in the states. But remember this. All of the southern united states used to belong to spain then mexico. And there have been hispanics in these areas years before any anglo came along. Hispanics may love they home land but love their other homes as well. Just as I'm proud of being Canadian I am proud to be Guatemalan.

states with spanish names.
Nevada
California Old state of Alta California "mexico spanish times"
Colorado
Utah
Florida "La Florida" in spanish
New mexico
Texas "Tejas" en spanish
Arizona

Beeing Brazilian, born on south (similar to north of america in terms of orgin - european - cold weather, most developed, ....) but of Italian roots, I can say Latin is every country of Europe which has a language from latin orign (the romance ones) so it would be: Portugal, Spain with all its kingdoms - Austuria, Galicia, Castella, Cataluña, etc.. and its languages, France also with its regions Occitan, Catalan, Provençal, etc - Italy also with its dozens of languages and dialets, as well as part of Switzerland, Belgium and a far but still latin country Romania.


here is an ilustration:

http://www.verbix.com/imag/map_romance_languages.gif


But, the word Latin/Latino or Hispanic as used in the americas, sometimes even overseas is a pejorative noum to the people of Mexican who is a mix of european and indian, even if nowadays it is also used to several other spanish speaking countries whithin Americas.

Focusing on the thread subject, well the story of immigration forming small clustters, like chinatowns yes it happens, here in Brazil we have thousands of them from Finish, Norwegian, untill Lebanese, Japanese and Angolan. In my reseaches about Canada I noted several of them too, like the Ukranian on the prairies, the german of the Atlantic, chinese on BC, Arabian on MTL, Indian/Paskitanese on TO and so on. About the "hispanic" or Latin/Latino, if considered Brazilian as so I heard that TO and MTL have the largest concentration maybe due to their size, and more specific about Brazilians the largest communities are located on the north area of GTO, MTL, Ottawa, and smaller ones in Victoria and Vancouver BC, Winnipeg and Calgary.

Wasn't there a report on CBC news the national on Mexicans or something? Anyways I guess there is a few of them...including myself! :)

I think I am more attuned to it, as I live with a South American, so I notice a lot more of the culture in Toronto than other people probably do... we tend to seek it out. The shops, the grocery stores, the restaurants, the clubs... but it is nothing like in the States. I remember going through New England, and being shocked that almost everyone working in McDonalds, or places like that, seemed to be Latino. Much more noticeable than in Canada.

Some Brazilians travel A LOT to reach the USA ehhe. Haven't noticed too many of us in Toronto (as immigrants) though.

Talking about Portuguese, I saw 2 women in the bus speaking Portuguese (from Portugal), met a lady in the street and she gave me 20 dollars (!!! she said I looked like her brother-in-law who had just died) and a Portuguese family in the airplane. Dundas West has plenty of them! :P

But hey, immigrating to Canada, at least for me, seems much easier than to the US.

Welcome to the country, Schmidt! My partner is from Brasil.. you will find out all the Brasilian hot spots in TO very quickly! There are probably more of you here than you realize. Usually once in the summer there is a huge Brasilian beach party... I think at Cherry Beach. I hope to go this year if I hear about it! If you have any questions about where are the Brasilien restaurants and grocery stores, pm me!

Toronto (City Proper) alone has 54,350 Hispanic people.


----------------------------------------------------------
Just interesting non-related statistics.

Language by Population (Toronto CMA)

* Chinese: 355,270
* Italian: 206,325
* Portuguese: 113,355
* Punjabi: 99,600
* Spanish: 83,245
* Polish: 79,875
* Tagalog: 77,220
* Tamil: 77,060
* Urdu: 57,635
* French: 57,485
* Greek: 50,165
* Arabic: 46,575
* German: 43,665
* Vietnamese: 36,555
* Ukrainian: 26,675

I don't know what you guys mean by "latin", but the European countries where latin languages are spoken are: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Romania.

Toronto (City Proper) alone has 54,350 Hispanic people.

That would be the "visible" ones though, right? judging from American statistics, when you include the white latinos in there, the number more than doubles. So in reality the number would be more like ~120,000.

Okay, I'm confused. Is there a difference between hispanic and latin? If so what is it?

Okay, I'm confused. Is there a difference between hispanic and latin? If so what is it?

Well, technically, (as has already been mentioned) "hispanic" means someone from the Hispania penninsula. In other words, someone from Portugal or Spain, whereas a latino is from Latin American. Though, they basically mean the same thing (Latin Americans), as no one really uses the real hispanic definition.

At one point, Hispanic was termed for the whole Iberian peninsula, but that's not so now. From Wikipedia:

Etymologically, the term Hispano/Hispanic is derived from Hispania, the name given by the Romans to the entire Iberian Peninsula — modern-day Spain and Portugal — during the period of the Roman Republic. Historically, however, Hispanic/Hispano has only ever applied to Spain and things related to her, while a derivation from or relation to Portugal and its people is denominated Luso/Lusitanic.

Ive read alot of these threads and what are people talking about? Their are alot of hispanics in Canada, mayby not as many as the states, but their alot more than what people are saying, i live in t.o and their are alot of hispanics here, their was a latin festival not 2 long ago called Salsa on St. Clair and their was more than 200,000 hispanics that attented at that festival, thats alot for a festival, and theirs always latin festivals, concerts and events, also they got radio stations in spanish, they play spanish music in canada, we have businesses, stores, clubs, tv stations and alot more in canada. They say by 2015 spanish could be the second langauge in toronto, and also theirs alot of immagrants moving from latin america and hispanics that moved from the states into canada, theirs alot of hispanics in toronto, also in montreal and vancouver and other cities such as missisuaga, barrie, halifax ect. So the hispanic is growing bigger and faster in canada!! viva los latinos and los latinos en canada!!!

Yeah, I think there are almost no hispanics at all

Yeah, I think there are almost no hispanics at all

why would you say this after clearly seeing lettermens penis :bash:

compared to NYC, toronto has nearly no hispanics........which sucks cuz latin women are the best! :(

Go to this website- www.Torontohispano.com, its a spanish website for the hispanics that live in canada especially the ones that live in ontario and toronto and cities near t.o , it gives out latin news that happends in toronto, and the latin music industries, also gives out info of lativals that are coming up, concerts, news, music, buineses, also gives you the radio "voices latinas 1610am" on the internet. Check it out its a kool website.
Also if you dont know, in toronto they have a radio station its "Voices Latinas 1610am" it gives the best of salsa, bachata, cumbia, reggaeton, tejano and mucho mas (much more)!!!
www.torontohispano.com

I personally think your right. Portuguese should be considered Latinos. But I think they interpret that as saying a Canadian is an American. So I can see them taking it personally.

As for Italians, no I've never heard of them being considered Latino. If anything, we should call it Mediteranean. This would include Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, etc

Portuguese are not latinos (someone from Latin America) but latins together with spaniards, french, italians and romenians.

there are more and more hispanics

I would assume that the number of hispanics in Calgary has jumped up in recent years. With all the labour shortages, a lot of companies have been recruiting people from abroad. A ton of them will stay, I think. I remember waking up last summer and hearing Spanish and wondering what the hell was going on. Eventually it dawned on me that there was an entirely Mexican crew doing our roofing. The one in charge of the group could barely speak English at all (not that it matters, my Spanish kinda sucks as well).

Victoria is also home to the Latin Caribbean festival which is the largest festival of its kind west of Toronto.

Incorrect. Carifest here in Calgary is the second largest Caribbean festival in Canada after Caribana in Toronto.

spanish is the third most-spoken language in montreal. porportionally, it has the largest spanish and latin american population in canada. not only did a lot of spaniards and chileans immigrate here in the 1970s, there has been a large influx of people from central and south america in recent years.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but America's hispanic population greatly surpasses that of Canada's, not only due to sheer proximity, but due to less strict immigration laws as well.

I know for a fact that America's immigration laws are much less tough than Canada's. In many cases (without taking into account illegal immigration) hispanics coming over the American border possess little to no education and are extremely poor; the Canadian government simply would not allow this to happen.

You see many poor South Asians in Toronto, but the fact is, these people were not poor when they applied for the right to land in Canada; many of the people that are seen running dollar stores on Bathurst left their respective countries with high quality educations that mean nothing when they come here. However my point is, they were only able to come here because Immigrations Canada saw education.

Alternatively, Canada's hispanic population is low because most of the time (pardon unintended bigotry) hispanics are uneducated and don't meet Canada's strict immigration standards.

hey i am moving to US after university too..:) it's a lot warmer there...

compared to NYC, toronto has nearly no hispanics........which sucks cuz latin women are the best! :(

Let's make a trade. I send you a few latin girls from Guatemala, Central America and you send me a few canadian girls ;)

BTW, how I see the things from this part of the continent (Central America) is that most Latin people who go live to Canada are people that have good technical skills, have university degree, and are looking for better working opportunities in a cleaner and safer place than Latin countries, however, it also seems that skilled working opportunities in Canada are way more difficult to get since most of the times you have to study again or (in best case) do some equivalent test/studies.

Anyway, for the typical Latin illegal immigrant, it's way easier and cheaper to go to the States rather than going to Canada; and also remember that in order to get to Canada you have to go through the States :tongue2:

The Canadian Embassy in Guatemala has a program for farmers to go during summer to Quebec to do some farming things but they live there just 4 or 5 months a year and then they return.

Oh, and also (sorry for the multiple posts), as an interesting fact,

I work in Guatemala City, and I have two Canadian colleagues working here :nuts:

BTW, how I see the things from this part of the continent (Central America) is that most Latin people who go live to Canada are people that have good technical skills, have university degree, and are looking for better working opportunities in a cleaner and safer place than Latin countries, however, it also seems that skilled working opportunities in Canada are way more difficult to get since most of the times you have to study again or (in best case) do some equivalent test/studies.

A lot of immigrants with degrees are reduced to driving cabs or working at corner stores because the country doesn't recognise their diplomas. Part of it is the council representing doctors, is also the council that decides who can be a doctor, and they don't want competition. It's very unfortunate, and much be fixed.

A lot of immigrants with degrees are reduced to driving cabs or working at corner stores because the country doesn't recognise their diplomas. Part of it is the council representing doctors, is also the council that decides who can be a doctor, and they don't want competition. It's very unfortunate, and much be fixed.

Word.

There are improvements being made...

Ontario To Help Immigrant Professional Workers
The Ontario government will introduce legislation to help internationally trained professionals work in their fields of expertise sooner, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle announced today.“Ontario is attracting some of the best educated, and highly skilled people from around the world,” said Colle. “The proposed legislation is about making sure that those with great global experience have a fair shot at working in their profession.”

The Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act 2006, would apply to 34 regulated professions in Ontario, including accountants, engineers, physicians, lawyers, teachers, and social workers.

The bill should be introduced before the end of the current legislative session, as part of a comprehensive plan for newcomer success.

Another component of the plan is a new Ontario government internship program for internationally trained individuals. In the first year of the program, up to 70 six-month internship assignments will be created in ministries and Crown agencies. Program participants will be able to apply their talents and experience and gain knowledge of government that can be applied in other workplaces.

“We are leading by example and are the first province in Canada with a program like this,” said Minister of Government Services Gerry Phillips. “We are challenging Ontario businesses to tap into the talents of skilled newcomers. They have the skills businesses need to succeed.”

The proposed legislation and internship program form part of the Ontario government’s strategy to help newcomers succeed. Other parts of the strategy have included:

Investing over $34 million since 2003, in 60 bridge training projects to help newcomers work in 100 trades and professions.
Negotiating the first ever Canada-Ontario immigration agreement, which quadruples federal funding for language training and settlement programs to $920 million over five years.
Doubling the number of training and assessments positions for internationally trained medical graduates - in the past two years more doctors’ certificates have been issued to international medical graduates than to Ontario graduates.


Foreign MDs get lifeline in NDP plan

Aim is to ease doctor shortage; program to offer training, aid

By Dan Lett

FOREIGN-TRAINED doctors will soon find it easier to work in Manitoba, thanks to a new provincial licensing program in the works.

The program is designed to ease the province's doctor shortage and to meet the humanitarian needs of international medical graduates. And if it is fully implemented, it will make Manitoba one of the more progressive jurisdictions in North America for the licensing of foreign-trained doctors.

Sources have confirmed the new initiative, still in its infancy, involves language training and clinical skills assessment and upgrading. It would also involve some level of income support for participants until they begin to work.

Dr. Bill Pope, head of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, said the new initiative could dramatically streamline the process for qualified foreign doctors. The system would also offer the public more than adequate assurance all doctors met Canadian standards.

"What we're trying to do is provide something to allow individuals with potential to undergo an assessment process in which we have confidence," said Pope. "I think this could be quite successful for all parties."

Doctors who arrive in Canada as immigrants or refugees are generally discouraged from seeking a medical licence. Those who still wish to pursue a career in medicine must negotiate a complicated and costly series of evaluating and licensing examinations, without government assistance for language or academic upgrading.

For those who pass the examinations, there are still barriers. In both Canada and the United States, foreign-trained doctors are required to perform up to two years in a hospital resident program. However, they have generally been systemically excluded from the resident programs, creating a maddening Catch-22.

As immigrants with little in the way of financial resources, these doctors are also expected to pay for their examination fees and other academic costs with no government help.

The Manitoba Human Rights Commission is considering a complaint from a Winnipegger who charges he has been denied a medical licence because of systemic discrimination.

Health Minister Dave Chomiak would not be interviewed for this story. However, during the last provincial election, Chomiak said his party has always believed foreign-trained doctors were not given a fair chance to prove they have the skills and knowledge to practise medicine in Canada.

And with a continent-wide shortage of physicians, Chomiak said he wanted to make it a priority to open up new opportunities for the foreign-trained.

The Association of Foreign Medical Graduates would not comment on the new initiative until all its members had been consulted. However, Byron Williams, a lawyer with the Public Interest Law Centre who represents the association, said most foreign-trained doctors are still somewhat skeptical about the province's plans.

Williams said the province's proposal will do little for those who already live in Manitoba and who may have been out of practice for many years. There is also concern the province has done nothing to address concerns about the national resident matching service that is the focal point of complaints of systemic discrimination.

Currently, international medical graduates (IMGs) are not allowed to compete for residency positions with Canadian graduates in the first round of the national resident matching service. IMGs are allowed to compete in a second round, but few have found residency positions through that avenue.

"Any step forward is positive," said Williams. "But this is just a modest step forward for a minority of IMGs. The system still discriminates against IMGs."

Highlights of the new initiative include:

Specialized language training, in conjunction with Red River College, to allow IMGs to study English in a medical context.

Admission to a three-week preparatory course at the University of Manitoba for medical students about to write national licensing exams.

For those wishing to practise as family physicians, access to a skill enhancement program, which will allow the applicant to take up to three rotations in a one-year period.

Access to a conditional medical licence, which gives the applicants up to five years to complete full national licensing exams while practising medicine.

Income and expense supports to help the doctors support themselves and their families while pursuing a medical licence.

After a provincial skills assessment, doctors will be allowed a period of one year to attend up to three hospital resident rotations. If, after another assessment, the doctors have still not demonstrated adequate skills, they will be allowed to repeat one rotation.

Those who meet the requirements of the skills assessment will be allowed to practise medicine under a conditional licence issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba. Within five years, the doctor will be expected to complete the second part of the national licensing examination, which is required for anyone wishing to practise medicine in Canada.

Farther down the road, the province will attempt to move those doctors who cannot meet the requirements for a conditional licence into other professions, such as radiation therapy, nursing or laboratory technician.

Sources say it could cost more than $82,000 for each IMG who successfully completes the program. The costs include $47,000 for evaluating and licensing examinations, skills assessment and language training, and another $35,000 for income support.

Barbara Hague, director of workforce policy for Manitoba Health, would not discuss specifics of the new system but noted any IMG licensing system must include measures to ensure applicants meet all professional standards to practice in Canada.

Doctors will still be expected to complete a national clinical skills evaluating examination, as well as a two-part licensing examination, said Hague. All are currently required for anyone wishing to practise medicine in Canada, regardless of where they were trained.

Beeing a Brazilian whom is applying to be a permanet resident, there are two things I would like to add.

1st - Canada is somehow trying to improve immigration from Latin America, so this is true that most of Canadian Immigration Offices in Latin America (with some excepetions) had the fastest processing time to permanent residents.

2nd - Québec and its immigration process, which is different from all other provinces and has its own Immigration Offices that select the candidates, has even a programm in its Buenos Aires branch, which is responsable from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay, to impove the number of selected candidates, and to reach its target they are the only office to promote lectures about Québec immigration programm all over is area.
Other point is that like Canadian process, Québec also has a very fast selection, in my case it took less than a week to be processed.

Just to comparison the processing time in some cities:


Visa Offices -30% - 50% - 70% - 80% - of cases are finished within (months)

Sao Paulo -- 12 --- 14 --- 15 --- 16
Mexico C. -- 14 --- 16 --- 18 --- 19
Lima ------- 11 --- 13 --- 15 --- 16
Caracas ---- 16 --- 19 --- 21 --- 22
Buenos Aires-14 --- 18 --- 40 --- 44
Bogota ----- 26 --- 39 --- 54 --- 65

------------Europe ------------
London ----- 27 --- 29 --- 37 ---- 54
Paris ------- 49 --- 52 --- 56 ---- 57
Rome ------ 39 --- 46 --- 55 ----- 60
Berlin ------- 15 --- 17 --- 20 --- 22
Moscow ---- 52 --- 61 --- 68 --- 71
Vienna ----- 6 ---- 9 ---- 18 ---- 34

-------------- Asia ----------------

Beijing ------ 58 --- 60 --- 62 --- 64
Hong Kong--- 54 --- 60 --- 66 --- 69
Singapore --- 36 --- 47 --- 53 --- 55
Seoul ------- 20 --- 22 --- 24 --- 26
New Delhi --- 64 --- 66 --- 67 --- 69

Source and complete list :

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/times-int/02a-skilled-fed.html

:okay:

I would love to see our Hispanic population grow...the more cultural influences in our cities, the better!

CANADA INCREASES IMMIGRATION TARGETS FOR 2007
Tuesday, 30 January 2007

New figures show that Canada is set to admit more immigrants in 2007.


Canada plans to admit between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents to the country in 2007 under the new immigration targets. The annual report directed to Parliament, revealed the highest immigration targets of 255,000 migrants for the following year. In 2005 Citizenship and Immigration Canada accepted 262,236 migrants into Canada. 156,310 of these migrants has applied in the economic class and included skilled workers, investors, provincial nominees and live-in caregivers. The aim for 2007 is to admit 15,000 more skilled workers than in 2005. The government is seeking to recruit more skilled workers; maintain its current levels of migrants under the family class category. Currently China is the top-source country for migrants with 16% new arrivals. This is followed by India and Philippines.

according to chile's ministry of foreign relations, there are 37,577 chileans living in canada. if i'm not mistaken, this is the largest hispanic group in canada (spaniards aside).

i don't see what distance has to do with latinos not living in canada. unless you're from mexico living in the US, you're gonna have to take a plane anywhere you go.

I know for a fact that America's immigration laws are much less tough than Canada's. In many cases (without taking into account illegal immigration) hispanics coming over the American border possess little to no education and are extremely poor; the Canadian government simply would not allow this to happen.

Alternatively, Canada's hispanic population is low because most of the time (pardon unintended bigotry) hispanics are uneducated and don't meet Canada's strict immigration standards.
this is not necessarily the case for all groups. south american emigrants tend to be better educated and more middle class. your argument about poverty and low education being reasons why there are so few latinos in canada doesn't make sense entirely so there must be some other reason. either canada doesn't let them in for X, Y, or Z reasons, or they simply choose the US and europe (since spain is a big magnet for latin americans these days, and there are more chileans in sweden than canada) over canada.

Percentage over 25 years old who have completed high school
(includes persons with university degrees)
1. 87.99% Venezuelans
2. 84.87% Panamanians
3. 84.59% Bolivians
4. 83.07% Chileans
5. 82.53% Peruvians
6. 80.44% Argentines
7. 79.86% Brazilians
8. 74.45% Colombians
9. 74.06% Paraguayans
10. 72.56% Costaricans
USA average: 80.40%

Percent over 25 years old with a university degree
1. 44.08% Venezuelans
2. 35.26% Argentines
3. 31.05% Chileans
4. 29.78% Brazilians
5. 28.81% Bolivians
6. 25.30% Panamanians
7. 24.93% Peruvians
8. 24.82% Paraguayans
9. 23.72% Colombians
10. 21.15% Cubans
11. 21.02% Costaricans
12. 20.48% Uruguayans
USA average: 24.40%

source:
2000 US Census http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFactsCharIteration?_event=&geo_id=01000US&_geoContext=01000US&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_2&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=

way back in 1993 - my old room mate was from ecuador

He liked going to Toronto cause there was a bar that had "latino" night and it was apparentrly very busy and popular

anyway - Vancouver seems to have a lot of Mexicans and latin americans of late - we had a problem with honduran drug dealers a while back

there is a fairly large hispanic community downtown - i know since 1995 i have seen many hanging out at the clubs - they all seem to hang out together and there are always more or new faces amongst them

but its not as near a number as we see down in the states

I currently know a guy who is here from Mexico on a tourist visa desperately seeking a job and has a lawyer lined up to help him when he needs to get his immigration stuff together

NDP calls for recognition of foreign credentials
Updated Sun. Feb. 18 2007 11:16 PM ET

CTV.ca News

NDP Leader Jack Layton has called on the federal government to do more to recognize the foreign credentials of immigrants to Canada.

"The tragic fact is that we lure people to come here, we give them points for their experience, and their professional credentials," Layton, speaking in front of Toronto's Union Station, said Sunday.

"They tell their families that Canada wants us as doctors, accountants, engineers, experts ... they come here and the doors are simply closed.

"It's one of the great tragedies we see in all of our immigrant communities," he said.

Layton said his party will release a seven-point plan to assist immigrants.

Among those points:

Creating an agency for the recognition of foreign credentials,
The establishment of uniform recognition practices across the country,
Websites to publicize accreditation processes, and
More mentorship and training programs for newcomers.
The NDP argues that a discrepancy exists between the immigration application process and how immigrants are treated once they arrive.

A potential immigrant's skills and professional background count towards the "points" necessary to be accepted as an immigrant.

For example, Mozgha Nuviue came to Canada from Iran. She told The Canadian Press that she got extra points because she holds a masters degree in pharmacy.

"During these nine months, I looked for a job related to my field, but I wasn't able to find one," Nuviue told The Canadian Press. "So, I took a job as a cashier at a grocery store."

"But I really need to find the right job, because I am an educated person and I came to this country with hope," she said.

Studies have found that underutilizing the skills of immigrants represent an "earning deficit" totally billions of dollars.

While one in four Canadians can't find a family doctor, there are 4,000 foreign-trained doctors in Ontario alone who can't get a license to practice medicine.

"We ask them to go and drive cabs for 10 years and the come back and do your residency and practice your medicine. It's a very, very painful situation," said immigrant Abdul Khan.

Even in job-rich Alberta, immigrants find it tough to get work in their fields.

"We haven't change our mentality to support the professional integration of highly skilled immigrants. That's a fundamental change we need to make as a society," said the University of Calgary's David Watt.

Federal action

There has been some action. Last year's federal budget allocated $18 million for consultation on the creation of a foreign credentials recognition program.

Layton said his party will push to make sure the issue is on the agenda for the forthcoming federal budget, expected on March 20.

"It's the federal government that has to act and we have not seen action by either the Liberals or the Conservatives," he said.

In a statement issued Sunday, Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the federal government is committed to improving the credentials process.

"Canada's new government, through Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Human Resources and Social Development Canada, is committed to establishing an office that will help qualified foreign-trained professionals become accredited so they can practice in their chosen fields in Canada,'' she said.

Finley also stressed that there must be co-operation at all levels of government in order to better help new immigrants land better jobs.

"Improved labour market integration is critical so that Canada can continue attracting and retaining the skilled immigrants it needs,'' she said. "All levels of government have a role to play in integrating immigrants into Canadian society and the economy."

With a report from CTV's David Akin and files from The Canadian Press

A lot of immigrants with degrees are reduced to driving cabs or working at corner stores because the country doesn't recognise their diplomas. Part of it is the council representing doctors, is also the council that decides who can be a doctor, and they don't want competition. It's very unfortunate, and much be fixed.

it also has to do with the unions and it can vary from province to province

my dads cousins daughter went to university in south africa where she was from taught as a teacher in England before moving to BC. She could not get a job in the public system as they didn't recognize something and after more than a year trying to get a job she was able to get one at a private school where apparently most of the teachers were in the same position as her - newly arrived and turned down by the BCTF

but she was told and found out had they moved to ontario she would have had no problem getting a job

The top immigrant sources continue to be China, the Indian sub-continent, the Philippines, and the USA.

Only recently has there been a surge in Latin American immigration. This is a relatively new phenomena. Studies have shown Mexicans and Brazilians feel more comfortable adapting to Canada than the USA culturally although USA bound immigration still dominates.

^^actually, the first surge was in the 70s, when thousands of south americans arrived in canada fleeing right wing military regimes thanks to canada's generous acceptance of political refugees.

Hey everybody! Im a mexican-canadian living in Montreal for the last 6 years. Believe me guys, there is a big Latino community living in Canada's biggest cities. I used to work for the consulate of Mexico in Montreal and we calculated around 10,000 mexicans living permanently only in the island, plus thousands of mexican students that come tu study english or french every summer, plus around 3,000 seassonal mexican workers every year, plus thousands of mexican tourists visiting the city (Mexico is the third biggest source of tourist to Quebec, after USA and France).
And mexicans are the third biggest Latino community in Quebec after chileans and salvadorians. :)
BTW, in the mexican forum there's is at least 5 other mexicans forumers living in canadian cities.

^^yeah, there are at least 3 canadian-chilean forumers that come to mind from latinscrapers, plus a handful of other latin-canadians.

Portuguese are not latinos (someone from Latin America) but latins together with spaniards, french, italians and romenians.
The way I use it:

Latino as an abbrevation of Latinoamericano or Latinoamericana = relating to Latin America.

Latin = relating to Latin Europe (Romania, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal) and Latin America, but for the latter I prefer using Latino, as explained above.

Hispanic = relating to Spanish speaking countries
.

That's just the way I use them in English and most people don't make any distinction, which I don't blame because those terms obviously overlap each other.

You must be a professor!

There must be huge growth in the number of hispanic immigrants. A few years ago, I rarely encountered any Spanish, now I hear it almost everyday.

Agreed, and not only Spanish. The largest Brazilian community in Canada lives in Toronto, and is very well organized for celebrations. This was the scene at Yonge and Dundas Square this past September 7 (Brazil Independence Day) with the overwhelmingly successful first Brazil Day Canada celebrations. Every year there is a huge celebration for this in NYC, and for the first time Globo TV brought the celebration here the next day. Our Mayor was one of the honoured guests opening the celebrations:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6321.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6328.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6379.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6382-1.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6395-1.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6404.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6416.jpg

and of course MUSIC!!! I'll include a little clip here of my favourite Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo in concert in Salvador, so you
can get the feel of Brazilian music!!

DdzmDnEINRY&feature=related

Two Brazilian superstars were brought in for the party. Elba Ramalho (who made the
crowd go wild):

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6445i-1.jpg

and Carlinhos Brown:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6622.jpg

and of course no Brazilian celebration is complete without some spontaneous capoeira:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6638.jpg

I'm posting these and many other pics in my photoblog. If anyone here gets Globo TV they are doing a special next Saturday (Sept 19th) at either 4 or 4:30pm
about their experiences here in Toronto over that weekend, hosted by Luciano Huck!! :) check out my thread:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=43034130#post43034130

^^

I reckon historically Canada had more people from Portuguese-speaking background than Hispanics.
N.B. historically. Most of their descendants don't speak Portuguese anymore, which is why they seem to be less present than Hispanics.

Yes, Toronto has a huge community of people who immigrated to Canada in the 1950's from the Azores and mainland Portugal. It is a much, much larger group than the newer wave of Brazilians, but there is some interaction. There are a number of Brazilian restaurants, bars and shops in Little Portugal (and also on the St Clair Street Little Italy). There are other areas with lots of South American/Central American and Mexican grocery stores, restaurants, bars, etc.. notably Kensington Market and College Street West.

the truth is Latinos as a group are still relatively small in Canada. I dont think they would even make it in the top ten immigrant soucres to canada as a group. And even though there are more Hispanics in toronto, the hispanic community in Montreal seems to be a little more visible.

Latinos are the largest Minority in the states, there is no way you can compare the community here to that of the states. There has always been alot of hispanics in the states. (e.g chicanos and puerto ricans). Canada didnt really start to see Latinos arriving until the 70's. First people from Chile and then alot of central americans in the 80s. In the 90s alot of Mexicans and Colombians arrived.

And even though there are more Hispanics in toronto, the hispanic community in Montreal seems to be a little more visible.
.

From my experience I don't agree with this at all, and would have to say just the opposite- the communities with bars/restaurants/shops, street festivals etc.. seem to me to be far more visible here than what I have seen in Montreal. I don't know the statistical numbers, other than the Brazilian community here is definitely larger. I do agree with you that the Latino population of Canada is small.



Latinos are the largest Minority in the states, there is no way you can compare the community here to that of the states. .

Naturally. No question there and I doubt if anyone really is saying they are equivalent. We know the historical bond between the USA and countries like Mexico, and it is not the same here nor has it ever been.

maybe with the festivals but not with the bars and restaurants...There is alot in toronto but they are more spread out. In MTL if you go around the jean-talon metro, in and around that area and more specifically on st-hubert, there are alot of Latino markets, restaurants and businesses. Alot of the shops in plaza st-hubert have a "se habla espanol" sign in the window....i havent seen any latinos concentrated into one area like that in Toronto.I could be wrong, but in toronto its more spread out, In MTL u find more latinos in one area, thats why i feel its more noticeable. As a hispanic myself, i always felt it was easier to bump into other latinos in MTL then in Toronto. In my opinion anyways.

I think things are changing quickly. Sure, the community in Canada is miniscule compared to the comparable community in the United States, but there's certainly been a sustained stream of immigrants from latin America to Canada over the last few decades. It shows no signs of abating, but will probably only pick up speed going forward as Canada becomes more intertwined with the rest of the American continent.

When I lived in Montreal back in the early 90s, I did notice a more visible Hispanic community there than in Toronto, but I think Toronto has since closed the gap.

.i havent seen any latinos concentrated into one area like that in Toronto..

Would I be right in guessing you are more familiar with Montreal than Toronto?

Would I be right in guessing you are more familiar with Montreal than Toronto?

no i think its just that your more familiar with toronto then Montreal.:)

I think things are changing quickly. Sure, the community in Canada is miniscule compared to the comparable community in the United States, but there's certainly been a sustained stream of immigrants from latin America to Canada over the last few decades. It shows no signs of abating, but will probably only pick up speed going forward as Canada becomes more intertwined with the rest of the American continent.

When I lived in Montreal back in the early 90s, I did notice a more visible Hispanic community there than in Toronto, but I think Toronto has since closed the gap.

there are more hispanics in Toronto no doubt about it. But Montreal has the spots. like the area i mentioned in my first post. The community in toronto is more spread out over a larger area.

no i think its just that your more familiar with toronto then Montreal.:)

I've only been to Montreal about 100 times, and have not lived there, so naturally I would say I am more familiar with Toronto. You post from the USA, so that is what made me ask. Because I am familiar with Toronto I know, and photograph often, the neighbourhoods here frequented by people who have moved here from Mexico, Central America and South America. I can assure you, Toronto has "the spots", as well! There are two gay Latino bars here and I am going to one of them in about one hour. I am going with a circle of friends whom I work with from Spanish speaking Latin American countries. :) My partner moved from South America, as well so I am frequently immersed in the issue with his circle of friends. I love looking at photos of these areas, so if you do go back to Montreal please take some pictures of your favourite areas and post them for us! If you come to Toronto I can give you some ideas where to go if you are interested in restaurants, bars, etc...

there are more hispanics in Toronto no doubt about it.

I am not certain that there are more people from South America in Toronto than in Montreal. MexiQuebecois says there are more in Montreal.

I'd have to echo other Vancouverites' comments in this thread that there seems to be a growing number of Latin Americans here, including several at my work (from Columbia, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina of the people I've asked) though my office is very international and I'm literally in the minority having been born in Canada and even more so having been actually born in the Metro area.

There are a lot a lot of Latin American ESL students here, especially around downtown. They wouldn't show up statistically in the census and what not since they're mostly here temporarily but they add a constant latino presence to the city.

I am not certain that there are more people from South America in Toronto than in Montreal. MexiQuebecois says there are more in Montreal.

Toronto might have more due to the sole reason that the city is just larger than Montreal, but the presence IMO is notably more visible in Montreal. Being a Latino myself that lived in Montreal and went to Toronto regularly (lived in Hamilton) I just felt more "At home" while in Montreal, and this is true for other Latinos I met as well, there's just something about Quebec (Montreal particularly) that makes me feel more at home than say, Toronto. Maybe it's Quebecers, maybe speaking French, honestly I don't know but something attracts me so much to MTL and makes me feel comfortable, that's where I'll settle once I finish this painful wait for my PR.

Latinos are the third largest visible minority in Montreal after blacks and Arabs.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Montreal_census_2006_pie_chart_visible_minorities_population_characteristics.png

While in Toronto.....


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Toronto_census_2006_pie_chart_visible_minorities_population_characteristics.png

^^ The concept of "feeling at home" is an interesting one, and one that we all go through in determining where we will settle down. Lucky, or maybe intuitive people find cities they "feel at home" in, and the unlucky are doomed to live in places they do not enjoy. My partner from Brazil instantly "felt at home" here right from the beginning, and does not feel the same way in Montreal, so I suppose his personal experience is different than that of yours. I know people who "feel at home" instantly in Vancouver, too. There are indefinable cues we pick up on when we first visit a city, and we do get the feeling whether or not it could be "home". It could have something to do with how open or friendly people were to us when we first arrived, or it could have something to do with the built environment. It could be that we prefer the language spoken. Or, it could be mountains and sea. It could be the climate. It could be a feeling of electricity in the air that appeals to us, or a laid back outdoorsy lifestyle that we crave. Who knows? It is very definitely a different experience for us all! Luckily we live in a country were we can freely move about and have different choices for living. What is "home" for one might seem "foreign" to another. For myself, this is "home"; I love to travel within the country, but also love to come home when the travel is done. It is a nice feeling to enjoy coming home. :)

From my experience I don't agree with this at all, and would have to say just the opposite- the communities with bars/restaurants/shops, street festivals etc.. seem to me to be far more visible here than what I have seen in Montreal. I don't know the statistical numbers, other than the Brazilian community here is definitely larger. I do agree with you that the Latino population of Canada is small.
Perhaps Luis80 was referring more about the Spanish-speakers (Hispanics), which as I mentioned seem to be more present because they're more likely to speak Spanish, and as Luis pointed out are more "agglomerate" in Montreal, whereas Taller perhaps includes those from Brazil and Portugal, and those who don't really speak Spanish (or Portuguese).
That's why you guys have different impressions, pot ser? :dunno:

Who knows? I certainly don't, because I am not even Latino! ;) I'd hazard a guess that if you polled all of those who moved to Montreal that the majority response might be they felt more at home in Montreal. The same question asked to those who moved to Toronto might very well come up with the conclusion that they feel more at home in Toronto. If you polled every Latino person who has moved to the USA, the overwhelming response might be that they feel more comfortable there than moving to a Canadian city. I am close friends with a gorgeous girl from Paraguay who works here in the hospitality industry. Almost invariably American tourists wind up asking her: "Why would you ever want to move to Canada??!?!" :lol: she takes it all in her stride.
I do think perhaps it is pointless trying to make sweeping generalizations on the matter, as there are plenty of Spanish speaking immigrants who chose to move to either Toronto or Montreal not because they had to, but because they wanted to. I moved to Toronto from Winnipeg because it was the city I felt most comfortable in. Many of my fellow Winnipeggers felt more comfortable moving to Vancouver or Calgary, so my personal experience is not a blanket experience for people who move from that city, and I do not feel I could speak for all of them.
For people who are interested in visiting an "agglomeration" of Latino businesses in Toronto I would suggest starting at College Street, around Spadina, and going a few miles to the west to about Ossington, they will see a remarkable number of businesses that are geared toward that community. They will also see the same thing if they go to Kensington market which is nearby. There are plenty of Latin community celebrations every summer, including huge street parties on both College Street and St Clair West. Other than that suggestion I really don't want to turn the thread into a competition to see which city is more "Spanish". As has been pointed out, no Canadian city is particularly so, especially compared to most American cities.
I think we are pretty happy to have the influence of Latin American immigrants to all of our cities in Canada. It can only lead to an enriched experience for us all! :)

By the way, regarding the term "Hispanic", is it considered the preferred term in the USA? I know a Spanish speaking woman from South America who lives in the USA and she has told me point blank she disapproves of that term.

All this talk made me not only hungry for some South American food, but reminded me I had to go and get some Farofa Pronto at one of the Brazilian grocery shops. Plus, it has been on my list to do some photography on and around College St /Kensington Market/ Dundas West this summer. So, I concentrated on Latino businesses today. Monday is the day quite a few Kensington bars/restaurants/butcher shops, etc... close for a day off, so in a few cases I used a photo that I took last summer on another day. Hope you enjoy the photos, and hoping they give you a feel for some of Toronto's latin scene. Miami it ain't, but fasten your seatbelts, cuz this ain't no Taco Bell tour.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6881ii.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6882i.jpg

this tapas place is actually Spanish from Spain, but hey.. it is good food:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6884i.jpg

wanna really BIG Burrito?

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6888i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6890i.jpg

ok, I'll slide in a few from last year on a day when all restaurants were open:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1769i.jpg

what Kensington Market looked like around 1940:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1076.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1118.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1121.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1785i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1794i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1799i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1815i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1817.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP1821.jpg

and now back to today...

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6892i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6894i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6897i.jpg

a guy I passed on the street! :lol:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6898i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6901i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6903i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6904i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6905i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6907i.jpg

tortillas for days....

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6908i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6909i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6910i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6911i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6912i.jpg

tomatillos

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6924i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6925i.jpg

YUMMMM!! FOOD!! I order some pupusas, of course.....

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6926i.jpg

lots of food from South America and Mexico in these grocery stores:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6927i.jpg

look familiar? ;)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6928i.jpg

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... sheer bliss :drool:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6931i.jpg

reminds me a lot of my many, many happy visits to sunny Mexico!! :)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6935i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6936i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6939i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6940i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6945i.jpg

I always laugh at the very last item on the bottom of this sign:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6946i.jpg

there is always a lot of music and musicians in Kensington:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6951i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6952i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6953i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6956i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6960i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6962i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6965i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6969i.jpg

a sign you see a lot on Mondays...

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6972i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6976i.jpg


I love when I buy Mexican limes how they give me a little subliminal hint (like I really need to be reminded!! :lol:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7348.jpg

here is some anger!!

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6992i.jpg

she needs to relax a bit:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6978i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6981i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6982i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6991i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6993i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6994i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP6995i.jpg

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http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7000i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7001i.jpg

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http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7008i.jpg

and we walk back out onto College Street:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7010i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7011i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7013i.jpg

This place REALLY reminds me of Puerto Vallarta!! :D:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7015ii.jpg

I jump on the bike and cycle out a bit on College, toward the west.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7059i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7089.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7092i.jpg

by far the bulk of the streets are Little Italy and Little Portugal, and I took a lot
of photos there to post later in my photoblog. I'll just squeeze in a few out near Ossington, where the Brazilian area sort of intersects the much larger Portuguese area.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7098i.jpg

it is apple season!! :eat:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7121.jpg

Toronto's first gay Latino club; one that still goes strong and that I spent many a happy night at in my younger days! ;)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7128i.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7132i.jpg

I stop in at the Brazilian shop to stock up on Farofa, and get a snack:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP7177i.jpg

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AHH! more snacks. Mouth watering Coxinhas De Galinha, and of course orange Fanta!!! :D:

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I'm too full to dance:

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for anyone who ever wondered what Taller, Better looks like:

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I was flabbergasted and thrilled that the Brazilian singing group Calcinha Preta is
coming to town, and went in to get a ticket for my partner who loves them:

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Oh well, now I am here I may as well cool off

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I wave goodbye to Little Portugal and come home!

Leamington, Ontario hosts the most concentrated Hispanic population, by percentage. Yet, it hosts a population of only 31,113? people. Around 4.9% are Hispanic.

Other visible minorities, meanwhile, are usually concentrated in large cities (Filipinos - Winnipeg) and suburbs (South Asians - Brampton; Chinese - Richmond).

So, it is pretty much a weird trend when comparing to other visible minorities.

That is probably because there are immigration laws that allow temporary workers to work in Canada during harvest time. Leamington, Ontario is Canada's Tomato Capital!! :D

Fanta and Jarritos :drool: You know the good stuff TB, you should be applying for a Mexican passport already :P

Nice set of photos! Something has to be done about all those nasty wires and cables though :ohno:

Unfortunately I'm not in Montreal to take any photos of the Jean-Talon/Beaubien area where most of the Latino business are located. Hopefully I can find some photos.

Fanta and Jarritos :drool: You know the good stuff TB, you should be applying for a Mexican passport already :P

Nice set of photos! Something has to be done about all those nasty wires and cables though :ohno:

Unfortunately I'm not in Montreal to take any photos of the Jean-Talon/Beaubien area where most of the Latino business are located. Hopefully I can find some photos.

Would be great to see photos!! I've been in that area of Montreal. People very rarely post photos of the "ethnic" 'hoods in Montreal here on SSC and I
would love it if they did. As you probably know from my Mexican photothread, I ADORE Mexico, and am hopeful to get back to my beloved PV this winter for a visit.

The hydro wires that haven't been buried, should be buried. Nothing can or should be done about Streetcar wires as the electricity runs the system. If you
had live electricity in the tracks, people would get fried. I don't mind overhead wires but I know they bug a lot of people, but then I like grafitti, too! I am not
really a neat-freak at heart! :lol:.
Here are some pics from last year's Salsa on St Clair. St Clair West is about five or six subway stops north along the University line, and is the older Little Italy in Toronto, but is also home to quite a few Latino businesses and also home to my very favourite Brazilian restaurant Rio 40*. I didn't get a chance to go to this year's festival, but my friends went and had a blast. Here, to accompany the photos is the late great Celia Cruz with some sexy Cuban Salsa:

lArGoRhFr4E

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guess who lined up for a Pupusa? ;)

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And how could you have a Latino festival without the much loved Mariachi band! :D

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/WINTER%202008/Winter%20Part%20Two%202009/Late%20Summer%20Early%20Fall%202009/IMGP9984imariachiband.jpg

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can someone explain what is meant by "visible minority" in canada? are there "invisible minorities" too? thanks.

There are few stories that are as compelling as to how the US has changed since WWII than the enormous growth of its Hispanic population. People from throughout Latin America (particularly Mexico, Central America, and the Carribean) have travelled northward and have created a vastly diferent United States.

The growth has been pervasive: rural as well as urban, north as well as the lands along the Mexican border and areas like So FLA adjacent to the Carribean.

There are so many similiarities of the draw and allure of Canada to that of the US. Both these countries high a high standard of living and have always been magnets for immigrant groups, particularly those from poorer nations who want a new start for themselves and their families.

As an American, what I do find is that I am painfully unaware of how Hispanic population affects your nation of Canada. The movement that draws Hispanics north past the Ohio River would logically not stop when it reaches the Great Lakes or the St. Lawrence.

COULD YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW CANADA HAS BEEN CHANGED (TO WHATEVER DEGREE) BY HISPANIC IMMIGRATION AND COMPARE THAT TO THE U.S.'S EXPERIENCE.

question for you..are you hispanic?

can someone explain what is meant by "visible minority" in canada? are there "invisible minorities" too? thanks.
I don't know the answer, but I could imagine that recently arrived immigrants from eastern Europe could be considered "invisible minorities", no creís? Just a thought.

An example of an invisible minority are gays. It doesn't necessarily have to be a racial thing.

question for you..are you hispanic?

He appears to have gotten himself banned since making the thread. I looked back, because I wondered
why he was not participating!

Awesome pictures from St. Clair :) I went to Canada's wonderland Latin Fest in 2007 and it's amazing to see the amount of latinos that you can find throughout that area.

And yeah I can tell you love Mexico. :) Hoping you come back soon and don't forget to get your Tourist Visa ;) Oh wait.....

can someone explain what is meant by "visible minority" in canada? are there "invisible minorities" too? thanks.

It's an archaic expression that still seems to get used to mean everyone who isn't of European stock. It's becoming an increasingly silly concept as a huge number of Canadians are a mixture of many ethnicities and what is considered a minority in one part of the country isn't a minority in another.

The word 'visible' is problematic too. Visible? Everyone is visible. What they really mean is visibly different from the perspective of a person of European stock. Once again, problematic as it's condescending and hierarchical because it forces everyone to look at this from the viewpoint of a certain segment of the population.

I never use the expression.

It's an archaic expression that still seems to get used to mean everyone who isn't of European stock. It's becoming an increasingly silly concept as a huge number of Canadians are a mixture of many ethnicities and what is considered a minority in one part of the country isn't a minority in another.

The word 'visible' is problematic too. Visible? Everyone is visible. What they really mean is visibly different from the perspective of a person of European stock. Once again, problematic as it's condescending and hierarchical because it forces everyone to look at this from the viewpoint of a certain segment of the population.

I never use the expression.

thanks for the explanations. that's what i was assuming. but is it an official term? what i mean is, does someone (a government or immigration official, say) officially designate someone as belonging to a visible minority?

example, say you have two people from colombia, one is a mestizo-colombian (mixed euro-indigenous, like most latin americans) and the other a "white" euro-colombian who phenotypically would be indistinguishable from other euro-canadians, would one person belong to an visible minority and the other not? or would they both be considered "visible minorities" by being colombian, regardless of how they actually look? just trying to understand.

An example of an invisible minority are gays.
Whaat?? Gays ain't visible? Why, you can recognize 'em easily!! m)) :jk:

It's an archaic expression that still seems to get used to mean everyone who isn't of European stock. It's becoming an increasingly silly concept as a huge number of Canadians are a mixture of many ethnicities and what is considered a minority in one part of the country isn't a minority in another.

The word 'visible' is problematic too. Visible? Everyone is visible. What they really mean is visibly different from the perspective of a person of European stock. Once again, problematic as it's condescending and hierarchical because it forces everyone to look at this from the viewpoint of a certain segment of the population.

I never use the expression.
I also had a problem with this term, or also the term people of color. Because white is a color too and nobody is transparent.
But actually if you think about it, in large parts of Canada and the US, whether we like it or not, White is the "default", hence they're "invisible".

thanks for the explanations. that's what i was assuming. but is it an official term? what i mean is, does someone (a government or immigration official, say) officially designate someone as belonging to a visible minority?

example, say you have two people from colombia, one is a mestizo-colombian (mixed euro-indigenous, like most latin americans) and the other a "white" euro-colombian who phenotypically would be indistinguishable from other euro-canadians, would one person belong to an visible minority and the other not? or would they both be considered "visible minorities" by being colombian, regardless of how they actually look? just trying to understand.
The way White is used in North America is more than just on purely physical terms. That's why Jews and Irish could be considered not White, even though they were physically white.
So a white Colombian is physically white, but at the same time not White.
This also explains why a term like Visible Minority could arise in the first place.
Admittedly, this applies more against a US American backdrop, but there's probably similarities with Canada.

"Admittedly, this applies more against a US American backdrop, but there's probably similarities with Canada."

I think it is worth echoing this. The use of the term "white" is not identical in Canada and the US. It is a much broader category here, with less differentiation.

My cousin lives in Canada and she is from Colombia.

Here they are in Canada.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs096.snc1/4707_89061242275_510052275_1773196_4770363_n.jpg

'White' tends not to be used in Canada. Even people who think of themselves as 'white', often have some blood that isn't. I believe 'visible minority' is an official term used by the government and some of its organizations like Statistics Canada. I have no idea what criteria they use to determine if one if a visible minority or not.

It's all quite absurd trying to categorize this. They're really trying to determine the answer to the question: are you white enough to be considered white. Ridiculous! What's next, 'Visibly Chinese'? Do you look Chinese enough to be considered Chinese?

:nuts:

I work with a man from Zimbabwe, and was surprised to hear of the difficulties he had back home for being a mixed race person. I sort of naively assumed he would be considered "white" because he looks sort of Middle Eastern, but he had a lot of discrimination back home because he was not "white" (even though he certainly looks it from my rather broad interpretation of the term).
I agree with isaidso that the term "white" is not used here much any more.

the term white isnt used in Canada??? im sure if i asked some of my freinds and co-workers what race they were, they would all say white. what other term would whites use? caucasian?

'White' tends not to be used in Canada.

Not the part you live in, I guess.

I don't know about the rest of Canada, but in Vancouver, the white call themselves white and the Chinese call the white 'Canadian'. :)

Large Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are melting pots of people from all over the world. Of course the term "white" gets used, but it is not such a big issue as in many other parts of the world. There is less necessity to put everyone into a slot of how "white" or "non white" their skin is. People aren't blind; they are perfectly able to tell what "colour" anyone's skin is by looking of them, but the need to slot them into a category after that is less likely an issue than it can be in other countries.
And vid, you are absolutely right. In cities like T Bay or Winnipeg the term will get used a lot more.

Not the part you live in, I guess.

I suppose you're right. In Canada, I've only ever lived in Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto. Is it common to hear it used in Thunder Bay?

I suppose you're right. In Canada, I've only ever lived in Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto. Is it common to hear it used in Thunder Bay?

I hear white used here all the time. When my friends and I go out it's like a mini- United Nations and I'll be referred to as white and I'll refer to other people as white. In the same way friends of mine from South Asia will refer to themselves as brown and those from Africa will refer to themselves as black. What the significant difference is is that these terms aren't as politically charged as they used to be or continue to be in other parts of the world.

I reckon the term White is used in the Canadian Census.

Of course "white" is used. I think people have missed Isaidso's point altogether. It does get used but not as much in big cities like Toronto as it does in many other countries. I know a woman from South America who constantly refers to the darkness/lightness of someone's skin ("my aunt back home has very white skin", etc..). It just isn't such a big issue for most people as it was 50/100 years ago. I don't think there is really any controversy as to whether or not the word "white" is used in Canada; you can all rest assured it is still a word here.

Double post.

I hear white used here all the time. When my friends and I go out it's like a mini- United Nations and I'll be referred to as white and I'll refer to other people as white. In the same way friends of mine from South Asia will refer to themselves as brown and those from Africa will refer to themselves as black. What the significant difference is is that these terms aren't as politically charged as they used to be or continue to be in other parts of the world.

Interesting. I don't think I've ever heard my friends use that terminology. If reference is made at all, it's usually to a country/countries someone traces their roots to.

Maybe you need to expand your circle of friends?

I hear white used here all the time. When my friends and I go out it's like a mini- United Nations and I'll be referred to as white and I'll refer to other people as white. In the same way friends of mine from South Asia will refer to themselves as brown and those from Africa will refer to themselves as black. What the significant difference is is that these terms aren't as politically charged as they used to be or continue to be in other parts of the world.

that's been my experience as well. in university "white" was a prefix to my name to differentiate me from another friend with the same first name. ie: if my name was Joe, which it's not, i was White Joe and he was Brown Joe. it all started with two friends both named Barry. Barry Brown and, of course, Barry White.

The way White is used in North America is more than just on purely physical terms. That's why Jews and Irish could be considered not White, even though they were physically white.
So a white Colombian is physically white, but at the same time not White.
This also explains why a term like Visible Minority could arise in the first place.
Admittedly, this applies more against a US American backdrop, but there's probably similarities with Canada.

i've never heard of Jewish and Irish people being referred to as anything but white. Latin Americans and Arabs are sometimes thought of as not white.

i've never heard of Jewish and Irish people being referred to as anything but white. Latin Americans and Arabs are sometimes thought of as not white.

I think there was a time in American history, when White was applied only to WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon, Protestant). The term could be broadened only to include maybe people of German or Scandiavian origin, whereas Jews, Irish, Italian and Slavic people weren't considered white mainly because of the difference in religion. These times are LONG gone now though.

I've certainly never known Jews, Irish, Italian and Slavic people not be be considered "white". Even the bulk of people who have moved here from South America with backgrounds predominantly Spanish or Portuguese would widely be considered "white" as far as I know.

I think there was a time in American history, when White was applied only to WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon, Protestant). The term could be broadened only to include maybe people of German or Scandiavian origin, whereas Jews, Irish, Italian and Slavic people weren't considered white mainly because of the difference in religion. These times are LONG gone now though.
True. The meaning of White was expanded in the course of time. First it included WASP, then it started to encompass Catholics, Jews, southern Europeans, etc.
This explains why, even today, a good number of Americans still hesitate to call a Muslim Arab, who is physically Caucasian, White.

In this sense, the Irish and Jews (and a couple of other nationalities) used to be "invisible minorities". They were not considered White even though they were physically indistinguishable from those who were White at that time.

Sorry if this is confusing you. I also had a hard time getting my head around it.

An interesting & very long-running thread. Getting back to the comparison, judging by the postings & pictures, I'd say that Toronto's small but growing & diverse Latino population most resembles that of the Washington DC-MD-VA area.

Washington started attracting Latinos about the same time as Toronto in the later 1960s/early 70s. Unlike many other Northeast US cities, Washington didn't attract very large numbers of Puerto Ricans, or Cubans. Most of the Caribbean Latinos that have come, including Dominicans, were professionals or businesspeople or were attracted by jobs in the Federal government or local agencies.

Instead, it attracted mostly Central and South Americans. Most of the South Americans were from Peru, Ecuador, Columbia & Bolivia, some middle-class professionals, others poor & unskilled. Larger numbers of Central Americans came, mostly from El Salvador, Guatamala, Nicaragua & Honduras as undocumented refugees during the 1980s Civil Wars. Salvadoreans are the largest Latino group around Washington although the past decade saw an greater influx of Mexicans.

Most of the initial Latinos settled in the Adams-Morgan & Mount Pleasant districts in lower northwest DC. These areas are very diverse & resemble the Latino clusters in Toronto's West End, with similar small bodegas, eateries & cultural centers. As these areas filled up & gentrified, most Latinos moved out to, or settled directly in the Virginia & Maryland suburbs.

Today over half a million Latinos live in the Washington-Baltimore metro area.

An interesting & very long-running thread. Getting back to the comparison, judging by the postings & pictures, I'd say that Toronto's small but growing & diverse Latino population most resembles that of the Washington DC-MD-VA area.

Washington started attracting Latinos about the same time as Toronto in the later 1960s/early 70s. Unlike many other Northeast US cities, Washington didn't attract very large numbers of Puerto Ricans, or Cubans. Most of the Caribbean Latinos that have come, including Dominicans, were professionals or businesspeople or were attracted by jobs in the Federal government or local agencies.

Instead, it attracted mostly Central and South Americans. Most of the South Americans were from Peru, Ecuador, Columbia & Bolivia, some middle-class professionals, others poor & unskilled. Larger numbers of Central Americans came, mostly from El Salvador, Guatamala, Nicaragua & Honduras as undocumented refugees during the 1980s Civil Wars. Salvadoreans are the largest Latino group around Washington although the past decade saw an greater influx of Mexicans.

Most of the initial Latinos settled in the Adams-Morgan & Mount Pleasant districts in lower northwest DC. These areas are very diverse & resemble the Latino clusters in Toronto's West End, with similar small bodegas, eateries & cultural centers. As these areas filled up & gentrified, most Latinos moved out to, or settled directly in the Virginia & Maryland suburbs.

Today over half a million Latinos live in the Washington-Baltimore metro area.

that seems like a good comparison. the Latin American population in Toronto is different from American cities like New York (mainly Puerto Ricans & Dominicans), Miami (mainly Cubans), and L.A. and Chicago (mainly Mexicans). hardly any Latin Americans from the Islands in Canada. Toronto has tons of people from the English-speaking islands like Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana (part of South America, but considered Caribbean). people from the French islands (Haiti, Dominica, Guadeloupe, etc.) go to Montreal for obvious reasons

that seems like a good comparison. the Latin American population in Toronto is different from American cities like New York (mainly Puerto Ricans & Dominicans), Miami (mainly Cubans), and L.A. and Chicago (mainly Mexicans). hardly any Latin Americans from the Islands in Canada. Toronto has tons of people from the English-speaking islands like Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana (part of South America, but considered Caribbean). people from the French islands (Haiti, Dominica, Guadeloupe, etc.) go to Montreal for obvious reasons

Dominica is an English-speaking island! I have noticed quite a few French-Caribbean migrants here. I don't know if they're moving directly here or if they're moving in from Montréal. Trinidad is an interesting case as it is trying to turn itself into a Spanish-speaking country. Given the number of Trinidadians here, it'd be interesting to see the transition take effect here.

Dominica is an English-speaking island!

huh. that's what wikipedia says too. i just assumed it was French because my friend who's dad is from there always gives it a French pronunciation... "do mee NEE ca". and i'm pretty sure her dad speaks French.

France ceded it to Great Britain in 1763. The Wikipedia article says United Kingdom, but that didn't really exist until 1801...

Sounds similar to St Lucia. Former French Colony, but French not spoken any more. Official language is English, and people speak their own patois to each other.

huh. that's what wikipedia says too. i just assumed it was French because my friend who's dad is from there always gives it a French pronunciation... "do mee NEE ca". and i'm pretty sure her dad speaks French.

Probably to differentiate it from the Dominican Republic. So how do you tell the locals from the two apart? Wouldn't they both be Dominicans? Just pronounced differently. DO-MEE-nee-can vs. do-mee-NEE-can

Do you think there are many people born and raised in the Dominican who speak French?
Definitely English and patois..
I asked in St Lucia and the girl said she knew of no one who spoke French, although in Patois you can pick up the odd French word.
I wouldn't mind visiting the Dominican Republic, but doubt if I will go back to St Lucia.

gotta love Wikipedia:
"English is the official language of Dominica and is universally spoken and understood. However, because of historic French occupation during different times in history, and the island's location between the two French-speaking departments of Martinique and Guadeloupe, Antillean Creole Patois, a French-based creole dialect, is spoken by many people on the island, especially from the older generation."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominica

my friend's dad is also pretty educated, so he might have just learned French on his own for the hell of it.

gotta love Wikipedia:
"English is the official language of Dominica and is universally spoken and understood. However, because of historic French occupation during different times in history, and the island's location between the two French-speaking departments of Martinique and Guadeloupe, Antillean Creole Patois, a French-based creole dialect, is spoken by many people on the island, especially from the older generation."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominica

my friend's dad is also pretty educated, so he might have just learned French on his own for the hell of it.

It's a French-based creole. A similar situation in Seychelles and Mauritius. In Mauritius English is the only de jure official language, while a French-based creole is a mother tongue for more than 80% of the population. Most media coverage is carried out in standard French (newspapers, TV, etc.) and they understand it perfectly. Seems like it depends on how different the creole is from the language it originated from.

From my understanding many Creole or Patois dialects are only loosely based on French or Spanish, and have lots of other influences, too. Plus, much of the original French or Spanish is so corrupted as to be unrecognisable in general speech. Here is a few examples explaining that spoken in the Dominican Republic:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071009085903AAhTQ76

"For instance "Mas which is more in Spanish is Ma" in Dominican!

That is lesson number one! Second lesson is that you shorten every word and sometimes just drop words or sylables altogether! Take Spanish "Donde Tu Esta" which means "Where are you"! In Dominican it is now "Donde tu ta"
Same for "How are you" which in Spanish is "Como Esta Usted" Dominican is "Como tu ta"

I can't follow it at all, even when coming from a technically English speaking country like Jamaica. I found in St Lucia that whenever the bartenders wanted to
talk to each other in front of customers and not be understood, they just slipped into their Patois.

An interesting & very long-running thread. Getting back to the comparison, judging by the postings & pictures, I'd say that Toronto's small but growing & diverse Latino population most resembles that of the Washington DC-MD-VA area.

Washington started attracting Latinos about the same time as Toronto in the later 1960s/early 70s. Unlike many other Northeast US cities, Washington didn't attract very large numbers of Puerto Ricans, or Cubans. Most of the Caribbean Latinos that have come, including Dominicans, were professionals or businesspeople or were attracted by jobs in the Federal government or local agencies.

Instead, it attracted mostly Central and South Americans. Most of the South Americans were from Peru, Ecuador, Columbia & Bolivia, some middle-class professionals, others poor & unskilled. Larger numbers of Central Americans came, mostly from El Salvador, Guatamala, Nicaragua & Honduras as undocumented refugees during the 1980s Civil Wars. Salvadoreans are the largest Latino group around Washington although the past decade saw an greater influx of Mexicans.

Most of the initial Latinos settled in the Adams-Morgan & Mount Pleasant districts in lower northwest DC. These areas are very diverse & resemble the Latino clusters in Toronto's West End, with similar small bodegas, eateries & cultural centers. As these areas filled up & gentrified, most Latinos moved out to, or settled directly in the Virginia & Maryland suburbs.

Today over half a million Latinos live in the Washington-Baltimore metro area.


Interesting post. I have family in woodbridge VA . There is alot of salvadoreans and Mexicans with a pretty strong Guatemalan presence there aswell. The hispanic Community is waaay more noticeable in D.C then in it is in Toronto.

Peace

"For instance "Mas which is more in Spanish is Ma" in Dominican!

That is lesson number one! Second lesson is that you shorten every word and sometimes just drop words or sylables altogether! Take Spanish "Donde Tu Esta" which means "Where are you"! In Dominican it is now "Donde tu ta"
Same for "How are you" which in Spanish is "Como Esta Usted" Dominican is "Como tu ta".


Thats true, i love the way dominicans talk :lol:...

isn't the French they speak in the Acadian part of New Brunswick considered Creole?

Hmmm... I don't think so, but I don't know for sure. I once went to a reading by famous Acadian author Antonine Maillet, and her speech seemed pretty recognizable. I think there is a different accent, but I didn't pick up on that as I am not fluent. Maybe some of the guys from Quebec know.

There is a creole-ish language called Chiac, I think. Wikipedia has a French Creole in North America template on the page but it isn't included, so I don't know. It is described as a dialect in the lead.

It would be neat if our native people still spoke their creoles. My uncle used a lot of Ojibwe words in his speech, but most natives are either all English or all Ojibwe (with lots of loan words sometimes), creoles are dead in these parts.

Thats true, i love the way dominicans talk :lol:...
That's the way Dominicans, Cubans, Venezuelans, and Chileans talk.
Although Chilean Spanish is slightly different because they have voseo. So they say:
Dónde ehtay? =Where are you?
Cómo ehtay? =How are you?

^ When you hear Chilians speak it sounds as if they getting off anesthesia. They speak soooooooooooo low & s~l~o~w~! Dominicans sound like PR's when they speak. Short fast words that most sounds like slang.

^ When you hear Chilians speak it sounds as if they getting off anesthesia. They speak soooooooooooo low & s~l~o~w~!

that's how Americans sound when they speak English :lol:

i've heard the best place to learn Spanish is Colombia. i know very little Spanish, so i can't differentiate between countries, but people have told me Colombian Spanish sounds the best. and apparently Spanish from Spain sounds kind of stupid to people in South America.

that's how Americans sound when they speak English :lol:.

^^ Well that simply depends where their from. For example we California's have a neutral accent and it's use for advertisements and whatnot. :)

i've heard the best place to learn Spanish is Colombia. i know very little Spanish, so i can't differentiate between countries, but people have told me Colombian Spanish sounds the best. and apparently Spanish from Spain sounds kind of stupid to people in South America.

^ Columbia??? I dunno about that I would opt for Argentina or Mexico which is more known. Easier on the ear and easily to follow which makes it easier to follow. As far as Spanish from Spain, I would not say it sounds stupid since those are some harsh words....

That's the way Dominicans, Cubans, Venezuelans, and Chileans talk.
Although Chilean Spanish is slightly different because they have voseo. So they say:
Dónde ehtay? =Where are you?
Cómo ehtay? =How are you?

yeah cuban and dominicans accent is similar, some venezuelans sounds similar to them as well but it can vary.....and Imho, Chileans sound different altogether.

^ When you hear Chilians speak it sounds as if they getting off anesthesia. They speak soooooooooooo low & s~l~o~w~! Dominicans sound like PR's when they speak. Short fast words that most sounds like slang.


thats true i think PR's and Dominicans probably sound the closest.

^^ Well that simply depends where their from. For example we California's have a neutral accent and it's use for advertisements and whatnot. :)



^ Columbia??? I dunno about that I would opt for Argentina or Mexico which is more known. Easier on the ear and easily to follow which makes it easier to follow. As far as Spanish from Spain, I would not say it sounds stupid since those are some harsh words....

The same applies with regional Spanish accents. In high school we learned European Spanish (Castellano) but my teacher also taught us how to differentiate regional accents within Spain. Apparently Catalonian and Galician tend to lisp (Bar-the-lona, I-gle-thi-as) the soft C and S. I've heard comedians pick up on this and comment on how "gay" it sounded compared to Latin American Spanish.

thats true i think PR's and Dominicans probably sound the closest.

^ It definitely does, but then Cuban/some Central American Spanish is hands down the worse. I can only understand every other word and by the body language I get a general idea what their talking about...:lol:

The same applies with regional Spanish accents. In high school we learned European Spanish (Castellano) but my teacher also taught us how to differentiate regional accents within Spain. Apparently Catalonian and Galician tend to lisp (Bar-the-lona, I-gle-thi-as) the soft C and S. I've heard comedians pick up on this and comment on how "gay" it sounded compared to Latin American Spanish.

^ Only issue from Spanish from Spain (regardless of the region) is the tongue issue they have when they speak. It seems the tongue is tied or touching the top of their mouth. So it makes the word sound funny!

^ Columbia??? I dunno about that I would opt for Argentina or Mexico which is more known. Easier on the ear and easily to follow which makes it easier to follow. As far as Spanish from Spain, I would not say it sounds stupid since those are some harsh words....

not my words... some friends from Ecuador. it all sounds the same to me.

re: Argentina - a friend of mine went there to learn Spanish and some people there were like "why'd you come here to learn Spanish? you shouldda gone to Colombia"

i should add that our English sounds stupid to people in Britain. they perceive our accent the way we perceive people from the South.

not my words... some friends from Ecuador. it all sounds the same to me.

re: Argentina - a friend of mine went there to learn Spanish and some people there were like "why'd you come here to learn Spanish? you shouldda gone to Colombia"
.
^ Isn't Ecuador in South America though?

So a friend said you should hav egone to Columbia instead. Let me guess this individual had to of been from there. So now I have to hear your Spanish accent.

i should add that our English sounds stupid to people in Britain. they perceive our accent the way we perceive people from the South.

^ That's insane, how are they going to mix Californian English with the Dirty South, oh come now...:bash:

No, they would consider the California accent uneducated, and the South accent even moreso. Kinda of ironic, since there are theories that the southern US accent is how people in Britain actually talked a few hundred years ago.

Good grief, there is no single "English" accent... their accents change every town you go to. Trust me, not all English accents sound "posh". Maybe 15%. The other 85% should not be making fun of anyone else's accent, and a good many of them should be hanging their heads in shame.

...

No, they would consider the California accent uneducated, and the South accent even moreso.

exactly

Good grief, there is no single "English" accent... their accents change every town you go to. Trust me, not all English accents sound "posh". Maybe 15%. The other 85% should not be making fun of anyone else's accent, and a good many of them should be hanging their heads in shame.

i agree. i could understand about 1/3 of the people in London at most. English accents range from people who sound like they're vomiting from the back of their mouths between a series of incomprehensible clicks and chortles, to peole with shrill and drastic changes in pitch that could shatter glass.

i'm just relating what i've heard from a few British people. and it does make sense. to us, the posh English accents sound snobby and elitist, so it follows that we sound uneducated even though we're not. and you've got to admit that Southern U.S. accents sound uneducated, even though we know they're not.

.
^ Isn't Ecuador in South America though?

So a friend said you should hav egone to Columbia instead. Let me guess this individual had to of been from there. So now I have to hear your Spanish accent.

yes, friends from Ecuador (the one in South America) said accents from Spain sound stupid.

the people who said Columbians have the best Spanish accent were from Argentina.

i'm not trying to argue anything here. i don't even speak Spanish. this is purely anecdotal and not necessarily true.

yes, friends from Ecuador (the one in South America) said accents from Spain sound stupid.

the people who said Columbians have the best Spanish accent were from Argentina.

i'm not trying to argue anything here. i don't even speak Spanish. this is purely anecdotal and not necessarily true.

Different people dislike different accents. The Argentinian accent is the closest thing you will find to Neapolitan Italian. I'll try to find the source later on, and I've also read that the most neutral and easiest accents to understand are the standard Mexican and Colombian accents. Spanish, just like English, has an incredible variation of accents since it's widely spoken throughout the world. I just moved to Mexico City from northern Mexico and as soon as I open my mouth people can tell I'm not from here. I met a few guys here from Valencia, Spain, and they sound different from say, people from the Andalucia region of southern Spain.

Also, I met some twins from London here and I couldn't understand half of what they were saying, I looked like a complete retard because when I didn't understand I would just nod and smile :lol: But then again I met a couple from Bristol and their accent was completely understandable.

I don't understand Spanish, but I love the way Mexicans talk... it is so fast it is like a machine gun!! :D

I don't understand Spanish, but I love the way Mexicans talk... it is so fast it is like a machine gun!! :D

Lol I met a guy from the Basque country that could make your head explode. :lol: His Spanish was unbelievably fast, it was ridiculous, but then he said it was just a family thing and not something characteristic from his region. :)

I don't understand Spanish, but I love the way Mexicans talk... it is so fast it is like a machine gun!! :D

^^ They do talk fast, Hm never really notice that. I can assure you they do talk with their hands instead. Here we talk and the hand movement is below our chest and in a light wave move. Over there the hand(s) are up in the air...:lol: OK so not that dramatic effect but you get the picture...

my ex is mexican and he hates it when Canadians try to speak spanish to him - he says they are too slow and won't talk to them if they attempt it - he tells them to please speak english

my ex is mexican and he hates it when Canadians try to speak spanish to him - he says they are too slow and won't talk to them if they attempt it - he tells them to please speak english

And that would have been pretty rude of your ex, because people learn by conversing. Imagine how he would have felt if English speakers refused to speak to him due to his accent, or his odd way of speaking back when he was learning English.

If there was such a thing as a devil, s/he would most certainly speak Spanish.

Well.... the gorgeous South American girl I work with does look a bit like the devil when she gets mad and blows her top!! Then a stream of words come out that it is probably lucky we can't understand! :lol:

all this talk of Mexico is making me want to go back there THIS AFTERNOON. :(

Eeps. Be careful, TB. Canadians seem to be 'dropping like flies' in Mexico.

^ Where is that, I've not heard anything...

And that would have been pretty rude of your ex, because people learn by conversing. Imagine how he would have felt if English speakers refused to speak to him due to his accent, or his odd way of speaking back when he was learning English.

not really if it annoys you you should say something

Eeps. Be careful, TB. Canadians seem to be 'dropping like flies' in Mexico.

Nah.... not in Puerto Vallarta. It is very safe!

not really if it annoys you you should say something

My point: if everyone acted that way, learning another language would be damn near impossible.

Nah.... not in Puerto Vallarta. It is very safe!

^ Jesus TB, now you got me thinking of some fish/shrimp tacos with fresh pico de gallo an a iced cold sol cerveza...:bash:

I know... :drool:
there is that little boat shaped fish taco place right on the beach, about 50 metres
before the "Blue Chairs".

Different people dislike different accents. The Argentinian accent is the closest thing you will find to Neapolitan Italian. I'll try to find the source later on, and I've also read that the most neutral and easiest accents to understand are the standard Mexican and Colombian accents. Spanish, just like English, has an incredible variation of accents since it's widely spoken throughout the world. I just moved to Mexico City from northern Mexico and as soon as I open my mouth people can tell I'm not from here. I met a few guys here from Valencia, Spain, and they sound different from say, people from the Andalucia region of southern Spain.I'd say that, regarding the whole Hispanic world, Colombian Spanish is still more "neutral" than Mexican Spanish. It's just that through Mexican TV programs and movies, more people are more familiar with it. On the flipside, Colombian Spanish can sound pretty boring exactly because of its "neutralness". But that's just my opinion.

As for Spain, Andalusians are easily recognizable because they regularly drop a lot of letters (Z, S, D, R, etc.). So "Encantada de conocerte" sounds like engkantaaekonohette, Granada > granaa, conozco > konokkho, eres > ere, las hojas > la oja, Cómo estás? > komwetthá.
And then there's also zezeo and seseo.
These features are widespread in Andalusia and even well educated people speak with a distinctive Andalusian accent.