Transcript – “My New Home: Hamilton”

Jean-Jacques Somwe

What I like most about Hamilton are the various communities, so I would really like to stay here for a long time.

Rosa Atmani

Now, I am at home. We are very happy to be here.

Speaker

Welcome to “My new home,” a dive into the heart of Canada’s Welcoming Francophone Communities, an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada podcast.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

Hello, my name is Jean-Jacques Somwe and I arrived here in Hamilton six years ago.

I am the President of the Communauté congolaise de Hamilton and I work at the Canadian Red Cross as a public health expert.

Rosa Atmani

I am Rosa Atmani, I’m originally from Algeria. I was trained as an engineer. Currently, I am a construction project manager, here, in Hamilton. For me, Hamilton, is the city that I chose. It is a very rich city, economically speaking.

It has a port, an airport, industrial sectors.

It is close to the United Stated, it’s not far from Niagara Falls.

It has a sizeable Francophone community.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

Above all, what I like about the City of Hamilton is its geographic location.

What really struck me was the way in which the City of Hamilton is organized.

Thus, public transportation.

You don’t really have to depend on private transportation.

Rosa Atmani

Immigration is not a project that just emerged like that.

It was really after some reflection.

So, we wanted a country, a place where our son could build a good future and be successful in life.

To pack just like that a life of about 45 years into suitcases, to start again…

We needed courage.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

It’s true.

Rosa Atmani

But we were sure that this is what we wanted.

What we used as a tool for immigration was the “Express Entry” and the “Skilled Francophone Workers” stream.

We received an Interests Declaration from Ontario.

And we jumped for joy because it is exactly what we wanted.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

Rosa, my path is somewhat different from yours.

Because I left the Congo at an early age, when I was still an adolescent.

There was the civil war in the Congo, as you know.

And I went to South Africa.

Primarily, I built my life there to a certain extent, that’s where I had my family: my three children and my wife.

If you have refugee status, you can make a request for resettlement.

The United Nations send your profile to various countries.

So, I was lucky, it’s Canada that called me.

They suggested the City of Hamilton to me.

Rosa Atmani

Hamilton was one of the cities that have the best climate.

When we were in Algiers, what my son and I used to do each morning in my car, before I would drop him off at school and go to work, was to check the temperature of the City of Hamilton and compare it with Algiers.

And we noted that the temperatures were really similar.

And what really amazed us, we said to ourselves: “This is really what we want.”

Jean-Jacques Somwe

What was a little funny about my arrival here, listen, it was during the winter.

I noticed, in particular, people walk around with cups of tea.

So, for me, this was strange.

I said: “But, what’s that?”

But it’s drinking as you walk around.

In fact, where I come from, we sit down and then we have a cup of tea.

Then, once we have finished, we go outside.

We get on with our activities.

But it was funny.

So today, I also walk around with a cup of tea.

So, it’s funny but we do it.

Rosa Atmani

Yes, you are a Hamiltonian, that’s it!

What also impressed me, what I like here, is the pleasure of running into people and they say “Hello.”

Even if they don’t know you, they say “Hello!”

Theys say: “Hello!”

They help you out.

And in those moments, it reminds me of the small villages of Kabylia.

And it’s pleasant to be able to meet people who are welcoming, very welcoming.

As for a job, I was lucky.

After my arrival, I waited for about one month and few days.

So, I was able to get my first position in a lawyers’ office as a “ Legal Assistant.”

Then I had an interview and frankly the day after my interview, I got it at 3:00 p.m.

I already started working the following day, at 9:00 am.

Really, there were a lot of opportunities on the labour market.

Because there are all those industrial sectors.

You just have to tailor your resumé, have some experience and especially be willing to start somewhere.

And voilà “ boom!” – it works.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

When I arrived, well, I did one year.

I was doing my Master’s; I was supposed to complete public health.

One month before I was to complete everything, I got a job.

It was a friend who had whispered in my ear that they were looking for agents in a Call Centre.

I went to apply and on the same day, I was hired.

Rosa Atmani

It’s wonderful.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

I completely agree with you that there are so many jobs in Hamilton.

It’s a question of being willing and accepting to start somewhere.

Rosa Atmani

When we were in our country, we wanted to enrol our son in an English-speaking school.

But, once here, we observed that he would learn English in his environment.

But if he is in an English-speaking school, he will lose all his French.

So, we said: “He must absolutely be in a French-speaking school.”

And so, once we enrolled him in the “Le pavillon de la jeunesse” (the youth pavilion), we were able to meet parents who were Francophones, the entire administration was Francophone.

And this gave us an opportunity to find out about the Centre de santé francophone Hamilton (the Hamilton Francophone Health Centre).

It was a real relief because we actually met the Francophone community.

We were relieved because it’s not obvious to meet them just like that in the street.

As you see, Jean-Jacques, it’s not that easy.

But there, being in organizations like this, with the activities they organize…

We had a lot of things to celebrate, we were happy.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

For me, it was the exact opposite.

I spent an entire year in the English-speaking system.

I didn’t know, I even asked myself: “Are there any Francophones here in Hamilton?”

Rosa, what I really felt was the feeling of being alone.

And then, one day, I ran into, I was still in the library, I saw some people who were speaking French.

Then I said: “Well, they speak French.”

So, I followed them, and they said: “We have a book club. You can come and join us.”

Once you meet the Francophone community, it changes everything.

I felt that I was now in a specific community.

Rosa Atmani

Here, in Hamilton, we have a significant infrastructure dedicated to La Francophonie.

There are various centres such as the Centre de santé francophone Hamilton (Hamilton Francophone health centre).

There are Welcoming Francophone Communities, such as the Collège Boréal.

So, everything that covers community activities: sports, cultural activities, festivities, etc.

And there is also the Clinique juridique de Hamilton (Hamilton legal clinic).

So, the are Francophone lawyers who provide various legal advisory services.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

What is going on at the community level?

There are some initiatives. For example, there is a francophone platform to assist newcomers. In health cases, they can serve as volunteers.

You know, it’s easy for me to accompany a Congolese man or woman to the hospital to serve as an interpreter.

Rosa Atmani

I took the “Leadership Management” training at the Collège Boréal.

Consequently, I was able to get a job as a construction project manager.

In parallel with this, I enrolled in a course called Élan F.

These training sessions are sponsored by IRCC.

Thus, in collaboration with the Communauté francophone acceuillante de Hamilton (Hamilton Francophone Welcoming Community).

So, it was a course of a few months on entrepreneurship.

It gave me an opportunity to finally create my business.

It was a digital marketing business.

I succeeded in achieving my dream and in record time.

As new immigrants, we benefit from many advantages.

So, these courses are free.

Free coaching sessions.

Frankly, there are a lot of advantages for new immigrants.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

I completely agree with you Rosa because I experienced this.

I told myself to take a course in Consultation Immigration law just to help my brothers, sisters and newcomers obtain accurate information.

Rosa Atmani

Super!

Immigration releases the client potential in us.

Releases what is buried deep within us and gives us this opportunity to express it and bring it to the light of day.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

Rosa, what I like most in Hamilton is the various communities.

This why I would like to stay here for a long time.

Rosa Atmani

It’s the same for me, Jean-Jacques. In addition to what you just said, I really like the museums, the art gallery.

As you were saying, I also like the fact that it is very well situated, on the shores of Lake Ontario.

So, there are beautiful beaches; we really enjoy them in the Summer.

And when we are in Hamilton, we can’t live in Hamilton without going to Niagara Falls.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

I went there with my children.

They really liked it.

They didn’t want to come home.

So, we spent the entire day there. It was very beautiful, I liked it very much.

Rosa Atmani

It was marvellous; we were amazed to be there.

It’s a dream to be looking at this gigantic and unique natural phenomenon.

It’s a dream that was achievable thanks to my settling here, very close by.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

When I came here, I was in transition, I was undecided.

So voilà, now I am talking about staying here permanently.

My children are well, they are developing well.

I say a projection for the City of Hamilton in 2030; it will be quite another city.

Rosa Atmani

Frankly, I don’t consider myself to be in a foreign country.

Now, I am at home, I feel at home.

It’s the same thing for my husband, especially since he also found work in French, Francophone, in a school.

My husband and I came here primarily for my son.

And today, we are very happy to see him completely thriving, fully integrated and happy with his new friends and his environment.

Jean-Jacques Somwe

After looking at my pathway in Canada, I would say to those who want to come to Hamilton: “It’s a perfect place for a Francophone family.”

Rosa Atmani

You might meet us, Jean-Jacques and me.

And many more, the community is quite large.

Welcome to those who want to come here, in Hamilton.

We feel at peace in its society.

Speaker

Thank you for listening to “My new home.” An Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada podcast, with the participation of the Welcoming Francophone Community. Also, don’t miss discovering other episodes of the Welcoming Francophone Communities across Canada.