Research Library

This study endeavors to systematize the classification of communities where immigrants are destined to settle. It also explores the issue of spatial segmentation in two such places in Alberta—Edmonton and Calgary. In both metropolitan areas, ethnic spatial segmentation exists, but not at the same scale as in a large metropolis like Toronto. Both metropolitan areas still have a substantial population of established white Canadians who identify as Germans or Ukrainians, although most of them reside in rural parts of these two areas. However, the rest of the urban landscapes is a mix of the white Canadians and recently arrived visible minorities. This study endeavors to systematize the classification of communities where immigrants are destined to settle. It also explores the issue of spatial segmentation in two such places in Alberta—Edmonton and Calgary. In both metropolitan areas, ethnic spatial segmentation exists, but not at the same scale as in a large metropolis like Toronto. Both metropolitan areas still have a substantial population of established white Canadians who identify as Germans or Ukrainians, although most of them reside in rural parts of these two areas. However, the rest of the urban landscapes is a mix of the white Canadians and recently arrived visible minorities.
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This research is purposed for an assessment of needs so as to identify the barriers to successful on-line language learning for new immigrants, especially those with language proficiency at CLB 3. This research is purposed for an assessment of needs so as to identify the barriers to successful on-line language learning for new immigrants, especially those with language proficiency at CLB 3.
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It is well documented that immigrant and racialized groups often experience greater access barriers to health and social services in Canada. This occurs because of multiple factors including language, transportation, information, service fees, and discrimination. This report provides a profile of immigrant health in Calgary. Key findings include significant differences between immigrants and their Canadian-born counterparts in rates of unmet health care needs, physical health status, mental health status, sense of belonging to the local community, and the number and presence of chronic conditions experienced. The results often differ by immigrants’ length of time in Canada, which is also associated with age. Significant differences between immigrants and the Canadian-born population in the Calgary Zone are also found in rates of racialized identity, having a mother tongue other than English, living arrangements, sexual orientation, employment, and educational attainment—often differing by immigrants’ length of time in Canada. In addition, there are statistically significant differences between immigrants and their Canadian-born counterparts in terms of health care access and general health status, some of which may have implications for service provision and, ultimately, health outcomes. In sum, this research demonstrates statistically significant differences in several of the social determinants of health, in health care access and general health status, and in the health outcomes experienced by immigrants as compared to Canadian-born individuals living in the Calgary Zone Community Health Region. It is well documented that immigrant and racialized groups often experience greater access barriers to health and social services in Canada. This occurs because of multiple factors including language, transportation, information, service fees, and discrimination. This report provides a profile of immigrant health in Calgary. Key findings include significant differences between immigrants and their Canadian-born counterparts in rates of unmet health care needs, physical health status, mental health status, sense of belonging to the local community, and the number and presence of chronic conditions experienced. The results often differ by immigrants’ length of time in Canada, which is also associated with age. Significant differences between immigrants and the Canadian-born population in the Calgary Zone are also found in rates of racialized identity, having a mother tongue other than English, living arrangements, sexual orientation, employment, and educational attainment—often differing by immigrants’ length of time in Canada. In addition, there are statistically significant differences between immigrants and their Canadian-born counterparts in terms of health care access and general health status, some of which may have implications for service provision and, ultimately, health outcomes. In sum, this research demonstrates statistically significant differences in several of the social determinants of health, in health care access and general health status, and in the health outcomes experienced by immigrants as compared to Canadian-born individuals living in the Calgary Zone Community Health Region.
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In 2017, Canada resettled 1,215 Yazidis (IRCC personal communication) refugees who have experienced extreme violence, torture, and displacement at rates that astonished the international community. Early reports from settlement agencies in Canada reveal that the high degree of trauma Yazidis have experienced has made their resettlement and integration very difficult. Almost all the Yazidis destined to Canada are from Sinjar, Kirkuk and Erbil in northeastern Iraq, and now reside in Toronto, London, Calgary and Winnipeg. Our colleagues at COSTI Immigrant Services (Toronto), Cross Cultural Learner Centre (London), Calgary Catholic Immigration Services, Welcome Place and Accueil francophone (Winnipeg), along with an advisory panel made up of settlement service providers, federal government and academic members, participated in the planning of this project. The study examines the following questions: 1) what settlement services do Yazidi refugees require? Do they have access to these services?; 2) what has their experience in attaining language training been like?; 3) what might their job prospects be?; and 4) what are their housing conditions? The purpose of the project is to collect information to inform practice and resettlement policy for refugees in Canada. In 2017, Canada resettled 1,215 Yazidis (IRCC personal communication) refugees who have experienced extreme violence, torture, and displacement at rates that astonished the international community. Early reports from settlement agencies in Canada reveal that the high degree of trauma Yazidis have experienced has made their resettlement and integration very difficult. Almost all the Yazidis destined to Canada are from Sinjar, Kirkuk and Erbil in northeastern Iraq, and now reside in Toronto, London, Calgary and Winnipeg. Our colleagues at COSTI Immigrant Services (Toronto), Cross Cultural Learner Centre (London), Calgary Catholic Immigration Services, Welcome Place and Accueil francophone (Winnipeg), along with an advisory panel made up of settlement service providers, federal government and academic members, participated in the planning of this project. The study examines the following questions: 1) what settlement services do Yazidi refugees require? Do they have access to these services?; 2) what has their experience in attaining language training been like?; 3) what might their job prospects be?; and 4) what are their housing conditions? The purpose of the project is to collect information to inform practice and resettlement policy for refugees in Canada.
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Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices. Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices.
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This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes. This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes.
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Social history focuses on understanding the everyday lives of ordinary people. The ethnic minorities that made up immigrant communities in North American towns and cities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have been of particular interest to social historians. However, language barriers and low rates of literacy often limit the number of first person accounts written by people who belonged to such communities. This paper explores how terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and 3D reconstructive modeling of heritage buildings can provide new insights into the social history of Chinese immigrants in Alberta during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These technologies were used to rapidly and accurately document the Quon Sang Lung Laundry shop in Fort Macleod, Alberta, prior to its scheduled demolition. The resulting digital data sets were used to construct detailed architectural plans of the building, as well as photorealistic 3D reconstructions of the shop, as it would have appeared at different points in history. The resulting point clouds were further explored to detect and extract evidence of the lived experiences of its occupants. For example, the conflicts and tensions surrounding Chinese laundries, and the discriminatory bylaws that resulted, may be subtly reflected in specific architectural details of the laundry shop, such as evidence for the presence of walls no longer standing. The ability to return to accurate digital models, over and over again, provides unique opportunities to construct social histories of buildings long after they are gone. Social history focuses on understanding the everyday lives of ordinary people. The ethnic minorities that made up immigrant communities in North American towns and cities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have been of particular interest to social historians. However, language barriers and low rates of literacy often limit the number of first person accounts written by people who belonged to such communities. This paper explores how terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and 3D reconstructive modeling of heritage buildings can provide new insights into the social history of Chinese immigrants in Alberta during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These technologies were used to rapidly and accurately document the Quon Sang Lung Laundry shop in Fort Macleod, Alberta, prior to its scheduled demolition. The resulting digital data sets were used to construct detailed architectural plans of the building, as well as photorealistic 3D reconstructions of the shop, as it would have appeared at different points in history. The resulting point clouds were further explored to detect and extract evidence of the lived experiences of its occupants. For example, the conflicts and tensions surrounding Chinese laundries, and the discriminatory bylaws that resulted, may be subtly reflected in specific architectural details of the laundry shop, such as evidence for the presence of walls no longer standing. The ability to return to accurate digital models, over and over again, provides unique opportunities to construct social histories of buildings long after they are gone.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

East African (EA) women are a subpopulation who are at very high risk for gestational diabetes (GDM) and poor obstetric outcomes, but little is known about the care experiences of this understudied group. The objective of this study was to document the impact of a diagnosis of GDM and the perceptions of diabetes care among EA immigrant women. EA immigrant women had varied experiences related to GDM. Thematic analysis revealed the negative impact of GDM diagnoses on women, including the burdens of self-care, fear, community influences and cultural and financial barriers. The positive impacts of the experience of diagnosis noted were primarily in the empowerment to make healthful behaviour changes. Study findings point to the need for more context-specific and culturally appropriate support and care. Diagnoses of GDM extended beyond the individuals affected and impacted their families culturally, psychologically and financially. Addressing the emergent themes during pregnancy is imperative to improving care providers’ engagement with EA immigrant women in postpartum diabetes screening activities and beyond. The findings of this study contain elements transferable to other immigrant groups in similar socioecologic contexts. East African (EA) women are a subpopulation who are at very high risk for gestational diabetes (GDM) and poor obstetric outcomes, but little is known about the care experiences of this understudied group. The objective of this study was to document the impact of a diagnosis of GDM and the perceptions of diabetes care among EA immigrant women. EA immigrant women had varied experiences related to GDM. Thematic analysis revealed the negative impact of GDM diagnoses on women, including the burdens of self-care, fear, community influences and cultural and financial barriers. The positive impacts of the experience of diagnosis noted were primarily in the empowerment to make healthful behaviour changes. Study findings point to the need for more context-specific and culturally appropriate support and care. Diagnoses of GDM extended beyond the individuals affected and impacted their families culturally, psychologically and financially. Addressing the emergent themes during pregnancy is imperative to improving care providers’ engagement with EA immigrant women in postpartum diabetes screening activities and beyond. The findings of this study contain elements transferable to other immigrant groups in similar socioecologic contexts.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Vulnerable pregnant women (e.g. women with low socio-economic status or recent immigrants) are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care or to attend perinatal education classes. CenteringPregnancy (CP) is a model of group prenatal care which combines assessment, education and support. This study aimed to assess patient experience among vulnerable women in group prenatal care compared to individual care. Results: Women in CP were younger, more likely to be single and having their first baby than women in individual care. Women in CP were significantly more likely to report having received enough information on exercise during pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. Women in CP were more likely to report that they felt their prenatal care providers were interested in how the pregnancy was affecting their life. Hence, group prenatal care provides a positive experience and improves information exchange among vulnerable populations. Programs interested in engaging, educating and empowering vulnerable pregnant women may benefit from implementation of group care. Vulnerable pregnant women (e.g. women with low socio-economic status or recent immigrants) are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care or to attend perinatal education classes. CenteringPregnancy (CP) is a model of group prenatal care which combines assessment, education and support. This study aimed to assess patient experience among vulnerable women in group prenatal care compared to individual care. Results: Women in CP were younger, more likely to be single and having their first baby than women in individual care. Women in CP were significantly more likely to report having received enough information on exercise during pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. Women in CP were more likely to report that they felt their prenatal care providers were interested in how the pregnancy was affecting their life. Hence, group prenatal care provides a positive experience and improves information exchange among vulnerable populations. Programs interested in engaging, educating and empowering vulnerable pregnant women may benefit from implementation of group care.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Over the past decade, scholars have begun to explore neglected aspects of immigrant family life such as gender relations, domestic violence, parenting, and relationships with service providers. Many of these studies, however, are based on women’s experiences. As an equally crucial starting point in building sustainable and resilient immigrant communities, our study focuses on the experiences of African immigrant men in a Canadian context. It reveals African immigrant men’s frustration with their search for a better life. Our thematic analysis of participants’ responses identified three main stressors among this group: challenges with economic integration, changing ideals about masculinities and gender relations across transnational spaces, and tensions in the parent-child relationship. These findings suggest that despite the vulnerabilities they face in Canada, African men could play a strategic role as critical agents of change in families’ transitions and integration. Overall, our study calls for the active engagement of both African immigrant men and women in developing policies and practices that impact their everyday lives. Over the past decade, scholars have begun to explore neglected aspects of immigrant family life such as gender relations, domestic violence, parenting, and relationships with service providers. Many of these studies, however, are based on women’s experiences. As an equally crucial starting point in building sustainable and resilient immigrant communities, our study focuses on the experiences of African immigrant men in a Canadian context. It reveals African immigrant men’s frustration with their search for a better life. Our thematic analysis of participants’ responses identified three main stressors among this group: challenges with economic integration, changing ideals about masculinities and gender relations across transnational spaces, and tensions in the parent-child relationship. These findings suggest that despite the vulnerabilities they face in Canada, African men could play a strategic role as critical agents of change in families’ transitions and integration. Overall, our study calls for the active engagement of both African immigrant men and women in developing policies and practices that impact their everyday lives.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly