Let me introduce to  some members of the visible minorities of the multicultural Metro Vancouver..

They feel like they used to be SOMEONE in their home countries but now they sank down to NO ONE in Canada.

1. Name: Jung-ryul Kim

Ethnic Background: Asian (Korean)

Occupation in Korea: History Education Professor at University of Dae-guu

Status in Canada: Canadian citizenship holder for 8 years

Occupation in Canada: Owner of a grocery store in North Vancouver

2. Name: Keum-min Cho

Ethnic Background: Asian (Korean)

Occupation in Korea: School Nurse

Status in Canada: Canadian citizenship holder for 2 years

Occupation in Canada: A kitchen helper at a sushi restaurant in Burnaby

3. Name: Xian (Kevin) Luk

Ethnic Background: Asian (Chinese)

Occupation in China: Lawyer

Status in Canada: Permanent Residency holder for 2 years

Occupation in Canada: Unemployed

The increase of population alone cannot allow visible minorities to become a new majority group. What needs to be done then? Many of my subjects think lack of adequate English skills is the biggest obstacle for them in their journey to break into Canada’s workforce. Then where can they go to get affordable language training and education? That should be my next task to find out if is ready to facilitate the new “emerging visible majorities”.

This morning’s edition of had pictures of three visible minorities looking sharp and proud. The headline read, “as minority population booms, a visible majority emerges.” predicted by 2031, nearly 60 % of Vancouverites will belong to visible minority groups. The article acknowledged the difficulties and obstacles Canada would face in order to achieve harmony among various cultures and to truly blend together. However, as a Korean immigrant in Canada, I cannot help but wonder, “is it ever possible for visible minorities to play major roles in Canada?” (it is my impression that people from various immigrant groups already play enormous roles in the country? what evidence do you have to suggest otherwise?)

In the United States of America, Obama achieved a historical sensation by getting elected as the first African-American president of the nation. When he wowed our neighbouring country, many Canadian journalists questioned if it was likely for our nation to give birth to a visible minority Prime Minister. Many answered, “sure, maybe… in the future.”

Really? Can you imagine a Korean-born Prime Minister? Or a Chinese one? Could visible minorities truly emerge as major league players in Canada? Statistics Canada says by 2031 we (the visible minorities) will be the new emerging majorities but I would say it would take far longer than that to put various cultural aspects in one pot and melt them together without any explosions. I wonder what other members of visible minorities have to say about this and I better run outside and find out what they have to say.