Brampton, for example, grew by 33.3% and other areas experienced a dramatic increase in their population.  Brampton is now the 11^th largest municipality in Canada and the 3^rd largest community in the GTA.  Mississauga is the second largest community in the GTA.  The top 10 ethnic groups living in Brampton were the following East Indian, Canadian, English, Scottish, Irish, Jamaican, Portuguese, Italian, French and German.

It is not easy to get started when a person immigrates into a new country.  The newcomers need to get settled into their new neighbourhoods quickly.  An immigration expert, in the July 2011 issue of the Canadian Immigrant, says that there are five important steps for immigrants to take in order to start working.  First, open a bank account.  With out a bank account, it is impossible to deposit your paycheck. Second, get a computer with internet access.  Jobs are found posted on websites and housing information is available on some websites.  Libraries have computers which newcomers can access if they do not have a computer at their home to use.  Third, get a credit card.  Credit cards help people establish credit and a way to help pay for things while they wait for a paycheck.  Fourth, obtain a cell phone for any job interview opportunities.  A recruiter will phone rather than use an email to arrange a job interview.

Fifth, networking is important to improve your chances for employment.  Job opportunities are often found out from a friend, or a relative who is already working at a company.  It helps to make friends and new contacts to improve your chances to get a job and to settle into Canada.

These tips can help newcomers get started in their new land.

Jim Jackson MA is a Professor at Humber College.

(Toronto – AP) The Canadian government said it will revoke the citizenship of at least 1,800 people who allegedly used fraudulent means to obtain citizenship status.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said most of those people were counseled by crooked immigration consultants on how to concoct fake proof of residency.

To become a citizen a person is supposed to have lived in Canada for three out of four years.

“Sadly, there is an industry of what we call unscrupulous agents operating around the world who sell advice on how to take advantage of Canada to break our laws,” Kenny said.

Up to now, Canada has successfully revoked citizenship status — usually an arduous process involving lengthy court appeals — from only 66 people.

But Kenney suggested most of the 1,800 won’t contest the revocation since the evidence of fraud is strong and most don’t live in the country full-time.

Kenney said scamming the citizenship system appeals to foreigners who don’t want to live in Canada but want to take advantage of the country’s free health care, subsidized university tuition fees and the security of the Canadian passport.

“I’m here to tell those people that Canadian citizenship is not for sale,” Kenney declared.

The government conducted a two-year investigation into citizenship fraud and the government is in the process of notifying those whose citizenship will be revoked.

While there is public support for immigration, polling shows a limited appetite for increasing immigration levels. An Angus Reid poll published last year reported that in an online survey of a representative sample of 1,007 Canadian adults, 46 percent of respondents believed immigration is having a negative effect in Canada, while 34 percent believed it is having a positive effect.

The nation of 34 million accepted more than 280,000 immigrants last year — the highest total in more than 50 years. For the past decade the country had accepted roughly 250,000 new permanent residents annually. As Canada’s population ages, some have suggested Canada should take in more immigrants. But some argue that immigrants weigh on Canada’s social system and require greater resources to succeed in the country, such as language courses.

Most immigrants resort to survival jobs which leaves them little or no time to further their professional careers. The transition from a survival job to a preferred job in one’s profession and maybe…a dream job is a long, hard and tiring process.

Canada, the land of opportunities, is the country that promises highest standard of living, excellent infrastructure, superior educational institutions, supportive health care system, universal human rights – everything that is essential for a fulfilling, safe and a successful life for new Canadians. Although, the ‘Canadian dream’ does not come easy, the support system is available and like everything else can be made better. Arriving in Canada does not guarantee a life that most new immigrants dream of when they reach here. Reality hits hard when finding a job with capable qualification and experience seems like a distant dream. Most immigrants from South Asian origin move to Canada in search of a land that has better jobs, better education, better standards of living. When I say ‘better,’ I mean better. Many of the recent immigrants to Canada are professionals, business owners and highly educated people who had decent quality of living in their home countries. After moving here most families do not have the luxury of going through educational or developmental programs. The immediate need is to find a job, get a place to stay and put food on the table. Most immigrants resort to survival jobs which leaves them little or no time to further their professional careers. The transition from a survival job to a preferred job in one’s profession and maybe…a dream job is a long, hard and tiring process. The journey of finding the ‘Canadian dream’ for many immigrants is confusing, frustrating and overwhelming. It is understandable that anyone coming to a new country would be exposed to a new culture, new way to living and working. Canada is a country that has a different job market, a job market that requires different level of expertise, communication skills, understanding of protocols and approach to work. There is no denying that there is a difference in what the new immigrants have to offer and what the Canadian market requires. So, the question arises how do we bridge the gap to make a new immigrant – a prospect employee for the Canadian market? The answer lies in Co-op positions, internships, job workshops, seminars, professional training, networking & support groups as well as scholarships to help new immigrants develop their skills. But the first and foremost thing to do is to get one’s credentials evaluated and assessed to get an understanding of the opportunities & options available for the future. If there is a clear understanding of goals and expectations the results could be achieved much faster and with a lot less confusion. South Asians are highly intelligent group with a lot of advantages on their stride – such as language skills, adaptability, willingness to work hard and having extraordinary survival instincts. All these skills are extremely important, but there are certain things we can definitely improve upon, such as – learning to respect people and treating everyone equally. Also, opening oneself to learn and adapt to the new culture as well as making an attempt to talk to new people can go a long way in integration into the Canadian society and learning about new culture. On the other hand, learning from other communities that have migrated here earlier might be useful, they have created support systems to help the newcomers of their communities adapt easier. We all share the same human experience and a lot of the challenges we face can be eased by helping each other. Given the support and a helping hand we can emerge influential and successful as a group in the future. Surbhi Guleria-Joshi is the host of ‘Badhai Ho!’ show on Omni television. Surbhi is also the Chair of Design & Marketing Committee at the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce. Canada, the land of opportunities, is the country that promises highest standard of living, excellent infrastructure, superior educational institutions, supportive health care system, universal human rights – everything that is essential for a fulfilling, safe and a successful life for new Canadians.Although, the ‘Canadian dream’ does not come easy, the support system is available and like everything else can be made better. Arriving in Canada does not guarantee a life that most new immigrants dream of when they reach here. Reality hits hard when finding a job with capable qualification and experience seems like a distant dream. Most immigrants from South Asian origin move to Canada in search of a land that has better jobs, better education, better standards of living.When I say ‘better,’ I mean better. Many of the recent immigrants to Canada are professionals, business owners and highly educated people who had decent quality of living in their home countries.After moving here most families do not have the luxury of going through educational or developmental programs. The immediate need is to find a job, get a place to stay and put food on the table. Most immigrants resort to survival jobs which leaves them little or no time to further their professional careers. The transition from a survival job to a preferred job in one’s profession and maybe…a dream job is a long, hard and tiring process. The journey of finding the ‘Canadian dream’ for many immigrants is confusing, frustrating and overwhelming. It is understandable that anyone coming to a new country would be exposed to a new culture, new way to living and working. Canada is a country that has a different job market, a job market that requires different level of expertise, communication skills, understanding of protocols and approach to work. There is no denying that there is a difference in what the new immigrants have to offer and what the Canadian market requires. So, the question arises how do we bridge the gap to make a new immigrant – a prospect employee for the Canadian market?The answer lies in Co-op positions, internships, job workshops, seminars, professional training, networking & support groups as well as scholarships to help new immigrants develop their skills. But the first and foremost thing to do is to get one’s credentials evaluated and assessed to get an understanding of the opportunities & options available for the future. If there is a clear understanding of goals and expectations the results could be achieved much faster and with a lot less confusion.South Asians are highly intelligent group with a lot of advantages on their stride – such as language skills, adaptability, willingness to work hard and having extraordinary survival instincts. All these skills are extremely important, but there are certain things we can definitely improve upon, such as – learning to respect people and treating everyone equally. Also, opening oneself to learn and adapt to the new culture as well as making an attempt to talk to new people can go a long way in integration into the Canadian society and learning about new culture. On the other hand, learning from other communities that have migrated here earlier might be useful, they have created support systems to help the newcomers of their communities adapt easier. We all share the same human experience and a lot of the challenges we face can be eased by helping each other. Given the support and a helping hand we can emerge influential and successful as a group in the future.Surbhi Guleria-Joshi is the host of ‘Badhai Ho!’ show on Omni television. Surbhi is also the Chair of Design & Marketing Committee at the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

“My credentials were assessed in Pakistan and I was accepted in the skilled immigrant category when I applied for immigration to Canada,” said Zaidi.

Immigrants accepted under the “skilled workers” category of immigration are accepted based on their work-related skills, professional credentials, and knowledge of one or both official languages.

Currently pursuing graduate studies in Environment and Sustainability at Western, and gaining experience through a co-op placement program, Zaidi says his potential is not being recognized. “No matter how frustrating it is intellectually, changing professions to adapt becomes the only choice.”

Many skilled workers, like Zaidi, despite having their education and experience assessed prior to immigration are not more likely to be employed or to be able to find employment in jobs that utilize their skills.

Unlike Zaidi, not every immigrant chooses to join educational institutes to increase chances of employment. For immigrants like Mohammad Shafiq, 51, the transition requires quick thinking and fast action. When Shafiq came to Canada from United States armed with a doctorate in economics, he looked around for suitable jobs but not for too long.

“I realized the Canadian job market didn’t require what I had to offer, so I switched gears and went to a community college and completed a certificate in computer programming,” said Shafiq.

But due to stiff competition and aftermath of recession, opportunities are shrinking for newly arrived immigrants. A 2008 study  revealed that the proportion of degree-holding immigrants ended up working as store clerks and taxi drivers even after living in Canada for more than a decade has increased.

About 12 percent male immigrants with a university degree had jobs with low educational requirements in 1991. By 2006, it was 21 percent.

Among female immigrants, the study said, these numbers increased from 24 percent in 1991 to 29 percent in 2006.

“These increases for established immigrants suggest that the difficulties, which have long plagued immigrants who have arrived recently, today have an impact on established immigrants,” said Statistics Canada in a statement.

“If we are accepted in the category of skilled immigrants, then where are the jobs that can help us utilize those skills?” said Zaidi.

It is an uphill task for some immigrants to establish themselves professionally because their work experience and foreign credentials are not recognized in Canada.

A recent report released by the Region of Peel in Ontario shows immigrants lagging behind in accessing the job market. The Peel Immigration Labour Market Survey has unveiled that immigrants are not faring as well as their Canadian born counterparts.

In the sample of 1,425 immigrants and Canadian-born Peel residents surveyed, lack of Canadian work experience was reported as the barrier faced most often. For those who had international work experience, only one-third were successful in obtaining their desired employment.

Laureen Rennie, project manager at Department of Human Services in Region of Peel says it takes around six to ten years for the immigrants to settle down in Canada. “The process is difficult because when qualified immigrants arrive here, they enter a market that doesn’t necessarily require those qualifications,” said Rennie.

Human Services serves as a liaison between the federal/ provincial government and municipalities of Peel region that include Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. Immigrants make up 49% of peel’s population.

According to the survey, one in four immigrants accessed some government-funded employment services, and just under one-third obtained more education and credentials in Canada. The Peel Immigration Labour Market Survey is the first study conducted that provides local data on the labour market in Peel, and how immigrants are faring in finding employment. Funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the study was done in collaboration with Ryerson’s Diversity Institute in Management and Technology.

Rennie said that Region of Peel is working on creating a dialogue between public and private companies and the new immigrants so they can be facilitated in the work place.

Author:Zareen Muzaffar

Preliminary results from the Language Training Vouchers pilot project show that more than twice the number of immigrants who received vouchers enrolled in free language training compared to those who did not receive vouchers, and that immigrant women were those most likely to enroll in language classes after receiving a voucher.

Language training in English or French has historically been provided free of charge for immigrants and still is. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has tripled immigrant settlement funding for organizations that provide services to newcomers such as English and French language training. Unfortunately, despite the tripling in funding since 2006, enrollment in language classes has not significantly increased. Only 25 percent of immigrants sign up for settlement services.

Under the Language Training Vouchers pilot project, which was launched in October 2009, 2,000 immigrants, chosen randomly in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Alberta, were mailed vouchers that they could take to an immigrant settlement service centre provider of their choice. This gave them the same right as those not in the pilot: the ability to enroll in free, federally-funded language training known as Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC). The difference was, those in the pilot received a special voucher that they could redeem at the immigrant settlement provider of their choice for language classes. Within six months of the vouchers being sent, immigrants selected to take part in the pilot were more than 100 percent more likely to enroll in free language classes than those who were not part of the pilot.

“I have always believed in the ability of vouchers to encourage competition, promote accountability, and empower the recipients,” said Minister Kenney. “The success of our Language Training Vouchers pilot project shows that, when it comes to immigrants, not only do vouchers work in theory, they also work in practice. No initiative undertaken since I have been minister has so radically and fundamentally increased enrollment in English and French language training among immigrants.”

Among those immigrants who were sent vouchers and subsequently enrolled in free language classes, 60 percent were women, compared to 40 percent in the control group that did not receive the vouchers.

“Language Training Vouchers are empowering immigrant women, who are enrolling in language classes in even greater numbers than men,” said Alice Wong, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, and a former ESL teacher with a PhD in Instruction and Curriculum. “Vouchers are empowering immigrant women in their homes and at work by giving them the tools they need to speak English or French. Vouchers will better help them integrate into Canada.”

The objective of the project was to test if vouchers could increase enrollment in free, federally funded language training. The project will run until January 2011.

Through the LINC program, immigrants learn not only how to speak, read and write English or French, but also important aspects of integration, such as their rights and responsibilities as future Canadian citizens.

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society.

For more information on CIC programs, consult our website at www.cic.gc.ca.

Born as the Catholic Immigration Bureau, its steady evolution reflects the influx of newcomers to the GTA, and the cultural enrichment they bring along. As a result, today we serve immigrants, refugees, and other non-status newcomers to Canada regardless of race, age, religion or political affiliation. Moreover, we are glad to provide our services in over 30 languages, ranging from Cantonese to Urdu and from Swahili to Tigrigna.

The many people CCS serves is a testament to the amount and quality of services that it offers. One of the most common barriers to success and integration in Canada is acquiring proficiency in English. To help newcomers deal with this problem, CCS offers free English classes that include conversational classes, computer-assisted learning, and free childminding through our LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) program. However, Anisley, one of the many people who has benefited from this program, believes that CCS is not just a settlement agency with English classes.

Anisley, an immigrant from Cuba

“I realized that CCS is more than that. Every single day is an excitement with classes, trips, and presentations that help us to gain practical knowledge about living in Canada”

Originally from Cuba, Anisley came with limited knowledge of English, but “in three short months, I had the confidence to speak with people. I was able to search for a job, and present my skills in a job interview, all thanks to the support and advice of my teacher and friends there.”

Manju Kappa and his wife

Another hurdle that newcomers often face is obtaining employment, as Anisley pointed out. Luckily, CCS offers free Job Search Workshops (JSW) that help newcomers prepare professional, marketable resumes. These interactive sessions allow newcomers to assess their employability skills, get information on accreditation, and access the hidden job market. However, that’s only the beginning, because CCS also provides one-to-one support for clients, where they receive job search coaching, and referrals to other appropriate programs and services.

Our settlement team provides many of these other services, and our counsellors often go beyond providing the basic referrals and information sessions on housing, health care, social assistance etc. They are committed to guiding the dynamic individuals that step into our office everyday.

“CCS has a very good reputation because we respect people. It doesn’t matter what country they come from or what religion they follow, we listen to them and try to help them in every aspect of their lives. We don’t just let them go and say ‘that’s it’. We look at people’s needs seriously because settlement is a serious thing: food, housing, employment…reassurance and hope” – Nayana Mistry, Settlement Counsellor

Manju Kuppa came from Mysore, India, in 2000 as a civil engineer with knowledge of construction work and software consulting. He was introduced to Nayana Mistry, one of our settlement counsellors, through his wife. Nayana promptly began helping him tailor his resume for the Canadian job market. After a difficult period of doubt and discouragement where he faced the common barriers to foreign professionals such as ‘qualification not valid’, ‘experience not recognized’ he then thought about becoming self-employed. Nayana again helped him rebuild his confidence to the point that today he is a successful real estate broker that builds and sells custom luxury homes.

“CCS and its counsellors were always giving us the confidence and patience to do well.”

Moreover, we can proudly say that Manju is now using his breadth of experience to help other newcomers integrate into Canadian society. In fact, he recently facilitated a CCS workshop for first time home buyers.

Yet, despite the best efforts of our counsellors, sometimes the immigration process can still be very difficult and stressful. The situations that can present themselves as a result of this distress can often be very difficult to talk about. Through the support services we provide to women (under the Violence Against Women program), our counsellors ensure that the voice of every woman is heard, and that the situations are dealt with tactfully and reasonably.

Whether you need English classes, job search skills, information on housing, education or training, reassurance, or all of the above, CCS is committed to helping newcomers like yourself adapt to Canada, and then to flourish.

Catholic Crosscultural Services has three office locations:

Mississauga:

3660 Hurontario Street, 7^th floor,

(905) 273-4140

Brampton:

8 Nelson Street West, suite 302

(905) 457-7740

Scarborough:

55 Town Centre Court, suite 401

(416) 757-7010

Authors:

Gabriella Utreras

Waleed Ahmed

“My office and I have been asking the federal government for quite a number of months to initiate the negotiations [to renew COIA.] We’re waiting for the date,” said Minister Hoskins.

The federal government has committed to Ontario $2 million that Ontario waits “to serve 120,000 new comers to Ontario.”

“We’re looking to our federal government to provide fair share of funding to Ontario’s newcomers,” Dr. Eric Hoskins says. “$200 million still hasn’t been spent. We ask the federal government to honour that promise and send these funds,” Ontario Citizenship and Immigration Minister says. He urges the federal government “to sit down with us to begin the negotiations that mutually productive agreement and that will truly benefit our newcomers.”

When Minister Jason Kenny, the federal Minister of Citizenship & Immigration and Multiculturalism was asked to respond to Ontario government’s concerns, he said “our government has more than tripled the settlement funding for new comer services in Ontario [such as to organizations such as Indian Rainbow Services of Peel] so we are very proud of  the enormous increase of our government’s funding in providing additional integration support so that the newcomers can succeed. That is a commitment that we have made on an on-going basis. We’re looking at the framework of settlement services across Canada. We don’t wanna make a bunch of one-off agreements with different provinces. We wanna take a national approach; it’s about the nation building. My focus in on Canada’s best interest, so we are very open to the possibility of negotiating another agreement with Ontario, but whether or not there is an agreement or when it is signed, it will not stop us from these increased levels of fundings.”

Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario Minister of Citizenship & Immigration has met with 60 of settlement organizations that work closely with the Ontario government to ensure that newcomers to Ontario are served best and to settle them quickly to make Ontario’s economy viable. Ontario government has invested three-quarters of a billion dollars to serve 120,000 newcomers who come to Ontario each year. $60 million have been invested in English and French language training programs and $ 2 million have been put into Bridge training programs.

Whether or not these program have been initiated, South Asian community remains woefully unaware of these services and programs funded by both the federal and Ontario governments. Even multilingual media remains uniformed. In the absence of outreaching to inform multicultural communities about the government’s programs be it through media or any other channels, we will continue to hear about doctors driving cabs and mayoral candidates will be asked questions like “I’ve been in Toronto for four months, I am a professional engineer and I have not even got a single hour of employment. What are you going to do about this as a mayor/” Mr. George Smitherman was asked to respond to this question at an event organized by Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP) on Saturday.

Minister Hoskins concedes “You’re right. It’s challenging to get all the news out, particularly the good news.”

“We rely on good media like yours,” he added. However not even ‘good media” like ours is supported by the government. Perhaps this should also be on the minds of officials of all levels of government.

Irshad also holds an MA in English literature from Bahaudin Zakariya University, Multan. He recognizes the significance of Canadian residency even more. After getting admission at University of Toronto, he was denied Canadian visa twice. “It’s hard to get into Canada,” he says.

While no specific reason was given, the indication was that the same study [an MA] in curriculum development and teacher development is also available in Pakistan. “And I challenge them” on this assumption, he says. He didn’t want to study in any Pakistani university as they teach by rote-learning.

Are there jobs available in his area of education?

“I really don’t know. Those who have been applying say it’s tough.”

He feels that “even if you give someone the status of a Canadian citizen and you can’t really transform his talent and knowledge, you’re wasting a talent, a true talent which is an opportunity for Canada.”

“There is a gap between having a degree and finding a job. There’s a ditch you can fall into it, some find a bridge between the two in the form of good referrals or connections, others are lucky and some are not so lucky. But this is an area where Canada needs to do more [to bridge gap between graduates and employment opportunities for them].”

Next on Irshad’s agenda is to get himself enrolled in a PhD program.

With the sound of bomb blasts ringing constantly in their ears, they headed towards north of Iraq and took refuge in Turkey for a few days. After the necessary paperwork was done, they arrived in Canada.

“We did not even lock our doors because we knew we would never return,” said Maria with a distant look in her eyes. That night, their home turned into a vestige that is occupied by strangers today.

When Maria Joseph immigrated to Canada 11 years ago, she looked forward to a bright future. A former professor of economics at the University of Baghdad in Iraq, Joseph relocated from the war torn country for a secure life in Canada.

And as Maria sits and recalls after eleven years, the image is very clear. The chandeliers were still gleaming when they left their house. The books rested on the shelves and the servants had dusted the wooden tables before retiring for the night. They did not need any of the cars that were parked in the driveway.

Her eyes welled up with tears when she remembered her home in Iraq.

Maria’s family was among those who fled the country when many educated and professional people were leaving Iraq during Saddam’s regime for security reasons. They didn’t know if the violence would ever end.

In Canada, Maria worked as a cashier at a local departmental store for seven years but she could not secure any position that remotely resembled her former job in Iraq. “I kept on applying for teaching jobs but without even calling me for an interview some employers said I am over qualified for the job and others never returned the calls,” said Talia.

She worked in a local bank in Canada for a year. “I tried my best to fit in, but my colleagues were not accommodating enough and I felt the rift between our worlds,” she said while discussing her experience at the bank.

Maria feels that systemic racism is the hindrance in professional advancement for qualified and educated immigrants. Even for those who have their credentials assessed before immigrating face hurdles in finding a job. But in Maria’s case, her departure from Iraq was a result of social and political unrest. “Life is Canada is very peaceful, but professionally it seems as if I am staring at a blank page”, said Maria.

For those who have left their country due to political upheavals, returning to their homeland is not an option.

Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Author:

Neelam Kapoor owns and operates a small cafe all by herself. But she’s got big dreams.

When a customer walks in, she quickly flashes a smile and takes her hand away from the keyboard. But as soon as the cafe is empty, the laptop’s screen glows on her face in the dimly lit area behind the counter.

She is creating a list of guests she wants to invite for her next event in June. Kapoor started a series of events called Synergy 2010 in May, as a part of the South Asian Heritage Month, which aims to bring out the hidden potential of women from all walks of life and different cultural backgrounds.

The event helps women showcase their talents, but before the event Kapoor finds herself knocking on the office doors of the city mayors she invites to hand out certificates of recognition to the participants.

“When I explain my motive that this is a multicultural event for women and for them to show their talent, they agree to come to my event”, says Kapoor.

Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell attended Kapoor’s event in May.

The steel counter top is spotless and she rests her elbows on it as she animatedly talks about her project.

“But I am making every effort to help myself and other immigrants who feel alienated in a new atmosphere,” she said as a customer walked in.

Having completed her Masters in Public Administration and a post- graduate diploma in Industrial Relations from Punjab University in India, Kapoor immigrated to Canada in 1999 and stayed in Alberta for a while before settling in Toronto. After eleven years in Canada, Neelam Kapoor has turned stepping stones into building blocks. “Events like Synergy provide a meeting ground for the newcomers,” said Kapoor.

Kapoor worked as a Manager at a popular food chain for six years before deciding to venture into social work and event management.

“People I hired there are still in touch with me”, says Kapoor.

After meeting so many people who were striving to belong and adjust, Kapoor felt the need to do more for those who had left their country.

It felt as if she were looking in the rearview mirror. Their effort was a reminder of her struggles. “Sometimes they just need someone who can listen to them.”

Kapoor’s mother worked as a registered nurse for 36 years and she retired last year. “She is my inspiration, I don’t remember her sitting idle,”said Kapoor.

At times when her husband is busy she brings her two sons to the cafe for a few hours. The four year old sits on the stool and behind the laptop and the seventeen-month old refuses to be anywhere else except in his mother’s arms.

Girls from the fashion show organized by Kapoor

Kapoor’s husband Pankaj Kapoor supported her constantly because he knew it was her dream to promote multiculturalism and to unveil the hidden potential of Synergy’s participants.

Kapoor has a penchant for designing also and she showcased her collection of jewelery and clothes in the Synergy event that took place in May.

Sometimes when everyone’s asleep I gather my beads and start working. I have to start a website soon. This can be a good online business,” said Kapoor as she flashed a smile and poured coffee for her next customer.

Kapoor’s next event Synergy 2010 will be held on 28 June, 2010 celebrating Canada Day with  Regional Councillor Elaine Moore and all the participants of Synergy.

“My message for women is to respect yourself and your dreams. You will definitely achieve the success you deserve”.

Proceeds from Synergy 2010 were donated to the Toronto Sick Kids Hospital.

Author:Zareen Muzaffar