Reaction to September 11 has been minor, says Mississauga’s Mayor
by Kumkum Ramchandani


The Mayor of Mississauga, Canada’s sixth largest city, thinks that the reaction in the country to the events of September 11 has been “very very minor”.

Asked if Canadian Arabs and Muslims are justified in feeling insecure, 81-year old Hazel McCallion, replied, “Racial profiling is a natural reaction to September 11. Unfortunately, this whole terrorist thing has been tied to the Arab and Muslim world. However, we must remember that every religion has its radicals and extremists. Also that there were Muslims too in the World Trade Centre who lost their lives on September 11.”

She continued, “After Hitler’s reign in Germany, the Germans experienced the same thing. What’s happening to the Muslims is no different really. In fact, quite honestly, I think it’s much less.”

Asked about the status of new immigrants, she said, “After September 11, there are definite reservations, both in the US and Canada, about who will come in now. This is because of the way in which some of the terrorists were allowed in earlier.”

Mississauga has experienced the most astonishing all-round growth under ‘Hurricane Hazel’’s 23-year undisputed reign as Mayor. Population has increased from 75,000 people in 1961 to over 600,000 at present. The city has doubled in size in each of the last two decades fuelled in part by a massive influx of immigrants. The booming city is debt-free and except for this year, hadn’t seen a rise in property taxes for eight consecutive years.

According to the most recent figures, about 40% of the city’s population consists of recent immigrants. Of a total of 234,860 recent immigrants, 23,860 were of Indian origin, 19,980 were from the UK, 19,570 were from Poland and 14,310 from the Philippines.

Canada has recently tightened its immigration rules, which according to immigration lawyers, will negatively impact the numbers coming in. The Mayor shrugged her shoulders when asked about this problem. In her trademark terse style she said that she is not involved directly with immigration.

For the Mayor of Mississauga, there is a far more pressing problem than the new numbers of immigrants. “The issue is not about new immigrants. What is more important is how we deal with the ones who come into the airport illegally. It is estimated that these are anywhere between 10,000 to 18,000 alone in the Greater Toronto Area.”

It is also estimated that Canadian taxpayers are dishing out about C$ 7.5 million in welfare payments to refugees in Mississauga alone - and none of this shows up in the federal books as cost of immigration.

Which is what irks Hazel McCallion no end. “Though this is strictly a federal matter, it is we who have to pick up the problems,” she pointed out.

“Immigrants who came here in the old days were sent to the lumber yards to work. Today those immigrants tell me they are shocked at the royal treatment given to the new illegal immigrants or refugees. You know, they come into the country without proper documents or some even flush them down the toilets to claim refugee status.”

“Then they are put up in luxury hotels in the airport till things are sorted out which can take months. They live in comfort and their children even have play areas!” the Mayor said indignantly.

She continued, “What we should do is legalize all these people and put them through the process. Send back those who deserve to be sent back and keep the ones who meet the requirements, put them to work, let them pay taxes. This way they would not be a drain to the system.”

The Mayor has no issue with immigrants who come into the country legally. In fact, she is proud of Mississauga’s multicultural profile. “We have a synagogue, Buddhist temple, Hindu temple, 8-9 Sikh temples and 2 mosques and several churches. I think we have every religion represented.”

However, she feels that new immigrants do not integrate enough. This she blames on the government’s programmes which gives them financing. “I think the children of immigrants will integrate better. It’s only natural that parents don’t integrate as much as their children who have to go to school and settle down.”

She is proud of the fact that Canada encourages new people to ‘be themselves’. “My advice to immigrants is - be Canadian first and an immigrant second. Know the national anthem, respect the flag and do all the things Canadians do. But be proud of your background and your customs and maintain your culture.”

McCallion says that immigrants have brought good values into Canada. They have a sense of family which Canadian society has lost.

However, post-September 11, there has been a change in Canada’s social fabric. “People’s attitudes have changed,” maintained Hazel. “There is more generosity, family concern and caring for others which was especially noticeable during the Christmas season. People have reflected on their lives and asked themselves ‘how can we be more caring, generous and tolerant‘? I hope this continues.”