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Living the Canadian dream |
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Page 4 of 4 He worked very hard and “always looked to the client’s financial health, rather than my own need for a commission,” he says.
Within a couple of months, the referrals came pouring in from satisfied clients. The company rewarded him with a trip to Cancun, Mexico and the Bahamas. When he came back they offered him a management position in the biggest sales producing branch at the time.
“But I politely declined so as to follow a collective (with two other colleagues) dream to set up a full service brokerage firm covering insurance, investments and personal banking.”
His company, Crossroads Insurance & Investments, is the result of a right turn on his own crossroad in life.
Lloren’s advice to entrepreneurs is: “Dream. And dream big. It’s free anyway. Stay clear of dream-stealers who don’t believe in you or your dreams. Align yourself with positive people.”
Working for change. Many politicians agree that more needs to be done to help immigrants find their feet so they can go on to truly contribute to Canada.
Two who however speak from experience are Omar Alghabra, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale, and Jean Augustine, former MP for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding.
Augustine, a Grenada-born former Toronto school principal, has been a trailblazer for visible minorities in the realms of government. She was the first Black woman to be elected to Parliament, appointed to federal cabinet, and occupy the Speaker’s Chair in the House of Commons.
“I am living proof that we live in an open and inclusive society,” says Augustine. “But as long as people express that they have experienced racism and discrimination, we still have work to do. We must continue to act.”
Last year, the Ontario government nominated her as Fairness Commissioner, a newly-created position intended to ensure that foreign-qualified professionals can be certified and licensed in the province and that regulatory bodies register them in a fair, and transparent process.
Augustine has an impressive legacy of firsts for visible minorities but perhaps her greatest role yet has been played behind the political scenes as mentor to aspirants to a political career.
“I have learned so much from just watching her conduct herself in politics,” says Patrick Mendes, a candidate she endorsed in recent municipal elections in Mississauga. “Most importantly she has proven that the doors of political office are open to all Canadians.”
Alghabra has also been involved in mentorship programs targeted at youth and immigrant groups, even before he entered politics. This Arab-Canadian MP is now a strong advocate for integration of immigrants in the workforce.
“According to The Economist, Canada is losing approximately $6 billion in economic activity by under-utilizing the skills of its immigrant population,” says Alghabra. “Their integration in the workforce is not just a ‘feel good’ duty, but an economic necessity for this country.”
Alghabra, a Saudi-born Muslim says that some of the challenges to integration are systemic. “You must find a way to navigate through them.”
His own defining moment came when he was sitting around with friends and the discussion turned negative about the political status quo for minorities.
“I went home thinking that talk is useless unless you back it up with action. You have to do something to bring about change. And you can’t expect others to do it if you are not willing to get involved yourself.”
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