“We’ve come to offer a proactive approach to break barriers and stereotypes, increase communication and understanding between the groups and the police, thereby helping to create a safe and improved quality of living in this city and communities.” Rowena Santos, Co-Chair, Planning Committee
This statement in the introductory speech of one of the Filipino leaders and co-chair of the planning committee for Asian Heritage Day in Toronto set the tone of the presentations of the representatives of communities of Asian Pacific Countries featured in the celebration.
The event, which was held on May 21, 2008 at the Toronto Police Service Headquarters, was not just a celebration of the cultures and past history of the diverse communities of this city but a forum that presented important issues that need to be faced through partnership with the police force and members of the community.
The preparation for this very significant event started as early as January of this year when the planning committee initiated by the Community Mobilization Unit of the Toronto Police force, first met. Two representatives from the Japanese, Korean, Filipino and Vietnamese, communities of Toronto, Insp Nick Memme, Community Liaison, Constable Philip Mendoza, Staff Sgt. Steve Pipe and Constable Andrew Go made up the committee. Ray Tolentino, one of the Filipino leaders, co-chaired the committee with Rowena Santos. He also acted as master of ceremonies.
The primary goal of the community was to bring together members of the four communities and eventually all members of the diverse groups in Toronto to work with the Toronto Police Service, and the Toronto Police Services Board to create a meaningful partnership through trust, understanding, shared knowledge and effective community mobilization to maintain safety and security in our communities.
Toronto Police Chief William Blair in his welcome speech thanked the group of about 150 who came to join in the celebration. He was very proud to be leading the police force of one of the most diverse cities in the world. He underscored the importance of recognizing the contributions of the Asian Communities and at the same time listen to their concerns especially those related to safety issues.
Rowena Santos, in her introduction for the presentations, collaborated with Chief Bill Blair on emphasizing the significance of the contributions of the diverse communities, considering that statistics show that in the next five to ten years ethnic communities will make up the majority of the population of Toronto. At present 52% of the ethnic communities in Toronto are Asian. About 500,000 of them belong to the Asian Pacific group.
The first speaker from the Vietnamese community stated that about 75,000 Vietnamese Canadians live in the Toronto area, with a concentration of population in North York, Seventy percent of them were born in Vietnam and about forty-vive percent have education levels lower than a high school diploma.
Limited proficiency in English is one of their barriers in integrating successfully in the community. Most of them are in the manufacturing sector.
A second speaker described the hopes and dreams of Vietnamese immigrants who came to this country for a better life for themselves and their children. Many of them, however, have failed to successfully integrate in the community and have chosen a life of crime and violence.
One in three in the Vietnamese community have experienced discrimination. Their lack of proficiency in English makes them incapable of expressing themselves and be properly heard. The Vietnamese community hoped that members of the police force would understand this problem. The speaker also recognized the existence of domestic violence in which victims are scared to seek assistance due to the feeling of helplessness and fear of being misunderstood.
The presenters for the Korean Community also narrated experiences of discrimination, which is partly attributed to lack of proficiency in English.
There are about 100,000 residents of Korean origin in Ontario with about 83% in the Greater Toronto Area. Korean history of immigration to Canada is relatively young, about forty-two years. Many of the Koreans who came to Canada left the country to escape a military regime. They came with high hopes but many were let down by negative experiences with the police. Their sad experiences had made them lose their sense of ownership of the community and country.
The speakers appealed for increased cultural competence and sensitivity among members of the police force.
Rosalinda Javier of the Filipino Center Toronto was the presenter on behalf of the Filipino community. She made clear that there are two very important values that Filipinos brought to this land with them and continue to inculcate in their young who were born in Canada; respect for elders and respect for authority. “These values are contributions to Canadian society, Filipinos are very proud of. We continue to practice them and teach them to our youth.”
The Filipino speaker also recommended to the police chief increased recruitment of police officers form ethnic communities. “We are very proud of Philip Mendoza and the other Filipino police officers in our force. Members of ethnic communities are proud to see men and women from their communities in uniform. These promote trust and better understanding when some police officers speak their languages.
The presenter from the Japanese community spoke of their 131 years of immigration history to Canada. “The first recorded immigrant to Canada from Japan came in 1877. Most of the early Japanese people who came to the country settled in the West. They were hardworking and loyal citizens” But they suffered from discrimination. During the Second World War, 22,000 Japanese in Canada were interned. They lost their freedom and their property.
The Japanese community are very proud of their culture that they had brought with them and enriched Canada. They are peace-loving people. Most of their children have been highly educated and are university graduates. There are about 25,000 Japanese Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area.
All speakers from the four communities advocated the formation of the Asian Pacific Consultative Committee, Co chair of the planning committee Rey Tolentino described it as an extraordinary opportunity for the Toronto Police Service and the Community for a partnership to promote trust and respect.
Toronto Police Ceif Bill Blair, in his response, applauded the speakers in their passionate expression of their concerns and their commitment to the issues that involve their community. He warmly welcomed the proposal for the creation of the Asian Pacific Consultative Committees that he believes will promote friendship and partnership. But he also warned that the task would not be easy. There will be frustration and extreme challenges. The Toronto Police Service together with the Toronto Police Service Board have people who are good in meeting these challenges.
For us the Filipino community in the Greater Toronto area, the challenges are the greatest. We are the largest group among the Asian Pacific Communities. Almost all of us can speak in English. We have numerous members in our community who are capable of leadership roles. This is a great opportunity for us to be in the forefront in meeting the challenges especially that of youth outreach. Let us bring the Filipino community of the Greater Toronto Area together for a peaceful, happy and fair partnership with the rest of this most high populated and diverse city in Canada.