Hosting a radio show taught me immigrants came for Canada, not a separate Alberta
We do not have to choose between being strong Albertans and proud Canadians
This First Person is the experience of Rishi Nagar, who lives in Calgary.
asserted
who → host → Calgary
Also, check out our series on the Alberta referendum here and learn how we selected the writers.
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we → check → writers
My wife and I were working in India as teachers when we decided to immigrate to Canada.
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we → work → Canada
We were thinking of the future of our son, who was five at the time, and we felt he might get a better education in Canada.
uncertain
he → think → Canada
At that time, I had no idea that Calgary — or Alberta — would eventually become the place my family and I would call home.
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family → have → idea
Like many Indians, when I thought about immigrating, I thought about Canada as a whole rather than any particular province or city.
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I → think → whole
Of course, places like Brampton, Ont., and Surrey, B.C., are well-known in India because of their large Indian communities.
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places → know → communities
But in conversations I've had with others who wanted to immigrate, the draw is simply Canada — a country of opportunity, diversity and new beginnings rather any specific city
For six long years, I waited.
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I → have → years
Then, in 2008, a letter arrived from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada asking me to prepare for a medical examination and other formalities.
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me → arrive → examination
The letter carried the maple leaf embossed therein.
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letter → carry → leaf
That very image became permanently etched in my mind as the symbol of Canada and of the new life awaiting my family.
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image → etch → family
When I finally landed at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, my heart was throbbing with excitement.
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heart → land → excitement
Beside me was my equally excited wife and our 12-year-old son, almost dancing with joy.
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wife → dance → joy
We had landed in our dreamland.
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We → land → dreamland
But dreams also demand struggle.
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dreams → demand → struggle
The year 2009 was difficult because Canada was going through a harsh recession.
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Canada → go → recession
I had moved to Toronto because some of my former students lived there.
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some → move → students
But I was advised to move to Vancouver because British Columbia was preparing to host the 2010 Winter Olympics and there might be more job opportunities there.
uncertain
Columbia → advise → Olympics
I followed that advice and secured a security guard's licence.
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I → follow → licence
I still remember my first day of work in Canada.
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I → remember → Canada
For someone who had also previously worked as a television presenter in India, standing inside CBC was an extraordinary feeling.
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standing → work → CBC
I thought: a former TV presenter from India is now at CBC.
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presenter → think → CBC
Suddenly, my dreams had wings again.
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dreams → have → wings
Soon, I joined Red FM as a news presenter, returning to journalism and broadcasting.
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I → join → journalism
When an opportunity arose in 2013 after Red FM established a station in Calgary, I chose to move here.
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I → arise → Calgary
Alberta has given me tremendous opportunities.
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Alberta → give → opportunities
Here, I built my career as a journalist and broadcaster, raised my family, bought my first home and became deeply involved in the community.
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I → build → community
I had the privilege of serving two terms in the University of Calgary Senate and contributing to community initiatives, including anti-racism committees.
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I → have → committees
These experiences taught me that citizenship is not only about what a country gives us; it is equally about what we give back.
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we → teach → what
Through all these moves, I never thought of myself as moving from one separate place to another.
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I → think → another
I was a proud Canadian in Toronto, a proud Canadian in Vancouver, and I remain a proud Canadian in Calgary.
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I → remain → Calgary
Had Red FM opened a new station in the U.S. or Alberta (if a separate sovereign country), I would never have opted to go there.
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I → open → U.S.
Recently, I held a radio talk show about the referendum question.
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I → hold → question
Every caller who participated supported Alberta remaining part of Canada.
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Alberta → participate → Canada
The callers were all of South Asian background and represented different backgrounds: seniors, permanent residents who were not yet Canadian citizens, people with varying levels of education, working- and middle-class Albertans and university students.
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who → represent → education
Yet their message was remarkably similar: Not one caller supported a separate Alberta.
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caller → support → Alberta
Many of them feared that separation would lead to increased racism against the racialized communities.
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separation → fear → communities
Many of them also said that immigrants like them would not pick Alberta as a place to move because what they know about separation makes them concerned they won't be welcome.
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they → say → separation
Of course, one radio phone-in cannot represent the views of every Albertan.
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in → represent → Albertan
But listening to those voices reinforced something I have experienced throughout my Canadian journey: many people in my community do not see their Alberta identity and their Canadian identity competing with each other.
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identity → listen → other
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
