‘Berta recruiting

[whydontu]

I'll bite. What's the issue with Port Alberni?

My family lived there from 1968 to 1972, so it might have changed since then, but the last time I was there in 2018 it still felt the same. Very stratified - four classes of people:
#1: folks who worked at MacMillan Bloedel, with distinct ranks of management, foremen, and then lowly clock punchers
#2: white folks who lived there but didn’t work in the mills
#3: First Nations folks, who were tolerated as long as they stayed away from the mills and didn’t get too uppity
#4: new inhabitants, unless they were mill management.

And my family was way down the sub list of category 4.

Story that illustrates category 4. My father was a school teacher, hired from out of Port Alberni, to become the principal of a primary school. Kindergarten to Grade 3, not exactly a high-prestige posting.

Reporter from the Alberni Times comes to our house, talks to my Dad, and takes a picture of my family.

Saturdays’ edition of the Times comes out. Front page is the family photo. Front page headline is “Outsider Appointed”.

This might have skewed my feelings toward Port Alberni, but nothing I’ve heard since than has made me feel better about that town.

 

[Tomc938]

I've lived in every province west of Ontario. Loved them all! Each one has it's plusses and minuses, but I think one thing that sets us apart from many other countries (especially the one to the south) is that we aren't likely to survive unless we look after one another. Always carried a snow shovel, tow rope and jumper cables in the car when living on the prairies. Not for me - for everyone else. Or my friends in our teens in Winnipeg during a storm, just out walking around and pushing out people who were stuck. Some great folk around us. And I'm sure it's the same in the rest of Canada. Know people from every province and they are all good solid folk.

Of course there's a special subset of people that are also very helpful - the folks on this board! So even though Canada Day is past, give yourself a pat on the back.

 

[CWret]

Whydontu: Thanks for sharing your experience/view of Port A.
Unfortunately some people in small towns treat newcomers like that. Usually it’s just a few individuals not the majority. Not very Canadian but it happens. Usually it’s the opposite- I’ve moved to small towns and had a very good welcoming experience. Sorry to hear you Port A was such a bummer.

 

[Susquatch]

I think one thing that sets us apart from many other countries (especially the one to the south) is that we aren't likely to survive unless we look after one another.

I worked most of my career on both sides of the border. I was once quoted in the newspaper after speaking at the Windsor Chamber of Commerce where I said that the difference between Americans and Canadians is easy to explain. Americans compete to win. Canadians cooperate to survive. Got me in a fair bit of trouble.... Nobody argued though. They just didn't think I should say stuff like that out loud cuz it might offend someone.

 

[Chicken lights]

My family lived there from 1968 to 1972, so it might have changed since then, but the last time I was there in 2018 it still felt the same. Very stratified - four classes of people:
#1: folks who worked at MacMillan Bloedel, with distinct ranks of management, foremen, and then lowly clock punchers
#2: white folks who lived there but didn’t work in the mills
#3: First Nations folks, who were tolerated as long as they stayed away from the mills and didn’t get too uppity
#4: new inhabitants, unless they were mill management.

And my family was way down the sub list of category 4.

Story that illustrates category 4. My father was a school teacher, hired from out of Port Alberni, to become the principal of a primary school. Kindergarten to Grade 3, not exactly a high-prestige posting.

Reporter from the Alberni Times comes to our house, talks to my Dad, and takes a picture of my family.

Saturdays’ edition of the Times comes out. Front page is the family photo. Front page headline is “Outsider Appointed”.

This might have skewed my feelings toward Port Alberni, but nothing I’ve heard since than has made me feel better about that town.

I don’t understand the First Nations issue as well as I should, I guess. I understand the gist of it but not the history.

However, once I’m northern Ontario or western Canada it’s another set of rules

I’ve never dealt with it in southern Ontario but definitely out west I know the rules change

 

[trevj]

Thats because Manitoba and sask have the highest population of Ukrainian's in Canada by a good margin...or did...being from there i have Ukrainians in my extended family, hard not to if your from mb or sask! Cant go far without finding a uke/pol church selling perogies and borscht on a Sunday that's for sure!

I have a decent ear for Ukrainian (although i cant understand it), i hear a lot more of it at the grocery store in the last year than i have in the last 14 being here (calgary), must be lots immigrating, good for them

we need more people.......now we just gotta build a shit ton more housing! and fast

When the land grants were being handed out, some sections of the map were filled by folks who went overseas to recruit new Immigrants, so you had vast swathes of the Prairies that were populated by one or another pretty specific ethnic group. You find areas where German is more common than English, Polish, Ukranian (a lot!) Noweigan areas, Swedes, French areas and so on, once you start to pay attention. The Railways were given great tracts of land, and they would give a person a quarter section, which they would receive Title to, if they stayed on it and farmed. So groups of recruiters would go in to Ukraine, and essentially recruit people to fill up a given area, provide them Transport (on the Railway owned ships and rail cars) and get them somewhat set up when they arrived. It was handy that there were other people in the area that spoke the same language, as that made for higher success for the new arrivals, to be able to learn the ins and outs from someone else's experiences.

Nothing comes for free. The Railways and the Canadian Government, both wanted the land populated and producing. The Government for taxes, and to protect their claim of ownership by the Country, the railways for income from moving the grain and other products to and from markets.

 

[Susquatch]

When the land grants were being handed out, some sections of the map were filled by folks who went overseas to recruit new Immigrants, so you had vast swathes of the Prairies that were populated by one or another pretty specific ethnic group.

This is exactly correct. My German family roots in Saskatchewan happened exactly this way. When my Great Grand Parents arrived, the first thing they did was stake out the original home quarter. They had to build a sod house and open some ground to keep it. My grandfather was a little boy at the time. My father and I were both born there. I wish my kids and their kids could have been born there too. The home farm is a very good place.

 

[Mcgyver]

Except maybe Port Alberni, possibly the armpit of the universe. But that’s just my experience, YMMV.

There are a lot of armpits. Like Aegaeon. (the beast with 100 arms). Seems like with urban sprawl, its growing more all the time

 

[CWret]

As @Susquatch said “This is exactly correct. My German family roots in Saskatchewan happened exactly this way.”
Germans also settled just south of Saskatchewan in North Dakota. That’s why the State capital is Bismarck and fleischkase was a common restaurant special of the day (at least in the mid 70’s when i lived there).

My mother’s parents came from England as young children and settled in northern Ontario. My father’s parents, came from England and Scotland and arrived as kids in Montreal. My grandfather became a machinist and was maintaince manager at the Silverbell mine in Cobalt - the town where my mother was born.

This discussion started with ‘where to live or relocate in Canada’ and kinda evolved into ‘how Canada developed and is a most wonderful country’. Quite appreciate timing since just 5 days ago I raised a new flag to celebrate Canada Day!!!