Senators’ Statements: Donna Dasko and Valerie March

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, we all know that recent immigrants to Canada face a difficult time in the labour market. Despite being highly educated, they often struggle to find a job or are underemployed due to problems with credential recognition, strange sounding names or lack of Canadian work experience.

In 1984, while I was still relatively new to Canada and trying to find my way as a volunteer, two women that are here today, Dr. Donna Dasko and Valerie March  overlooked the fact that I had no Canadian work experience and no familiar credentials. They saw something else than the places on my resumé, the strangeness of my name and they took a risk on me and offered a job. This was my first job in the charities world and it opened many other doors and windows that I believe ultimately led me to the Senate.

Both of these distinguished women have contributed greatly to civic and public life in Toronto, Ontario and indeed in Canada.

As executive director of St. Stephen’s Community House in the downtown Kensington Market  neighbourhood of Toronto, Ms. Valerie March led the work of settlement efforts in a high need community. There were many firsts in her leadership: the first ever community-based conflict resolution service, so that neighbours could resolve instead of litigate conflict; the first ever effort in Toronto to bring street youth off the streets through engagement with the arts and theatre; and one of the first ever downtown drop-in centres for homeless men.

Many of these efforts today have spread across the province and indeed across the country because we all know good ideas have long legs.

In 2001, Ms. Dasko co-founded Equal Voice , a non-partisan organization dedicated to electing more women to public office in Canada. Since its creation, Equal Voice has expanded across the country and encouraged political parties to be proactive in recruiting and supporting women candidates to run. Its work continues to propel women and girls into political life in our country, regardless of political stripe.

Colleagues, my story is not unique but perhaps the actions of these two individuals are more unique than they should be. The underemployment of immigrants in Canada costs us over $6 billion annually. Sometimes it is indeed individual action that overcomes systemic barriers. I believe we need more such individual actions because Canada succeeds when its immigrants succeed sooner.

Thank you.