by Policy options. Originally published on Policy options
November 1, 2024

by Policy options. Originally published on Policy options
November 1, 2024

Underlying anti-Indian sentiment has taken root since Canada began taking significant action increase immigration to facilitate tight job market following closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Canada had exceeded its objective, with people of Indian origin accounting for nearly 30 percent of new permanent residents, the the greatest part.

Anti-immigrant rhetoric online is powerful and further exacerbates negative perceptions of Indians. The real-world implications are being felt, with rhetoric influencing discourse and shaping public policy in counterproductive ways.

This is not the first time in Canadian history that governments have scapegoated immigrants for systemic problems they have failed to resolve. But immigrants are not to blame for the housing shortage or our strained public services.

The federal government and provinces should address the country’s long-standing problems rather than legitimizing misleading stories and base political choices on them.

Canadians’ new aversion to immigration

Public support for immigration is falling sharply despite Canada’s reputation as one of the most immigrant-friendly countries in the world. Canadians are now evenly divided on whether the country is accepting too many immigrants, a Environics Survey 2023 revealed.

This shift has been accompanied by an alarming rise in hostility toward South Asians, as evidenced by a surge in targeted hate crimes. Between 2019 and 2022, hate crimes against South Asians increased by 143 percent and a quarter of Canadians of South Asian origin reported victims of discrimination or harassment in 2022 alone, according to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

Anti-Indian racism online

Few platforms properly regulate hate speech, but TikTok and Instagram have played a key role in spreading anti-immigrant rhetoric.

For example, the popular Toronto Instagram account, 6ixbuzz, was critical for posting content deliberately intended to incite racist comments against marginalized groups. The story also uses the city of Brampton, Ontario to call out xenophobic reactions and racist stereotypes against Punjabi Sikhs, Indian international students, and the South Asian community as a whole.

It’s all too common to see clips of brown-skinned people – supposedly from India – being inundated with racist comments. And in travel stories, the opposite also happens: videos of people visiting India often elicit disparaging remarks about Brampton, filled with hackneyed stereotypes about Indians and fears about what might look like the future of Canada.

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In one particularly egregious case, TikTok commenters mocked the suicide of a former Niagara College studentCharandeep Singh, celebrating his death and calling on more Indians to follow suit.

Such online comments seemingly come from a vocal minority, but they foster an environment of hostility and exclusion.

For example, recent allegations of public defecations by Indian immigrants in the Ontario town of Wasaga Beach were broadcast by a TikTok user despite lacking any proof. They quickly gained ground, further fueling racist sentiments against Indian immigrants with the circulation of a fake sign depicting a Sikh defecating on the beach.

The misinformation has prompted calls for government intervention. Yet rather than dispel the baseless rumors, Premier Doug Ford gave the city $1 million build toilets and hire more staff. In legitimize disinformationa provincial government has allowed racist online narratives to shape public policy and discourse.

The History of Racism Against South Asians in Canada

Many Indian Canadians have never forgotten the Komagata Maru incident of 1914when hundreds of Sikh migrants were refused entry to Canada despite arrived by boat from Hong Kong. They were turned away because of newly drafted regulations which targeted migration from South Asia.

In 1907, riots against Japanese, Chinese and Indian workers in Bellingham, Washington, dumped in Canadaexacerbating anti-Asian sentiment in the West. Motivated by the poor state of the job market and xenophobia, protesters took to the streets of Vancouver, calling for a “white Canada” and attack members of targeted groups.

Today, Indian immigrants are once again being portrayed as the cause of Canada’s problems, ranging from economic strain to social unrest. In the middle of one of the worst housing crises since the 1980s, an increase poverty and food insecurity and an overburdened health system, Indian immigrants are more and more scapegoat by the public and governments.

Instead of addressing these systemic problems and providing new infrastructure, the federal government has plateaued the number of permits for international students and seeks to reduce the growth in the number of permanent residents.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that “Canada remains a positive country in its support of immigration, but also responsible in how we integrate and ensure there are pathways to success for all who come to Canada. »

And what is the reason for limiting international students? THE misleading story that recent immigrants and international students are putting pressure on housing, health care and other services and that relocation will attenuate this pressure.

The lack of affordable housing comes from an aging population baby boomers who prefer to age in place and the long-standing complicity of all levels of government to facilitate shortage of affordable housing by stifling housing construction.

Furthermore, the role of private colleges in this crisis cannot be ignored. The fifth power of Radio-Canada find that university recruiters stationed in India attract students and their families with the promise of better job prospects and easy access to permanent residency.

For-profit colleges across Canada have exploited and capitalized on the dreams of international students, treating students like numbers and enrolling as many as possible without regard for the quality of education or support needed to succeed.

The federal government’s failure to coordinate with provincial governments and adequately regulate these colleges has left many students – particularly those from India – in precarious situations. A lot living in overcrowded housing and work several low wage jobs while fighting against anti-brown racism.

The way forward

Current and future governments must do certain things. Canada must reaffirm its commitment to being a welcoming nation for all. Politicians must address the rise in anti-Indian hatred and South Asian and Canadian politicians must address this hatred within their communities.

A concrete plan is needed to build affordable and sustainable infrastructure to accommodate people living in precarious situations. Private colleges must be regulated to protect international students from further exploitation.

With Indian immigrants and international students at the center of societal frustrations, Canada must abandon its limited, profit-driven view of immigrants and implement policies that ensure immigrants are treated with dignity and respect.

To ensure their futures are shaped by real opportunities and not empty promises, the well-being of marginalized communities must be a priority. It is high time that Canada turns the page on scapegoating.

This article first appeared on Policy options and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.