Red Deer is home to nearly 15,000 immigrants – almost 15 per cent of the total population. Of that, almost 36 per cent have arrived in the last five years. An astounding 112 nationalities are represented. There are more than 5,000 Indigenous peoples in Red Deer, representing just over five per cent of the overall population.
“With a large number of immigrants now calling Red Deer home, it is important we address the unique needs of this population,” says Kristine Bugayong, Communications and Outreach Coordinator with the Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP).
As part of RDLIP initiatives, they are promoting an Anti-Racism Campaign.
“Too often, people are mistreated because of their race. Antiracism means we are identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, structures, policies, practices and attitudes,” says Bugayong.
Most would agree that Red Deer is a welcoming place where differences are celebrated. However, there is an underlying plight behind the scenes where people are mistreated because of their race.
“It is up to us as a society to learn and perform the work of antiracism. Our antiracism campaign is to generate awareness and change attitudes,” says Bugayong.
According to the survey results conducted by the RDLIP last year, 80 per cent of Indigenous people and 70 per cent of immigrants have experienced racism in Red Deer. Fifty per cent of Red Deerians feel racism is worse in Red Deer than elsewhere, and 77 per cent of Black, Indigenous and people of colour have rarely been or never been helped by others when they experienced racism.
The campaign focuses on real stories and real situations to make a difference.
Ayaa is originally from Uganda in East Africa and moved to Red Deer this winter.
“I’d never seen so much snow in my life and had to get used to the sun going down in mid-afternoon. There were so many differences that took lots of getting used to,” says Ayaa.
Ayaa works in community and social support, helping vulnerable people in Red Deer. One of the first people she met when she came to Red Deer was her neighbour, Samantha, an indigenous woman born in Wetaskiwin and raised in Red Deer.
“Samantha made me feel a sense of community right away,” says Ayaa. “I knew she and I would watch out for each other.”
For Samantha, meeting Ayaa was important too and a valuable connection.
“Ayaa is amazing… we share stories about our culture while providing a lot of support for one another. We connected right away. It’s always good to have someone close by who you can rely on,” says Samantha.
Samantha works at a local non-profit group as the Elder helper, is involved in the community, and volunteers her time wherever needed.
Making those connections is essential to everyone in Red Deer. Immigration helps improve the quality of life for everyone by improving social life, economy, teaching about new cultures, customs and languages. By creating communities of support, it leads to an understanding of differences.
Immigration also means additional skilled workers leading to more significant economic growth for the region. According to Statistics Canada, 52.1 per cent of recent immigrants have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 24 per cent of the Canadian-born population. While immigrants currently make up about 75 per cent of Canada’s population and labour market growth, by the year 2040, they will likely drive all of Canada’s population growth.