Dear Editor,
When I first moved here, I did have a fear of homeless people and I felt insecurity when I came in contact with them.
However, as I learn to understand and have been a part of community circles over the years, my guard has come down.
Canada has been a great country for the last 40 years and that’s why I want to give back to my community.
I believe that in order to have a healthy and undivided community, with the influx of newcomers, especially Chinese, we must educate new immigrants, teach them that helping the homeless and other less fortunate is part of our social program. Some of these new immigrants I know want to volunteer.
Often, most Richmond Chinese have been perceived as rich show-offs and targeted for negativity because of the nice cars they drive, how they dress, branded handbags etc.
It is unfortunate that these rich ones who bring in their attitudes also create a bad taste for more established residents due to indifferences.
Many of these rich ones have been targeted for home theft and, obviously, that creates more insecurities and fears in them. They become the victims of more uncertainties and housing the homeless in their neighbourhood becomes one of the greatest fears.
Let’s embrace our differences as we are all immigrants from different parts of the world. Let’s not throw stones at each other.
What goes around comes around...we reap what we sow!
Thanks for the opportunity to express my viewpoint.
Tina Tan
Richmond
