Podcasts - The LIP Secretariat

Episode 8: Episode 8: Is Canada a Safe Haven for 2SLGBTQ+?

Long waiting periods, service-provider and health stereotyping, and systemic racism are just some of the issues members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community come up against when they arrive to Canada. In many cases, this leaves them feeling disconnected, retraumatized, and disillusioned by their settlement process. While Canada prides itself on being a safe haven for people of varied gender and sexual orientation, the experiences of many newcomers call this into question. In this episode, we talk to individuals who have found true connection by being part of Rainbow Connect, a program of the LGBTQ+ Settlement Services at the Neighbourhood Group in Toronto. This podcast is by the National LIP Secretariat, with production support from Cited Media.

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Episode 7: Am I Canadian?

Whether you are a new immigrant in a remote rural area, or a small town, or in a metropolis, the challenges you might face will look different depending on where you chose to settle. Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs) have an important role to play in crating the conditions for newcomer inclusion at the community level, especially as the barriers to inclusion vary from one location to the next. In this episode we talk to LIPs from all over the country who have dealt with unique challenges in their areas, and pose the question: how can immigrant voices change the narrative on what it means to be Canadian? This podcast is by the National LIP Secretariat, with production support from Cited Media.

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Episode 6: Finding Community

Newcomers to Canada arrive under a diversity of circumstances, from seeking economic opportunity, to reuniting with family, or fleeing intense conflicts in which they have become stateless. These circumstances shape significantly the challenges they face as they search for community and belonging within Canadian society. Through exploring the difficulties newcomers face in establishing a sense of belonging, we open up conversations around inclusion and diversity in Canadian communities. This episode looks at what can be done to move beyond "welcoming" to genuine "inclusion", and explore different forms of community and solidarity for and between immigrants. This podcast is by the National LIP Secretariat, with production support from Cited Media.

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Episode 5: How to be Canadian

There are many layers that make up an immigrant’s experience in a new country, but access to work and community are two of the most important. In addition to the securing a stable source of income, access to employment helps build a sense of identity and connection. More generally, social connections are fundamental to well-being. But building relationships from scratch can be very challenging, especially in the face of intersectional discrimination. This episode looks at the experiences of new immigrants in finding work and connection, and asks how improved access meaningful employment and supportive services can promote integration into a new country.

Episode 4: The Points System Paradox

The Canadian immigration system awards "points" to people based on their professional and educational experience. But once they arrive, they find that they are not accepted in their field of choice because of unrecognized educational credentials and a lack of "Canadian experience"—an all-too-common phrase heard by new jobseekers. This disconnect between the criteria for acceptance as a prospective immigrant and the realities of working in your field in Canada creates the appearance of a false promise and is a barrier to integration in Canadian society. In this episode, we’re exploring building identity during major transitions and rebuilding confidence in the face of systemic barriers to employment. This podcast is by the National LIP Secretariat, with production support from Cited Media.

Episode 3: Othered in Canada

Othering is the practice of locating someone outside of a particular identity or group. New immigrants to Canada may face “othering” experiences that foreground certain aspects of their identities in ways that alienate them from their adoptive communities. As they move to shape their new Canadian identity, these experiences put an immense strain on their immigration journeys. This season we shed light on the challenges newcomers encounter, and the intricate web of systemic barriers and racism they are required to navigate in their new homeland: Canada. In this episode, we start with a common experience many immigrants seem to share, and that is the feeling of being Othered. This podcast is by the National LIP Secretariat, with production support from Cited Media.

Episode 1: Resilience

Resilience is almost universally held to be positive quality of individuals, families, communities, and systems. Stories of newcomers overcoming the challenges of relocating and adjusting to life in a new country shape profoundly our conceptions of “success.” This episode asks whether stories of newcomer resilience can be recast as instances wherein the settlement system has fallen short of its stated objectives. Through that lens, we might began to see new opportunities to improve that system such that successful settlement in Canada need not require extraordinary resilience on the part of newcomers.

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