When it comes to understanding provincial elections, there is certainly a lot to know.
People from other countries, new to both Canada and Williams Lake, participating in an English language class at Thompson Rivers University - Williams Lake (TRU) dove into the information during the weeks leading up to the recent B.C. election.
They had help in doing so from the Cariboo-Chilcotin candidates, who both came to visit the class.
Michael Moses, the NDP candidate and the Cariboo-Chilcotin, joined in the learning on October 8, followed by Lorne Doerksen, B.C. Conservative candidate and incumbent MLA, on October 15.
Offered through Cariboo-Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) in partnership with TRU, the English Practice for Everyday Life (Intermediate/Advanced) class focuses on supporting newcomers in becoming more confident in navigating life in Canada.
While studying the provincial elections, class participants explored a wide range of topics including how voting works in B.C., who the political parties are, how electoral districts are divided across the province, and the historical time line of voting rights in Canada.
Participants had several opportunities to share with one another, as well as with both Moses and Doerksen. They shared how elections work in the their home countries which included the Philippines, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Peru and Russia.
"I am grateful that Michael Moses and Lorne Doerkson were our guests in our class. They supported all the newcomers in becoming more confident about living here in B.C. and they answered our concerns and questions. I learned how elections work here in Canada and I have an idea of how to vote in future elections,” said Lea Remo. Remo is a recent newcomer to Canada from the Philippines who now lives and works in Williams Lake.
There was also time for sharing with candidates the concerns, questions and suggestions of newcomers living in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
These include the lack of health care professionals in the area and ways to speed up certification of international professionals so they can begin working in their fields sooner. There was also conversation around the need for a local mosque in the area which would in turn benefit the wider community through retention of professionals who identify as Muslim.
The conversations were inspiring and while many newcomers are not eligible to vote if they are not yet Canadian citizens, this class allowed their voices as constituents of the Cariboo-Chilcotin to be heard and valued.
Angelika Sellick is a learning facilitator with CCPL who leads the English Practice for Every Day Life class at TRU.
