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As immigrants, we have unique stories to share about our first experiences in Vancouver. Whether it is buying our first Compass card at the Skytrain station, or being in awe of the sheer beauty of the North Shore mountains, or tasting foods from all over the world in our first international food festival. But the most memorable might be the generosity of people in your community or in public services who made it easier for you to furnish your house, secure a good school for your children, or connect with the right person to land a job.
Healthcare should be the same.
I remember my father, who has a PhD from the US, frazzled and confused by the process of the medical office visit, the unfamiliarity of medical terminology and the Canadian health system for the first 10 years in Canada. He deferred to get healthcare in his home country rather than Canada, this was especially true when it came to seeing specialists. As a youth, this did not make sense, why would he not seek health care in one of the best health systems in the world? As an adult, I have come to understand my dad's reasoning.
The main reason is that for jobs - there are employment counsellors, banks provide language support services, stores are more than happy to help my dad to buy household items, and schools are very open to discuss what they do and how they are a good fit for students. Healthcare operates behind austere walls and masks. We speak a curiously 'foreign' language. For many Newcomers who struggle with mental health, immigrant communities lack the openness and resilience to talk about health and how people can get the help they need at the right time and right place.
Hence, at Immigrant Health of BC, we want to work together to make it easier for Newcomers to Canada to better access and benefit from Canada's exemplar achievement, universal healthcare. We want to hear from you, get input from you, and ask you to participate to take steps to stitch the flourishing of everyone of our the stories which is Canada.
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