Doctor in Training - Life as a PhD Student

Here's the latest from the adventure from the archives series! I hope you enjoy taking a look :) What:  A welcoming guide for Ugandan Asian refugees Who: Secretary of State and the Citizenship Branch When: December 1st 1972 Where: Canada So what: Showcases exactly what the Canadian government wanted refugees to know regarding life in Canada. It also reinforces the importance of collaboration between the several departments within the federal government and local NGOs, religious groups, and volunteers in creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for newly arrived refugees. Here are some very interesting excerpts from the document: page 1 click to zoom " In addition, Uganda Asian committees have been set up in larger cities to assist you with your adjustment to your new homeland. They include representative of government, community organizations and the Asian community in Canada. " The welcome brochure outlines specifically how there are several Ugand...

This latest update looks at a hilarious little document I found regarding the 'interesting' things Ugandan Asian refugees in Canada like to eat! What:  The 1st monthly newsletter sent to all Ugandan Asian settlement committees across Canada Who: : This report is from Sarnia's Food Subcommittee When:    December 7th 1972 Where:     Sarnia, Ontario So What:  Showcases how interested these committees were in helping out the refugee community in any way they could. Remember these were voluntary bodies that did receive some government funding which mainly paid for the facilities and secretarial staff. This is a reminder of how well settlement operations work when local communities (no matter how big or small), volunteer groups, and the government collaborate with each other. Click to zoom As always here are some of my comments and analysis on parts of the report: The best part by far in this newsletter is the underlining and emphasis on PLA...

Hey there blog world! This week's adventure from the archives is definitely one that a few people have been waiting for. Fortunately, I was able to track down Trudeau's response as I've been making my way through the research I collected over the summer. What: The response from Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau to Major-General and President Idi Amin's original letter explaining why he had expelled the Asians When: January 17th 1973 Where: Uganda So what:   This letter outlines the rhetoric used by the Prime Minister to showcase how Uganda's expulsion decree violates basic principles of equality and how Canada has chosen to withdraw significant forms of economic aid since Canada does not support their decision. Unfortunately, I was not able to find that original letter just yet in the archives but I was able to find a telex which directly quoted the Prime Minister's letter. I have transcribed it in full below and don't worry I have added my...

Hey there blog world! Here is the latest post form the Adventures from the Archives Series . This time we'll be taking a look at the initial report regarding the settlement of those refugees that came to Canada by the end of November 1972 What: Report respecting to the Special Movement of Ugandan Asians Who: From the Director General Mr. M.G. Clark of the Foreign Service to Assistant Deputy Minister of Manpower and Immigration Mr. James Cross When: December 5th 1972 Where: Ottawa So What: The report outlines the early integration of Ugandan Asian refugees in terms of employment along with the interest of the Canadian government in recruiting some of the most enterprising and business savvy refugees. The report makes it quite clear that refugees were settled across the country.   The first page of the document outlines the basics of the operation in Uganda including how many visas were issued and the general operations on the ground in Kampala Uganda. The second page ...

Hello blog world! Sorry for the massive delay in writing another adventure from the archives. Things have been a little hectic but the good news is that a potential publication on Ugandan Asians in Canada may be available for all of you to read in the coming months! Without any further ado let's get into this week's find from the archives. We have an updated memorandum to cabinet from September 1972 and it follows up from the previous memorandum submitted in August featured in adventure from the archives part II . What: Memorandum to the Prime Minister's office/ Cabinet Who: Sent by Bryce Mackasey, Minister for Manpower and Immigration When: September 13th 1972 Where: Ottawa So What: Marks the first official increase of Ugandan Asian expellees to come to Canada and proposes that Canada accept anyone who qualifies under the points system as well as an additional 1,000 who would require special humanitarian assistance. p age 1...

Hello blog world! Recently I attended my first ever TEDx Conference in Toronto this past Thursday. It was a truly inspiring event with a broad range of speakers covering everything from the cosmos to singing as a giant group of over 1000 people to understanding racial profiling in the police force and coming out to your family as a lesbian comedian who is half Swiss and half Pakistani. I really wanted to share some of my thoughts and major take aways from some of the excellent speakers. The theme was brilliant - relentless pursuits - it was all about dreams that we chase but may never achieve. It pushed the delegates and online viewers to ask how far are you willing to go for the chance to be happier? Some of the interesting take aways and talk for me include: The idea of taking responsibility to challenge barriers we face. "If you had a chance to save an entire species, would you turn away?" - Gabriela Mastromonaco ( Curator of Reproductive Programs and Resea...

Hey everyone, this is a 15 minute youtube clip that features the full presentation I made at the 2014 Mobility and Immobility Conference held at Western University this past April. It explores the concept of diaspora and encourages listeners to challenge their definitions of home and belonging. The conference was hosted by Ryerson University's Centre of Immigration and Settlement and Western University's Centre for Research on Migration and Ethnic Relations .  The presentation itself was well received and I am also grateful to the audience as well as my supervisor for their feedback. I do believe the presentation could have been delivered more effectively with a less reading off the page and definitely a lot fewer "umms" especially in the beginning. I'm always striving to improve my presentation skills so please don't be shy to let me know where things could be better. There's always room for improvement :)